Sutton Community Academy

Sutton Community Academy

Address: High Pavement, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, NG17 1EE Unique reference number (URN): 139063

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Attendance is a clear priority for leaders and is managed through well-established systems. Staff understand their role in promoting regular attendance and work closely with pupils and families to reduce barriers. Attendance has improved over time, and this improvement is evident across many pupil groups. Leaders use information effectively to identify patterns of absence and to provide targeted support where needed. Pupils say that adults encourage them to attend regularly and help them to understand the importance of being in school. However, attendance is not consistently high for all pupils, particularly for some who face ongoing challenges.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils' behaviour across the school is typically calm and orderly. Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school, creating a respectful and purposeful environment. Expectations are clear and applied consistently by staff. Pupils understand behaviour routines and describe them as fair. When pupils' behaviour falls short of expectations, staff respond promptly and pupils receive appropriate support. Over time, behaviour has improved and the number of negative incidents has reduced. Pupils value the rewards that they receive, especially the Friday disco, in recognition of positive conduct and contribution to school life. These reinforce a sense of pride and shared responsibility.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have designed an ambitious and well-organised curriculum that is carefully sequenced to help pupils build knowledge and understanding over time. Curriculum plans make clear what pupils should learn and when, and leaders work closely with subject teams to review and refine provision. As a result, pupils experience a broad curriculum that supports their learning and prepares them for future stages of education.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teaching is grounded in clear routines and consistent expectations. In many lessons, teachers present subject content clearly and use effective modelling and questioning to support learning. Pupils are generally engaged and can explain what they are learning and why. Leaders provide extensive learning opportunities for staff, which strengthens their subject knowledge and improves classroom practice.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

However, the quality of teaching is not consistently high quality across subjects and year groups. In some lessons, activities do not check pupils’ understanding closely enough or support them to apply knowledge independently. In addition, approaches to adapting learning for pupils who need additional support vary between teachers. This limits how effectively some pupils access the curriculum and make progress over time.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have an accurate understanding of these strengths and weaknesses. This work is strengthening teaching consistency and improving how well pupils are supported to learn across subjects.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have established clear systems to identify, assess and support pupils who face barriers to their learning or wellbeing. These systems are understood by staff and enable pupils with additional needs, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, disadvantaged pupils and those known to social care, to access appropriate support. Pupils say that they feel cared for and that adults know them well. As a result, most pupils feel included and supported in day-to-day school life.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders work closely with families and external agencies to secure timely support. They act quickly to ensure that needs are identified and provision is in place. The school's records are thorough, and communication with parents and carers and professionals supports shared understanding between all those involved in supporting pupils. For many pupils, this reduces barriers and improves pupils' engagement with learning and school life.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Although systems are typically secure, leaders do not currently evaluate the impact of their work as sharply as they could. Information about the support that pupils receive is not consistently analysed to check that provision is improving pupils' progress over time. In addition, agreed strategies to support pupils are not implemented consistently well by all staff. This reduces the impact of leaders' intended support for pupils.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders understand these weaknesses and are taking appropriate action to improve teaching consistency and the rigour of their evaluation. As this work is embedded more securely, inclusion is well placed to strengthen further and ensure that all pupils thrive.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders serve with clear moral purpose and are deeply committed to ensuring that all pupils are safe, included and supported to achieve as well as they can. They know the school and its community well and make decisions consistently in pupils’ best interests. Staff, pupils and parents describe leaders as visible, approachable and determined to improve pupils’ experiences and outcomes.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a clear and honest understanding of the school’s strengths and areas that still require continued focus. They evaluate provision carefully and have secured noticeable improvement across many aspects of the school’s work. This includes strengthening the school’s culture, improving behaviour and attendance, and developing a curriculum that raises pupils’ confidence and aspirations. Leaders are not complacent and recognise precisely where further work is needed to sustain and deepen this progress.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Those responsible for governance provide appropriate challenge and support. Governance is well organised and statutory duties are met. Governors and trust leaders understand their roles clearly and hold leaders to account using a range of information. At the same time, they support leaders to make difficult decisions when required, ensuring that pupils’ welfare and education remain the priority. Leaders have established effective systems to support staff's wellbeing and professional development. Staff feel valued and supported and share leaders’ commitment to improving outcomes for pupils.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils benefit from a personal development and wellbeing programme that supports them to build confidence, resilience and self ‑ belief. They speak positively about relationships with staff and the pastoral support available for them. Pupils say that adults know them well and help them to manage challenges, which contributes to pupils' sense of belonging and emotional security.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils learn how to stay safe, develop healthy relationships and understand the importance of respect and tolerance. They demonstrate an age ‑ appropriate understanding of online safety, mental wellbeing and wider risks. Pupils describe the school as a place where differences are accepted and discriminatory behaviour is challenged. Opportunities to take on responsibility help pupils to develop pride through their contribution to school life. These include student council involvement and support for younger pupils as reading mentors and breakfast club helpers.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

A broad range of experiences enriches pupils’ personal development. Pupils talk enthusiastically about clubs and activities that they attend, including sports clubs, creative writing, homework clubs and opportunities to use the gym after school. Enrichment days focused on areas such as engineering and science allow pupils to explore their interests beyond the classroom. Educational visits and residential experiences, such as the Year 7 adventure visit and the Year 9 residential, support pupils to develop independence and teamwork. Cultural experiences, including theatre visits and performances, also form part of this provision. Some pupils would welcome even more of these opportunities.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Careers education is growing. Pupils receive guidance through lessons, assemblies, careers days and an online careers platform. Work experience in Year 10 supports pupils to explore future pathways and make informed choices. While pupils’ understanding of different faiths and cultures is developing, it is not consistently secure across all year groups. Leaders recognise this and are refining provision to improve pupils’ knowledge further.

