Over many years, we have developed four Areas of Excellence that help drive our vision and mission, creating opportunities for continued learning, growth and flourishing across our whole community.

These are areas of sustained strength where Sneinton St. Stephen's is recognised nationally and contributes to practice beyond our own school. We continue to learn from others, while sharing our experience and expertise with schools, organisations and professional networks across the country.

They reflect what we believe makes a lasting difference to children: a love of reading, the confidence to lead, the skills to thrive in a changing world, and a strong sense of community and belonging.

The ambitious curriculum is underpinned by the school’s strong values and four ‘areas of exceptionality’.

Ofsted, 2024

Reading for Pleasure

Creating readers for life

Reading is at the heart of Sneinton St. Stephen's. We want every child not only to read well, but to discover the pleasure, knowledge and possibilities that reading can bring.

Over many years, we have built a rich reading community in which children talk about books, discover authors, share recommendations and grow in their reading identity.

National recognition and contribution includes:

• Platinum Award — UKLA/OU Reading for Pleasure, 2024

• Host school for the national Book Blether Reading for Pleasure Conference, 2024

• Invited to co-author a chapter of Reading Teachers, Open University, 2022 — sharing a case study of the impact of developing reading communities at Sneinton.

• Featured by the Department for Education as a case study within the Reading Framework, 2021

• Top 1% nationally for reading attainment, 2019

• Egmont Reading for Pleasure School of the Year, 2019

• Reading Recovery School of the Year, 2018

 

Digital Transformation

Technology with purpose

Technology is part of how our children learn, create and explore. We want children to become creators, not simply consumers, of digital content and safe, confident navigators of the digital world.

Used thoughtfully, technology can deepen learning, remove barriers and unlock creativity, giving children the skills and confidence to thrive in an increasingly digital world.

Our staff and pupils share their practice beyond Sneinton St. Stephen's, contributing to professional learning and the development of digital education nationally.

National recognition and contribution includes:

• Pearson National Teaching Awards — Silver Award for Digital Innovator of the Year, 2024

• Apple Distinguished School, 2024

• Apple Lead Practitioner, 2024

• Apple Distinguished Educator, 2019

• Digital Provision recognised as an Area of Excellence by Challenge Partners, 2019

• Staff and pupils invited to share practice nationally, including at BETT, conferences and through professional networks

 

Pupil Leadership

Children's voice at the heart of decision-making.

We want children to know that their voice matters and that they have the power to contribute.

Leadership at Sneinton St. Stephen's goes beyond holding a title. Throughout their school journey, children have meaningful opportunities to influence school life, become role models for others, speak to wider audiences and take action on issues that matter to them.

These experiences develop confidence, character and agency, helping children understand that their ideas matter and giving them the confidence to lead, influence and create positive change.

National recognition and contribution includes:

• Digital Leaders presenting at BETT, 2024

• Children invited to speak to the Diocese of Southwell & Nottingham, 2022 and 2024

• World Class Schools Quality Mark Character Award, 2021

• Re-accredited World Class Schools Quality Mark, 2021

• Runner-up World Class School of the Year, 2019

• Children invited to speak at the Church of England National Conference, 2019

 

Creating Community

Belonging, partnership and contribution.

Our school is part of a wonderfully rich and diverse community. We believe strong schools grow with their communities, not separately from them.

We work alongside families and local partners to create opportunities to learn together, celebrate together and support one another. This includes family involvement and engagement, transition support, community celebrations and welfare support.

Strong partnerships with local faith groups and other organisations, universities, businesses and employers connect our children and families with opportunities beyond school, building aspiration and helping children see the possibilities ahead of them.

Our aim is for children and families to know that they belong, that they are valued and championed, and that they have something meaningful to contribute — within Sneinton and beyond.

National recognition and contribution includes:

• Featured as a case study in Lynn E. Swaner and Andy Wolfe​​'s​​​​​ Flourishing Together, exploring Sneinton’s approach to developing a flourishing school community.

 

Learning from others.
Contributing beyond Sneinton.

Our Areas of Excellence have developed through sustained work over many years. External recognition creates opportunities to learn, collaborate, share our practice and continue to improve.

We work with partners including Transform Trust, the Diocese of Southwell & Nottingham, Challenge Partners, Apple Education, the UKLA/OU Reading for Pleasure community, the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University.

These relationships bring new thinking, expertise and opportunities into Sneinton St. Stephen's, while enabling our children and staff to contribute beyond our school.