Summerfields Primary Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 25 October 2023

Pupils are proud to attend Summerfields Primary Academy. They feel happy and safe and enjoy their learning. The key values of enjoyment, growth, resilience and respect are at the heart of every aspect of school life. Staff celebrate pupils for demonstrating these values. Pupils recognise that they play an equally important role as adults in promoting these values. Relationships are a strength of the school. There is a real sense that everybody who is part of the school's community matters. The 'Summerfield Speakers' pupils' group welcomes visitors to the school. These pupils proudly share information about their school and answer questions knowledgeably. Parents and carers appreciate the warmth, understanding and compassion of leaders. They recognise that staff go the extra mile for their children. Leaders and staff have high academic expectations for every child. Most pupils work hard and behave well in lessons and at breaktimes. Pupils learn to address friendship issues with one another. Bullying is rare. Pupils are confident that adults will sort out any problems quickly and effectively. Pupils value the wider opportunities on offer at Summerfields Primary Academy. There is a range of lunchtime and after-school clubs to choose from, including arts club and Lego club. Pupils enjoy special events, such as Harvest Festival, and look forward to school visits to local country parks. Pupils who attend football club are proud of their success in a recent tournament. Pupils are eager to apply for roles of responsibility in school. One child explained, 'I just want to give back to the school that does so much for me.'

What the school should improve

• The teaching of early reading lacks rigour and focus. As a result, pupils are not learning the phonics knowledge they need as quickly and securely as they should. The school should ensure that adults receive the further training they need to deliver the phonics programme with consistency and expertise.
• The school has not identified the key knowledge that pupils need to learn in all subject areas. As a result, some lessons lack precision and learning activity choices are not matched well to the intended learning. The school should ensure that the content of the curriculum is equally as effective as the successful model it has created in English, mathematics and science.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)