Summerhill Academy

School report Summerhill Academy Plummers Hill, St Georges, Bristol, BS5 7UJ

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Summerhill Academy is characterised by strong teamwork at all levels of the school. Pupils and staff work together to enable interesting and exciting learning that integrates the range of subjects exceptionally well.  Pupils achieve well. The proportion achieving at the levels expected at the end of Key Stage 2 is now above average in reading and mathematics. All groups of pupils make good progress throughout the school in reading, writing and mathematics.  Teachers plan work that excites and motivates pupils as well as enabling them to practise their reading and mathematics skills well.  Behaviour is good in lessons. Pupils apply themselves well to tasks and there is no disruption. Pupils know that they are safe.  Leadership and management at all levels demonstrate a strong ambition to continually improve pupils’ achievement. They make sure that teaching is consistently good and continuing to improve.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Parents and carers are happy with the school and many comment how much it has improved under the leadership of the executive principal who was also headteacher of the predecessor school.  Pupils develop into reflective and mature young people who are well prepared for and excited by the prospect of the next stage in their education. The federation structure enables this to be as smooth as it can be.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 Teaching has not yet secured for the pupils skills in writing that match their abilities in reading.  Sometimes some pupils are not considerate enough of the well-being of others at lunchtime.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection team observed 22 lessons taught by 12 teachers and some teaching assistants. Two were jointly observed with the assistant headteacher. In addition, short visits were made to other lessons and inspectors listened to pupils read.  Meetings were held with the associate principal, the executive principal, the year group leaders, other members of the support staff, two groups of pupils, the chair of the academy council, the chief executive officer and the chief operating officer of the federation.  The inspector took account of the 21 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, and also of a recent parent questionnaire conducted by the school. Four responses to a staff questionnaire were analysed.  The team looked at school documents, including school information relating pupils’ progress, planning for school improvement, monitoring of teaching and learning, records relating to

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Information about this inspection

behaviour and attendance, minutes of the academy council and documents relating to safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Janet Dinsmore, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Linda Rafferty Additional Inspector Mark Anderson Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Summerhill Academy is a larger than average size junior school.  Summerhill Academy converted to become an academy school on 7 September 2012. When its predecessor school, Summerhill Junior School, was last inspected by Ofsted it was judged to be good.  Summerhill Academy joined the Cabot Learning Federation in September 2012. The Cabot Learning Federation is sponsored by Rolls Royce PLC and the University of the West of England. The federation consists of five local primary and six secondary academies who work together to share effective practices and leadership strategies to accelerate school improvement. This work is led and coordinated by the chief executive officer.  The executive principal is the substantive headteacher of two primary schools and contributes to the leadership of the other primary schools in the federation. There is an assistant principal responsible for the day-to-day running of the school.

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Information about this school

 Just over half of the pupils are from a wide range of different ethnic groups; the rest are of White British origin.  A much higher than average proportion of pupils are known to be eligible for the pupil premium funding (additional government funding for those known to be eligible for free school meals and those in the care of the local authority).  A much higher than average proportions of pupils are supported at school action and an average proportion at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs.  The academy uses additional educational support at places away from the school on a part-time basis both at ‘The Studio’, which is shared by other academies in the federation, and through local authority provision.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching so that a greater proportion is outstanding by making sure:  that pupils’ skills in writing match those that they display for reading  that higher-ability pupils are provided with more challenge in all mathematics lessons.  Improve behaviour by making sure that pupils are more considerate of the well-being of others at playtime and lunchtime.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils read well. Current pupils in Year 4, for example, are already reaching standards that would be expected in a year’s time. As soon as pupils enter the school any who are having difficulties with reading are given the help that they need so they catch up quickly.  By the time they reach Year 6 they are reading a wide range of authors that they can talk about knowledgeably and demonstrate good reading skills. Books are carefully chosen to widen pupils’ experience and they use them well for finding facts as well as exploring Shakespeare and other authors.  Pupils’ skills in writing are continually improving throughout the school. They say that they write in most lessons. They have good opportunities to write in different styles and have a good understanding of grammar and sentence structure.  Pupils communicate well and they use words precisely when they explain what they are doing. Those new to learning English make excellent progress because of additional support in lessons.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils develop good mathematical skills. They apply their knowledge of calculation to tasks well and continually challenge themselves. However, lower- and middle-ability pupils sometimes do not have good recall of multiplication facts and this slows their progress.  Higher-ability pupils achieve well particularly in reading and in mathematics by the time they reach Year 6. In some lessons in mathematics in other year groups the work is sometimes too easy for them.  At the end of Key Stage 2 in 2013 there was no gap in mathematics and less than one third of a year’s gap in reading and writing achievement between those eligible for pupil premium and their peers at this school. In Years 3 and 4 they are making accelerated progress and the gap is closing steadily.  The very few pupils who attend additional educational support, at places away from the school, for a small proportion of the time achieve well. Disabled pupils and those with special

