Pupils are highly respected and nurtured. Staff care deeply about them. The much-valued pastoral team is always on hand. For some pupils, attending Sunnydown means that they can enjoy school for the first time. Pupils’ opinions matter. One significant example of this is the positive ‘restart’ system, ‘REST’, designed and used by pupils as a strategy to get the time and space they need to ready themselves for learning. The school has a calm and friendly atmosphere. Pupils’ perceptions about bullying are paramount for staff. Adults have received recent additional training. They take issues that arise seriously and tackle them effectively. Beyond the school’s ‘traditional curriculum’, it prioritises supporting pupils to develop diverse skills, qualities and attributes. The wonderful and intricate landscaped garden and industrious cycle repair workshop are just two of the visible markers of the curriculum offer beyond traditional subjects. This school is largely successful and often transformative in its aim to empower its pupils. Its work to improve pupils’ resilience and develop their character, confidence and selfesteem is deeply embedded. However, academic expectations and opportunities for some pupils could be higher and broader. Some parents and carers believe this to be the case, and inspectors agree.