Lime Hills Academy

Inspection of Lime Hills Academy Pound Lane, Nailsea BS48 2NN

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good

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Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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The principal of this school is Lis Jolley. This school is part of Cabot Learning Federation, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Steve Taylor, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Professor Yvonne Beach. 17 and 18 June 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are positive and confident learners. Many pupils have previously struggled in other school settings and have negative views of education. However, this is soon transformed through the caring, nurturing and trusting relationships that staff establish with pupils and their families. Pupils develop a strong sense of self-worth. They feel happy and safe. Pupils’ curiosity about the world around them is nurtured throughout the curriculum. They learn in great depth skills and knowledge to prepare them for further education, apprenticeships and work.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school sets high expectations for pupils’ conduct and their achievement. Staff work patiently and sensitively to ensure that pupils learn effective strategies to regulate their emotions, manage their behaviour and communicate their feelings successfully. Pupils achieve well and leave school ready for the next stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The personal development programme is exceptional. It is central to the development of pupils’ characters. For example, through the breadth of physical education opportunities, pupils learn to prioritise their physical health. They also develop new interests and hobbies as they learn to swim, play football and ride mountain bikes with increasing skill and expertise. Through sports, pupils learn to interact socially, forge meaningful friendships and resolve conflict with empathy and fair discussion.

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

The school’s ambitious vision for pupils to succeed socially, emotionally and academically is palpable. Collaboratively, staff have designed a well-organised curriculum that is personalised to address pupils’ special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, in a minority of subjects, the sequence of knowledge is not clearly structured. Where this is the case, pupils do not learn key knowledge as well as they could.

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

Reading is a priority in all areas of the school’s work. Staff deliver the phonics programme effectively. They check carefully to ensure that, where required, pupils receive the help that they need to catch up quickly. Staff promote pupils’ love of reading at every opportunity. Staff ensure that pupils feel secure and safe enough to read aloud to each other. Pupils appreciate this and enjoy reading play scripts. Pupils talk enthusiastically about the books that they read and explore in lessons. Through the well-considered support and interventions that staff deliver, pupils learn to read with fluency and understanding.

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

Staff model the school’s behaviour expectations consistently well. The atmosphere in classrooms and in corridors is purposeful and harmonious. Transition times are calm and orderly. The school supports pupils very well to manage their social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs. For instance, pupils learn to regulate their emotional responses by working with the guinea pigs, rabbits and dogs. Prior to joining the school, many pupils have a history of very low school attendance, and some have missed significant parts of their education. The school works effectively to remove any barriers and help pupils improve their attendance so they learn with confidence and experience success. 17 and 18 June 2025

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Pupils’ personal development is afforded the highest priority across the curriculum. The personal, social and health education programme is extremely well designed. It is highly responsive to the issues that pupils face locally and nationally. Pupils learn about healthy relationships and consent. They learn about fundamental British values. Pupils demonstrate a mature understanding of the importance of mutual respect, free speech and individual liberty. They also experience democracy through voting for members of the school council. Pupils develop very strong cultural knowledge of the creative arts. For example, pupils visit the theatre and compose their own music. The outdoor learning provision is exceptional. Through a range of excellent experiences, pupils develop the skills of resilience, independent decision making and team building. Pupils are very well supported for their next steps.

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The careers programme develops pupils’ knowledge about future employment opportunities superbly. It supports the development of pupils’ employability skills through a breadth of well-considered activities which are carefully tailored to pupils’ SEND needs and individual aspirations.

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The school is led well. Governance is strong. Governors pose suitable support and challenge to ensure that pupils learn successfully. Staff enjoy working at the school. They are extremely positive about the support for their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, the school has not set out clearly enough the order in which key knowledge will be taught. Consequently, pupils do not learn as well as they could. The school must ensure all subject curriculums are well sequenced so that staff know the order in which pupils should learn the important knowledge they need.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 17 and 18 June 2025

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In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 17 and 18 June 2025

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School details

School category Academy free school special

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School details

Dates of previous inspection Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Lime Hills Academy is a special school for pupils with SEMH. All pupils have an education, health and care plan.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.  The school uses three unregistered alternative provisions.  The school is located on separate sites for primary and secondary phases.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form 17 and 18 June 2025

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provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors held discussions with the principal, members of the leadership team, the chair of governors and a member of the board of trustees.  The lead inspector spoke by telephone with an education officer from the local authority.  Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors discussed the curriculum in a range of subjects.  Inspectors met with staff to consider their views.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around

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safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors considered the views of parents and carers who responded to the confidential survey, Ofsted Parent View. They evaluated the views of staff from the Ofsted online survey.

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Inspection team

Susan Aykin, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Claire Thomson Ofsted Inspector 17 and 18 June 2025

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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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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