An ‘exceptional’ personal development programme, ‘nurturing’ relationships and an ‘ambitious vision for students to succeed’ have earned a specialist North Somerset school a series of ‘Good’ ratings and one ‘Outstanding’ in its first ever Ofsted inspection.

Lime Hills Academy, which operates at sites in Nailsea and Weston-super-Mare, specialises in teaching students with social, emotional or mental health needs, many of whom have previously struggled to cope with mainstream schooling.

Ofsted’s inspectors spent two days meeting leaders from the school and its parent trust, speaking with parents and pupils, and observing lessons and student work.

Afterwards, they praised the school in a number of areas, while recording formal ratings of ‘Outstanding’ for Lime Hills’ personal development offering, and ‘Good’ for its leadership, behaviour and attitudes, and the quality of education it provides.

Inspectors highlighted the positive culture staff create to help students re-engage with their education after finding lessons difficult in other schools.

In her report, lead inspector Susan Aykin said: “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.”

Inspectors offered further positive assessment of Lime Hills’ provision in a number of key areas.

On pupils’ personal development, the report said: “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.”

On curriculum, Ofsted said: “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).”

On student behaviour, the report said: “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 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.”

And on careers education, inspectors added: “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.”

Ofsted’s report also rated the school as ‘well led’, and praised its ‘strong’ governance, ‘effective’ safeguarding, and the positive work done by staff to help students overcome any history of poor attendance.

Leaders at Lime Hills, and its parent trust the Cabot Learning Federation, have welcomed the findings of Ofsted’s first visit since the school opened in 2022.

Lis Jolley, Principal at Lime Hills Academy, said:

“We are delighted with the report and that it reflects the experience of our children so well.

“We are immensely proud of the children, families and staff and wider Lime Hills community and would like to thank everyone who has championed the school during our first three years.”

Steve Taylor, Chief Executive Officer of the Cabot Learning Federation, said:

“Lime Hills is a huge success story. It has been wonderful to see how our colleagues, the school, and its communities have come together to make this a truly special place to engage with such a strong educational offer.

“Unusual as it is for a school in these circumstances to achieve outstanding judgements at its first inspection; well done to the excellent team.”

A pioneering collaboration between the Cabot Learning Federation (CLF), Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) LLP, and The Brilliant Club will launch in the 2025/26 academic year, with King’s Oak Academy piloting the initiative on behalf of the CLF.

This exciting partnership will deliver a transformative programme designed to raise aspirations, improve social mobility, and inspire the next generation of professionals within the legal and wider professional services sectors.

The key aims and objectives of the initiative are to:

• Provide innovative industry insights: Equip learners from Year 6 to Year 11 at King’s Oak Academy with the knowledge and confidence to pursue careers in law and professional services.
• Demystify qualification pathways: Help learners understand the routes into the sector, removing barriers to higher education and professional progression.
• Raise aspirations and improve attendance: Support children and young people, particularly those experiencing disadvantage, to envision and work towards ambitious futures.
• Promote social mobility and diversity: Address underrepresentation in the legal profession by widening access and fostering inclusion.
• Create a scalable blueprint: Develop a model that can be rolled out across other CLF academies and beyond, amplifying its impact.

Skye Fenton-Wells, Early Talent Recruitment Manager from Womble Bond Dickinson, said: “We are excited to collaborate with CLF on a pilot programme aimed at strategically engaging children and young people from Year 6 to Year 11 at King’s Oak Academy.

“This initiative highlights our unwavering commitment to supporting the communities we serve, enhancing social mobility, and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion.

“By investing in the future of these students, we are fostering their personal growth and development, while also building a more inclusive and equitable future for all.

“This programme is also crucial in supporting the next generation, ensuring we create a sustainable pipeline of future talent.”

Lindsay Rose, Strategic Partnerships Lead for The Brilliant Club, said: “The Brilliant Club is delighted to be working with Cabot Learning Federation and Womble Bond Dickinson to support King’s Oak Academy students and pupils on this exciting project.

“The Brilliant Club Scholars Programme provides young people with an inspiring, academically-challenging, university-style experience. We are committed to helping pupils currently underrepresented in higher education to grow their academic skills and self-confidence, allowing them to see university as a place where they belong.

“The Scholars Programme will be an excellent complement to the wider programme of activities run by Womble Bond Dickinson to foster personal development and expose them to what their futures can hold.

“We are very grateful for Womble Bond Dickinson’s support of our involvement with this project, and we are excited to see the powerful impact it will have for King’s Oak pupils.”