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Post 16 provision Expected standard

Students in the post ‑ 16 provision are well supported and benefit from positive relationships with staff who know them as individuals. Leaders have ensured that study programmes are appropriate to students’ needs and aspirations. Leaders make sure that students enrol on courses that carefully match their prior knowledge and future goals. As a result, students feel safe, supported and able to focus on their learning.

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Post 16 provision Expected standard

Teaching in the post ‑ 16 provision supports students to build knowledge and skills over time. Typically, students' achievement in examinations are close to the national average. Students say that staff are approachable and provide guidance that helps them to understand expectations and manage their workload. They are supported to develop effective study skills, including organising their time, meeting deadlines and preparing for assessments.

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Needs attention

When students need additional help, leaders put appropriate support in place to reduce barriers to learning and promote continued engagement.

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Needs attention

Careers education, information and advice supports students to make informed decisions about their next steps. Students can explain the pathways available to them and speak positively about the guidance that they receive through lessons, assemblies and personalised support. Leaders track students' destinations carefully. They act when further guidance is needed to ensure that students move on to suitable education, training or employment.

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Needs attention

Leaders maintain clear expectations and effective safeguarding arrangements that mirror those in the main school.

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Achievement Needs attention

Published results remain below national averages in several subjects and for some groups of pupils. Although leaders use assessment information to identify gaps in pupils' knowledge and target support, it is too soon to see the impact of recent actions across the school. As a result, some pupils do not make the progress that they should from their starting points, particularly where teaching and curriculum implementation are less secure.

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Achievement Needs attention

Leaders have taken appropriate action to improve outcomes. Pupils’ day-to-day learning shows evidence of this. In lessons, pupils are engaged and can explain what they are studying. Leaders have prioritised strengthening foundational learning, including reading. This is beginning to support pupils’ to access to the curriculum more effectively. However, more time is needed to tell if this translates into routinely positive outcomes for pupils.

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Achievement Needs attention

Leaders have a secure understanding of pupils' achievement and monitor pupils' progress closely. While improvements in learning are visible, their impact is not at present reflected in examination results.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils are proud of their school and speak with confidence about what it offers them. They describe a positive sense of belonging and value the culture of care, respect and ambition that staff promote. Pupils appreciate that adults know them well and take time to support them personally and academically. As a result, pupils feel included, listened to and part of a community that encourages them to aim high.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils engage well in their learning and generally enjoy lessons. They benefit from an ambitious and well-organised curriculum that helps them to build knowledge and develop confidence over time. The quality of pupils’ work shows that learning is secured across many subjects. However, this classroom experience is not routinely reflected in pupils' outcomes, particularly in some subjects and for some groups. This demonstrates that some pupils do not achieve as well as they should.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils feel safe because they are confident that adults will act to help them, particularly when they report concerns. They demonstrate a clear understanding of how to keep themselves safe, including online and beyond school.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Behaviour across the school is typically calm and orderly. Pupils understand behaviour expectations and describe them as fair and consistently applied. Most pupils behave well in lessons, creating a purposeful learning environment. Pupils respond positively to rewards that recognise good behaviour, leadership and attendance, which helps to reinforce a shared sense of responsibility and pride in the school.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils value the wider opportunities available to them, including chances to take on responsibility, support others and contribute to school life. Personal-development provision helps pupils to develop positive attitudes, respect for others and an understanding of future pathways. While pupils have some awareness of different faiths and cultures, this knowledge is not secure across all year groups. Leaders have identified this and have clear plans to strengthen it.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure greater consistency in teaching and use assessment information more effectively to identify and address gaps in pupils’ learning. Leaders should ensure that planned adaptions to teaching and resources for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are implemented consistently, so that pupils receive the intended support and adjustments that they need. Leaders should carefully analyse information that they gather so that they can identify priorities accurately and evaluate the impact of actions taken to improve pupils’ outcomes.

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About this inspection

This school is part of Academy Transformation Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Mark McCourt, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Patricia Beanland.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMI.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, senior leaders, staff and trust leaders during the inspection.

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Team inspectors:

Susan Vasey, Ofsted Inspector Alexandra Jane Burton, Ofsted Inspector Stuart Anderson, Ofsted Inspector Julie McBrearty, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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School capacity

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.

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School capacity

The school currently makes use of 6, unregistered, alternative provisions.

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School capacity

Since the previous inspection, the school has taken the decision to close the post 16 provision at the end of the academic year 2026.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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English and maths GCSE

Percentage of pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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national average

2024/25 (revised) 37.1% 45.4% Close to average

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Attainment 8

A measure of pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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Progress 8

How much progress pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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national average

2022/23 (final) -0.24 -0.03 Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils achieving grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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national average

2024/25 (revised) 21.8% 25.8% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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national average

2022/23 (final) 30.7 35.0 Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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national average

2023/24 (final) -0.83 -0.57 Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) -0.71 -0.57 Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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Destinations after 16

Percentage of pupils staying in education or employment for at least 2 terms after the end of secondary school (key stage 4).

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A-level average point score

The average points that students achieved per A-level entry.

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A-level value added

A score showing students’ progress between the end of key stage 4 and the end of their academic qualification studies.

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national average

2024/25 (revised) -0.1 0.0 Close to average

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2024/25 (2 term) 8.0% 8.1% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 10.1% 8.9% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2024/25 (2 term) 23.4% 21.9% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 28.5% 25.6% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 30.4% 26.5% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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