Sunrise Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils who join The Everitt Academy have had poor previous experiences in the school.

Over the past year there have been changes of leadership. During this time, behaviour at the school declined and there were many serious behaviour incidents.

Pupils say that since the acting headteacher has been in post, behaviour has got better.

They say there is name-calling and some bullying at the school, but adults help sort out problems.

Since the acting headteacher has been in post, staff have more confidence and better support than before. All staff are now working together to improve learning and help pupils to be better prepared for the next stage of educa...tion.

These improvements are at an early stage.

Pupils told inspectors that they like being at the school because they are in smaller groups, and adults listen to them. Adults and pupils have good relationships.

Staff take time to learn about each pupil. They ask about pupils' interests. They seek out opportunities that will interest each pupil such as horse-riding and cooking.

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

Leaders and staff share a common desire to do the very best for all pupils. This aim is not currently being realised.

Pupils have previously been taught a limited range of subjects.

New curriculum plans are being implemented but are poorly structured. Teachers do not identify what is the most important learning they want pupils to grasp by the end of a unit of work. Teachers are unclear how they will know if pupils have learned and retained what they have been taught.

Teachers do not take enough account of pupils' individual needs in their planning and teaching. Some pupils cannot access learning in different subjects as they get older because they cannot read well.

Over the past year there have been a high number of serious behaviour incidents.

The number of pupils who have been excluded from school has been high because of the poor behaviour. Physical restraint has been needed frequently. Leaders and staff do check the appropriateness of physical restraint, when it is used.

The number of serious incidents and exclusions has begun to decline since leaders introduced a new behaviour policy. Pupils like the changes and enjoy the new rewards, such as tuck shop points, for good behaviour. Staff report that they 'now feel [they] can teach'.

Attendance at the school is too low. Too many pupils do not receive the full-time education to which they are entitled. Too many are on part-time timetables that are not well thought out.

Some pupils do not come to school at all.These pupils receive varying amounts of tuition off-site and with alternative providers. Pupils are not learning all the subjects that they should.

The academy trust failed to act quickly to stem the decline at the school. More recently, trustees have appointed new staff, provided staff training, and brought in a headteacher from another one of their schools to lead the changes. The trust now checks on pupils' behaviour, attendance and exclusions.

A new chair of the local governing body is in place and is developing systems to help leaders bring improvements in the school. This work is still very new.

The acting headteacher has given staff a renewed sense of purpose and direction.

He has begun to address the many weaknesses in the school. Staff say they feel supported and team spirit is now strong in the school. Leaders are open and honest.

They recognise that there is lots of work to do to make sure that pupils receive a high-quality education which suits their needs.

All staff are very mindful of pupils' prior poor experiences of school and are working hard to help improve their attitudes towards education. They talk with pupils about their interests.

They use this to plan activities which pupils enjoy. Staff encourage pupils to make good choices. Assemblies now take place where pupils learn about bullying and think about events in the world.

Leaders have increased the opportunities for socialising. Leaders have introduced careers information and guidance for pupils in key stage 4. It is planned for pupils in key stage 3.

Advocates work with pupils to help them manage their behaviour more successfully. Pupils who are new to the school are well supported.

Leaders do not have a systematic approach to promoting pupils' understanding of different cultures.

Plans for widening the opportunities for spiritual development are in their early stages.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders and staff are very aware that pupils at the school are vulnerable.

They are well trained to spot signs that pupils may be at risk of harm. Leaders check that pupils who are not in school because they have part-time timetables are at home or attending alternative provision. They carry out risk assessments to consider pupils' individual needs and the risks that pupils may pose to themselves and others in school.

Leaders follow up concerns about pupils with external agencies to make sure action is taken. Pupils say that the school is safe. Staff said that they now feel safe in school because behaviour is better.

Pupils know about how to keep themselves safe online. They learn about safe relationships in sex and relationships education lessons.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Leaders need to ensure that there is a high-quality, structured and coherent curriculum in place.

Leaders need to identify what is the key knowledge that pupils need to learn at each stage of their education and in each subject. They need to plan how and when this will be taught so that pupils build on their knowledge over time and as they move through the school. .

Teachers need to take account of pupils' education, health and care (EHC) plans when planning their teaching. They need to identify where pupils have gaps in knowledge and use this information to personalise the teaching sequence for pupils. .

Leaders and trustees need to ensure that staff and leaders develop the skills and knowledge they need to fulfil their roles effectively. Curriculum leaders need to have a clear view of what good-quality education looks like and know how they will check that this is in place. .

Leaders need to ensure that the recent improvements in pupils' behaviour are sustained so that there is a significant reduction in serious incidents that lead to the need for physical restraint or exclusion, so that more pupils are effectively accessing education. . Leaders need to consider and record more precisely the rationale for and risks to pupils being out of school when making decisions about any part-time timetables.

Leaders need to routinely review these plans to ensure that more pupils access high-quality, full-time education. . The local governing body needs to develop its role in liaison with the academy trust, so leaders and staff continue to have appropriate support and challenge to address weaknesses in the school so that more recent improvements are sustained.