Sutton Oak CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Leaders and governors are ambitious in their improvement planning. Leaders carefully monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of their plans against school improvement priorities. Leaders ensure that ongoing training for staff continues to support school improvement.

Leaders know pupils well. They have improved teaching, accelerated pupils' progress and enhanced outcomes in all three key stages. Behaviour around the school is good.

Pupils are polite, considerate and courteous. Pupils are self-confident and proud of their achievements. They have many opportunities for success, for instance through participation in extra-curricular sporting e...vents.

Pupils who are potentially vulnerable receive excellent support from a strong pastoral team. Staff care for pupils so that pupils do not fall behind with their learning. Safeguarding is effective.

Staff respond swiftly to any concerns, working with parents and other agencies to make sure that pupils have the support that they need. The school's Christian values permeate all aspects of pupils' learning. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is central to the work of the school.

A high proportion of children, particularly boys, come into the school with skills that are well below those typical for their age. Boys do less well than girls through the early years and key stage 1 because some need additional challenge and support. However, many boys catch up in key stage 2.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge and collaborate well to share good practice. Staff have worked together to develop a new curriculum and to plan lessons. However, leaders acknowledge that there is further work needed to ensure that pupils use their literacy and numeracy skills effectively across the whole curriculum.

A review of assessment strategies has provided a sharper focus on pupils' progress. However, teachers do not always use their assessments consistently well to help them to match teaching to pupils' ability, particularly for lower-ability pupils.

Information about this school

The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

Sutton Oak is a larger than average-sized primary school. Children attend the nursery either on a part-time or full-time basis. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is well above the national average.

The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is slightly higher than the national average. No pupils have an education, health and care plan. The school meets the government's floor standards.