Summerlea Community Primary School, located in Rustington, West Sussex, underwent an inspection on December 7 and 8, 2022. The overall effectiveness of the school was rated as requiring improvement, with specific areas such as the quality of education, leadership and management, and early years provision also marked as requiring improvement. However, the school demonstrated good performance in behavior and attitudes, as well as personal development.
Pupils at Summerlea Community Primary School express pride in their school and enjoy their time with friends. They feel safe and secure, thanks to the caring nature of the staff. The school effectively addresses bullying, ensuring that even the youngest pupils know how to seek help if needed. Pupils engage actively in lessons, showing enthusiasm and concentration. The school offers a variety of extracurricular activities, allowing students to explore interests in sports, art, cookery, and gardening, which contribute to their confidence and self-belief.
Despite these positive aspects, the quality of education is inconsistent. The curriculum lacks proper sequencing, leading to varied educational experiences for pupils. Staff require additional support to enhance their teaching practices, resulting in lower expectations for academic work. Consequently, pupils struggle to retain and understand the curriculum fully. The school has faced challenges due to significant staffing changes, which have diverted leaders' attention to onboarding new staff rather than focusing on curriculum improvements. The headteacher, who also serves as the special educational needs coordinator, has worked to identify and meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, but the implementation of planned curriculum improvements has not been fully effective.
While leaders have clear intentions regarding the curriculum, these are not consistently reflected in classroom practices. Senior leaders acknowledge that the support provided to teachers for developing their skills has not been sufficient, impacting pupils' learning outcomes. For instance, expectations for handwriting, spelling, and punctuation skills are not high enough, hindering pupils' preparedness for future educational stages. However, assessment practices in subjects like reading and mathematics have improved, and there are areas of the curriculum where staff are well-trained and maintain high expectations, such as in physical education.
Reading is prioritized at the school, with younger pupils learning phonics and being introduced to a variety of engaging books. The library is well-stocked, and older pupils enjoy exploring different authors and genres. The school also emphasizes physical and emotional health, providing opportunities for pupils to learn about fitness and well-being through various activities, including outdoor education.
Staff at Summerlea Community Primary School report a positive working environment, with leaders being considerate of their workload. The governing body is experienced and plays an active role in supporting and challenging school leaders to implement necessary improvements. Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff well-trained and aware of pupils' well-being. Pupils feel confident in approaching staff with concerns and are knowledgeable about safety, both in physical environments and online.
To improve, the school needs to enhance support for staff development, ensuring that teachers have the necessary guidance to improve their subject knowledge and classroom practices. Additionally, the curriculum must be carefully sequenced to facilitate secure learning progression from early years through to Year 6. Leaders should also focus on raising expectations for pupils' writing skills to better prepare them for future educational challenges. Overall, while the school has strengths, there are clear areas for improvement that need to be addressed to enhance the educational experience for all pupils.
