Sunnyside Spencer Academy

Sunnyside Spencer Academy is a highly effective primary school where pupils flourish, feel happy and are proud of their school. The school's SHINE values, including kindness and empathy, are deeply embedded, and pupils' behaviour and attitudes to learning are excellent. High expectations are set for all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and pupils typically achieve high standards in national tests by the end of Year 6. Children in the early years get an excellent start because staff quickly understand and provide for each child's needs and interests.

Strengths

• Pupils are happy, proud and enthusiastic learners who live up to the school's SHINE values.
• Behaviour and attitudes to learning are excellent, with high expectations upheld by all pupils.
• The curriculum is highly aspirational, carefully designed and equally strong across all subjects.
• The school's meaningful use of technology is an exceptional feature that supports learning, including for pupils with SEND and those who struggle with reading.
• Reading is a high priority, with expert systematic phonics teaching and strong support for pupils who need to catch up.
• Staff have strong subject knowledge and address misunderstandings promptly so pupils achieve well.
• Personal development is a significant strength, with a strong British values curriculum, high uptake of enrichment and a focus on disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND.
• Governance is effective, providing strong support and challenge and ensuring staff receive high-quality training.
• Staff are wholeheartedly positive about the support they receive for workload and well-being.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Sunnyside Spencer Academy attended 93.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 18.6% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 1.9% of pupils at Sunnyside Spencer Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Sunnyside Spencer Academy had 18.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 27.3% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 6.8% of pupils at Sunnyside Spencer Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.4% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Sunnyside Spencer Academy received £7,948 and spent £8,495 for each of its 201 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £6,000 (£31 per pupil).

Across all 27 schools of The Spencer Academies Trust, income was £7,619 and spending £7,638 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Nottingham · Nottinghamshire local authority: places and applications

Sunnyside Spencer Academy is part of The Spencer Academies Trust, which runs 27 schools. The nearest others:

• George Spencer Academy Nottingham
• Fairfield Spencer Academy Nottingham
• Chetwynd Spencer Academy Nottingham
• Bispham Spencer Academy Nottingham
• Portland Spencer Academy Nottingham
• Glenbrook Spencer Academy Nottingham
• Farnborough Spencer Academy Nottingham
• Rushcliffe Spencer Academy Nottingham
• Rosecliffe Spencer Academy Nottingham
• Millside Spencer Academy Loughborough

What is Sunnyside Spencer Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Sunnyside Spencer Academy is Outstanding, from an inspection in December 2024.

When was Sunnyside Spencer Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Sunnyside Spencer Academy was last inspected in December 2024.

How many pupils does Sunnyside Spencer Academy have?

Sunnyside Spencer Academy has 205 pupils on roll.

What age range does Sunnyside Spencer Academy cover?

Sunnyside Spencer Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Sunnyside Spencer Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 80% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Sunnyside Spencer Academy?

Sunnyside Spencer Academy is at GREAT HOGGETT DRIVE, BEESTON, NOTTINGHAM, NOTTINGHAMSHIRE, NG9 4HQ.