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The achievement of pupils is good

educational needs make good progress and there are examples of outstanding progress for some individuals and groups, particularly lower-ability readers.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers plan work creatively across the range of subjects so that pupils are motivated and really interested in what they are doing. This creates a lively ‘buzz’ in classrooms, for example, when pupils in Year 3 compared historical and modern maps of the local area. Pupils demonstrate good vocabulary and historical understanding as well as the ability to make comparisons and reach conclusions.  Reading is taught well. Pupils choose from an excellent range of books to support their learning and develop their understanding and vocabulary. They have many opportunities to discuss historical, modern and moral issues through the use of the books in lessons that teachers plan. Pupils throughout the school can discuss what they are reading with maturity and good understanding.  Mathematical skills are integrated into other subjects so that there is a clear purpose to the calculations that are being taught. For example, in Year 5, pupils used multiplication and division

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The quality of teaching is good

skills to ‘scale up’ puppets they were making for a performance.  Pupils know exactly what they need to do to improve their work because teachers’ marking gives them precise targets and recommendations. Teachers evaluate pupils’ work regularly and accurately so that they can check that pupils are making good progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Any pupils who have specific educational needs receive programmes of work that enable them to improve. These are well designed and skilfully taught by well-trained teaching assistants who also work with groups of pupils in classes to make sure that pupils understand exactly what they are learning.  Teaching is not yet outstanding because it has not made sure that pupils’ good skills in reading are matched by those of writing and in some mathematics lessons the work is too easy for higher-ability pupils.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. They behave well in lessons and work well in pairs or groups showing respect and courtesy to each other and to adults. Each individual is valued and known well by staff and these relationships contribute strongly to the smooth running of the school.  Pupils say that bullying is rare and that it is dealt with promptly by staff. They are fully aware of all forms of bullying including homophobic and racist. They know how to stay safe on the internet.  There are teaching assistants with good training and significant levels of expertise in supporting pupils who have difficulties in managing their behaviour. This work has made sure that there are marked improvements for these pupils both in their behaviour and learning.  Behaviour is not yet outstanding because there are some occasions in the playground and in parts of the building at lunchtime when pupils are not considerate enough of the well-being of

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

others.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Staff assess visits well for the risks that are involved and this is checked carefully. Lunchtime supervisors are trained well and work well to keep pupils safe.  Attendance is below average and there are a few pupils each day who are late to school. The school checks this continually and has good procedures that are effective in continuing the improvement in attendance that has been demonstrated in the last year.

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The leadership and management are good

 The leaders and managers of this academy and the federation have excellent systems for checking the progress of all groups of pupils. This information is shared widely and provides the basis for holding all staff to account. This is securing good progress and increasing attainment but achievement and the quality of teaching are not yet outstanding.  Teachers’ performance is managed very well. Underperformance has been eradicated and teachers, including those newly qualified and year group leaders, say that the federation has provided good training opportunities resulting in high-quality middle leaders who can improve teaching in other schools.  There is excellent sharing of expertise across the strong partnerships within the federation in all aspects of school improvement. This ensures best practice is shared and makes sure that checking of pupils’ progress is accurate.  The innovative and creative planning of the range of subjects makes sure that it is continually

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The leadership and management are good

adapting to the needs of the pupils and local and national events. The academy uses a wide range of visits and drama, for example, to inspire the pupils. This is beginning to secure above average skills in reading and mathematics but not yet in writing.  Almost all parents and carers value the work of the school. They say how much it has improved and that their children are doing well at this school. They particularly value the support given to those with special educational needs and the range of out-of-school clubs that is provided.  Statutory requirements for safeguarding are met.  Primary school sports funding has been used effectively to extend sporting opportunities for pupils, including fencing and judo, and to ensure that teachers have improved skills to teach physical education and that pupils demonstrate good physical skills.  Leaders and managers have made sure that this is a school where pupils value each other, know

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The leadership and management are good

how to behave and have rich opportunities to experience cultural events, learn musical instruments and understand different religious backgrounds. Social, moral, spiritual and cultural education is strong and integrated into all aspects of the range of subjects. Pupils say that everyone is treated equally and there is no discrimination in the school.  The governance of the school:  There is a strong relationship between the academy council and the board of the federation and aspects of governance are shared. The board ensures financial management is strong. Members of the council hold the school to account well for the progress of pupils at the school. They know that the quality of teaching is good and receive regular detailed reports about this from the executive principal. Members know that pupil premium funding has been spent for individual and small-group work to improve reading and mathematics skills and

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The leadership and management are good

attendance. They know how the academy compares to schools nationally and contribute to effective planning for further improvement. They know that underperformance has been tackled and make sure that teachers are appropriately rewarded for their performance in the classroom and their contribution to the leadership of this school and others within the federation.  The chief executive officer sets targets for the executive principal that make sure that there is continual improvement in the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement. The board makes sure that successful leaders and best practice can be shared across the federation for the benefit of all the schools.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 138658 Local authority Bristol Inspection number 443995

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Junior School category Academy converter Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 349 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Pete Franklin Headteacher Mandy Milsom (executive principal) Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 0117 9030347 Fax number 0117 9030348 Email address info@sa.cabot.ac.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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School details

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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