Andrew Bell, Partnerships Manager at the CLF, said: “This collaboration is an exciting opportunity to take an innovative approach to industry insights, giving young people at King’s Oak a practical, strategic insight to career opportunities just a short distance from Kingswood.

“Bringing Womble Bond Dickinson and The Brilliant Club together to explore a bespoke programme has been a great experience; as a result, we’ve been able to create a blueprint that will be scalable across the trust and at non-CLF schools.”

Year 6 pupils from Minerva Primary Academy have swapped the classroom for the great outdoors during an exciting residential trip to Hooke Court in Dorset.

The adventure has been packed with team-building activities, new experiences, and opportunities to explore and connect with nature.

Highlights of the trip included an exhilarating sloshy mud run, thrilling outdoor adventures, and hands-on bushcraft sessions where pupils cooked food over an open fire.

The budding young chefs prepared a delicious menu of chicken, vegetable soup, and two types of freshly baked bread, all made from scratch during their bushcraft experience.

Slaney Mitchell, Minerva Primary Academy teacher and camp lead, said: “This trip has given our pupils the chance to challenge themselves, work as a team, and experience things they’ve never done before.

“From running through the mud to cooking over an open fire, they’ve embraced every activity with enthusiasm and courage. It’s been fantastic to see their confidence grow.”

Students from across the Cabot Learning Federation (CLF) converged on City Academy for the annual CLF Big Dance, one of the Federation’s flagship ‘Big Events’ that bring learners together to celebrate excellence in a variety of disciplines.

This year, 10 academies – both primary and secondary – participated, showcasing an incredible range of talent, energy, and creativity through dance.

The event was hosted by CLF Post 16 students, marking the culmination of a year-long project. Each academy was partnered with a Post 16 student choreographer and coach, who worked with their respective troupes to prepare for the grand performance. Weston academies were coached by Winterstoke Hundred Academy Post 16 students who again worked with their respective troupes to prepare them for this dance festival.

A diverse mix of musical genres and dance styles were showcased. The atmosphere was electric, and the camaraderie between academies was inspiring – with every school cheering on the others in a powerful display of unity and support.

Jeanine Preece, Associate Assistant Principal: Wider Curriculum Post 16 and event organiser, said: “It’s incredible to see the dedication, passion, and creativity of our students and pupils come together in one event.

“Big Dance is about more than performance, it’s about collaboration, confidence, and celebrating the arts within our Federation.”

Priorswood Primary School celebrated a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity after winning tickets to the world-famous Wimbledon Championships through the Lawn Tennis Association’s (LTA) schools ballot.

Outdoor Education Lead Jake Ripley entered the school into the LTA ballot earlier this year, joining thousands of other schools across the country. The school was thrilled to discover they had been selected, granting them a chance to witness tennis history in the making.

Jake Ripley and fellow staff member Emily Griffin accompanied eight lucky pupils on an unforgettable trip to Wimbledon, where the group enjoyed fantastic seats on Court Number 1.

Pupils were captivated by the world-class tennis and soaked up the electric atmosphere of the iconic sporting event.

Jake said: “We couldn’t be prouder – not just because of the opportunity, but because of how our children represented Priorswood.

“Members of the public approached our staff to praise their manners and behaviour, showing real Priorswood citizenship throughout the day.

“The experience was a remarkable milestone for pupils, many of whom had never seen live tennis before. It’s a day they’ll remember for years to come. What an unforgettable experience and one we know they’ll treasure forever.”

Year 6 pupils from Evergreen Primary Academy had an unforgettable adventure-filled day at Woodhouse Park, taking part in a variety of exciting outdoor activities designed to challenge, inspire, and build confidence.

The day was packed with thrilling experiences including laser tag, high ropes climbing, bouldering, low ropes balancing, and a final splash through a messy assault course.

Pupils embraced every activity with enthusiasm and courage, supporting and motivating each other throughout the day.

The trip was not only about fun and excitement, but also focused on teamwork, personal growth, and teambuilding.

Pupils demonstrated resilience, cooperation, and determination, pushing themselves to try new things and cheering one another on every step of the way.

A school spokesperson said: “It was incredible to see our Year 6 pupils challenge themselves and support each other.

“Days like these are so important for building confidence, strengthening friendships, and creating lasting memories as they prepare to move on to secondary school.”

Evergreen Primary Academy would like to thank the staff at Woodhouse Park for providing such a safe and inspiring environment for adventure and learning.