Sutton House Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 6 March 2024

Most pupils settle in quickly when they join the school. Those who find it more difficult to cope with changes are supported well to gain confidence over time. Pupils form positive working relationships with school staff. They know the adults who support them want the best for them. Consequently, pupils are typically respectful and responsive to the high expectations promoted across all aspects of school life. The school has high ambitions for all pupils to achieve. The carefully adapted curriculum enables individuals to succeed. Because of this, pupils achieve well. Pupils of all ages play nicely together in the playground. Some of the older pupils support the younger ones in lessons such as meditation and yoga. This helps raise all pupils' self-esteem. Pupils enjoy learning in a range of subjects, for example art. Pupils appreciate the additional experiences they are given, such as being able to participate in achieving the Duke of Edinburgh Award. The importance of keeping safe, maintaining healthy lifestyles and having respectful relationships is regularly reinforced in different situations. Pupils feel safe in school. Pupils are clear about whom to speak to if they are worried and are trusting of staff to sort things out.

What the school should improve

• In a very small number of subjects, the school has recently implemented a new curriculum. Leaders are still finely tuning the key knowledge that pupils need to know. In these subjects, teachers are less confident in their subject knowledge and how to make it work in the classroom. On occasion, this leads to gaps in pupils' knowledge. The school needs to ensure that teachers have the support and training that they need to teach these subjects well, to ensure that pupils consistently achieve

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