Sunnyside Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

There has been no change to this school's overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection.

However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.The interim executive principal of this school is Sarah Lloyd.

This school is part of Greenwood Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Wayne Norrie, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Mike Hamlin.

What is it like to attend this school? ...

Pupils are happy and feel safe at Sunnyside Primary.

They show understanding of 'The Sunnyside Standards', which focus on high expectations in lessons and around the school, and teach all to look after each other.

There is a calm and busy atmosphere in school. In lessons and around school, most pupils behave well.

Pupils enjoy the rewards they receive in their celebration assembly each week. For example, they can be nominated as 'star of the week', get a 'special mention' or achieve the 'best seat in the house' for exceptional attendance.

Pupils are confident that if bullying did occur, staff would deal with it promptly.

Pupils understand how to stay safe when online and offline. They know who to go to should they need help.

Pupils enjoy the range of extra-curricular activities that are on offer.

These include hockey, gymnastics, rock study, choir and a running club.

Leaders want pupils to do well. However, some pupils do not achieve as well as they could.

This is because some subjects are not yet sufficiently well planned and delivered to ensure that pupils gain the knowledge they should across the curriculum. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has navigated a period of significant staffing and leadership changes and is now moving into a more stable position.

Pupils experience a broad and balanced range of subjects. The curriculum is currently undergoing development, with a number of changes being introduced. These developments are at the very early stages of implementation.

Curriculum plans in some subjects set out what pupils should learn, and when. The mathematics curriculum, for example, is well structured. Pupils are provided with appropriate opportunities to develop fluency.

However, pupils are not given sufficient opportunities to develop their reasoning and problem-solving skills.

Intended learning outcomes in lessons are ambitious. However, teachers' expectations of the work produced in some lessons are not always high enough to achieve those outcomes.

Many teachers plan lessons that are engaging, and some teachers relate new learning to pupils' existing knowledge. For example, in history, while introducing the Mayans to a class, the teacher used the everyday object of a wellington boot to teach pupils about their invention of rubber. Across the curriculum, pupils are starting to have opportunities to recall their prior learning.

Some teachers check pupils' understanding and how well they are learning the curriculum. However, this is inconsistent. Pupils' misconceptions are not always corrected, and not all teachers give pupils sufficient time to correct mistakes in their work.

As a result, pupils have gaps in their knowledge in some subjects.

Reading is a priority in the school. The library has been recently re-stocked and is an inviting place for pupils.

Teachers are starting to ensure that pupils read texts that explore diversity. As soon as children enter the Reception Year, they learn new sounds and letters through daily phonics teaching. However, the books that pupils read do not always match the sounds that they know.

Pupils who fall behind with their reading do not receive close and consistent support. Some pupils do not read as fluently as they could.

Pupils with SEND access their learning in class with their peers.

Their needs are identified and specific actions are agreed to help pupils progress most of the time. However, not all teachers adapt the curriculum sufficiently well to enable all pupils to succeed.

Children in the early years settle into school life quickly.

Adults in the early years ensure that children are well cared for. Relationships are warm. Children enjoy their learning.

Activities are well planned and encourage children's independence.

The school provides a range of experiences to enhance pupils' wider development. Pupils have secure knowledge of British values and different faiths and beliefs.

Pupils understand diversity and the need to respect people's differences. A common view was that 'all are welcome here'. Pupils spoke positively about the residential visits, which help them to develop their independence and resilience.

Most staff enjoy working at the school. However, some staff do not feel that their workload and well-being are well considered. Leaders and staff are working hard to improve the school.

The school is focusing on the right areas to improve. It has an accurate view of its strengths and development needs. The school is strongly supported by the trust.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Support for pupils who have fallen behind with their reading is not effective enough. These pupils do not practise their reading often enough using books that match their phonics knowledge.

Routines to help these pupils read vary. These pupils do not improve their reading as quickly as they could. The school needs to ensure that pupils who are in the early stages of learning to read get the support they need to become accurate and fluent readers.

• In some foundation subjects, the knowledge that all pupils need to know and remember is not clear and precise. This does not help pupils to know more of the school's planned curriculum. The school must ensure that the whole curriculum is well sequenced and identifies the key knowledge that pupils must know and recall over time.

• Curriculum implementation is not consistent or secure. When this is the case, teachers are not able to check on pupils' prior learning and identify gaps and misconceptions in their knowledge. The school must ensure that assessment processes and the delivery of the curriculum in all subjects are of a uniformly high quality, so that pupils learn as well as they should.

• Some pupils with SEND are not supported well enough by staff. This means that these pupils are unable to progress through the curriculum as well as they should. The school needs to ensure that teachers use the information about pupils with SEND to adapt how they deliver curriculum content

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged Sunnyside Primary Academy to be good in October 2018.

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