Sutton House Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils settle in quickly when they join the school.

Those who find it more difficult to cope with changes are supported well to gain confidence over time. Pupils form positive working relationships with school staff. They know the adults who support them want the best for them.

Consequently, pupils are typically respectful and responsive to the high expectations promoted across all aspects of school life.The school has high ambitions for all pupils to achieve. The carefully adapted curriculum enables individuals to succeed.

Because of this, pupils achieve well.

Pupils of all ages play nicely together in the playground. Some of the older pupils s...upport the younger ones in lessons such as meditation and yoga.

This helps raise all pupils' self-esteem.

Pupils enjoy learning in a range of subjects, for example art. Pupils appreciate the additional experiences they are given, such as being able to participate in achieving the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

The importance of keeping safe, maintaining healthy lifestyles and having respectful relationships is regularly reinforced in different situations. Pupils feel safe in school. Pupils are clear about whom to speak to if they are worried and are trusting of staff to sort things out.

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

The school is equally ambitious for pupils' academic achievement as it is for their social, emotional and mental health. The school plans the curriculum well for pupils' different needs and abilities, ensuring that they can achieve well. The curriculum helps pupils to engage in their learning successfully, including in reading, writing and mathematics.

Pupils' education, health and care (EHC) plans are used effectively. High-quality support meets pupils' social, emotional and mental health needs from the outset. This means that pupils settle in quickly and are ready to learn.

Leaders have thought carefully about the content of the curriculum taught at different stages. In most subjects, learning is planned to build on what pupils already know, with regular opportunities to revisit important knowledge and skills. This ensures that pupils remember more of the things they have learned over time.

However, in a few subjects, which have been recently reviewed and introduced, the key knowledge and identified strands of learning have not been finely tuned to meet the needs of pupils. In these areas, teachers have not had all the training that they need. As a result, teachers are less confident in their teaching.

Occasionally, in these subjects, pupils have some gaps in their learning and do not always achieve as well as elsewhere in the curriculum.

The school ensures that reading is a high priority in all key stages. Daily phonics and reading sessions ensure that pupils learn to read fluently.

Pupils who struggle to learn to read are identified quickly. They receive extra support to help them to catch up. Consequently, pupils progress well through the reading curriculum and most become confident readers.

Pupils generally behave well. They focus in lessons knowing the opportunities of support they have to meet their individual needs. Harassment, discrimination and other forms of abuse are not tolerated.

Relationships are positive. Staff are skilful in spotting signs of anxiety that might lead to challenging behaviour. Effective action defuses situations quickly in lessons and around the school.

Leaders work hard on attendance. As a result, pupils' attendance is getting better.

Personal, social and health education (PSHE) is threaded through all aspects of the school's work.

The curriculum is well planned. It includes life skills such as making tea and toast at breakfast club. Pupils gain confidence and improve their self-esteem.

They are taught how to keep safe, both physically and mentally, and to form healthy relationships. Tolerance and respect for individual differences are routinely promoted. Older pupils are prepared effectively to take the next steps beyond school.

Leaders have acted decisively to continue to improve the school since the previous inspection. Leadership has been strengthened. Staff are well supported.

They are proud to work at Sutton House Academy.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a very small number of subjects, the school has recently implemented a new curriculum.

Leaders are still finely tuning the key knowledge that pupils need to know. In these subjects, teachers are less confident in their subject knowledge and how to make it work in the classroom. On occasion, this leads to gaps in pupils' knowledge.

The school needs to ensure that teachers have the support and training that they need to teach these subjects well, to ensure that pupils consistently achieve

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