Rossmere Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve well from their individual starting points. They make good progress overall in literacy and mathematics.

Pupils write well. Their attainment in writing is above average. Pupils make outstanding progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage and in Year 6 because teaching is outstanding in these classes.

Pupils are taught well, especially in literacy. Pupils say, 'The work is just about right, we have challenges and fun activities.' Behaviour is good.

Pupils are happy, polite and chatty. They are clearly very proud of their school and keen to do well. Pupils feel safe....

They say that adults in school look after them well and there is always someone to help them if they need it. The school is well led and managed. Teachers have a share in leadership and management and so the school is improving at a good rate.

The leadership of teaching is a strength. As a result, teaching is now good and pupils' achievement improves each year. Governors give good support to the school and help it to improve further.

It is not yet an outstanding school because : Teaching is not yet outstanding. Some teachers do not ask questions that make pupils think. Some marking does not tell pupils what they need to do to improve their work.

Attainment in mathematics of more-able pupils in Key Stage 1 is not as high as it should be. School development planning is over-complicated and there are too many priorities.

Information about this school

This school is larger than the average-sized primary school.

Most pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils supported through school action is above average. The proportion of pupils supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average.

A few pupils have dual registration with a local special school to support their learning and behavioural difficulties. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is high. The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those children who are looked after by the local authority.

The provision for two-year-olds is inspected separately. The report can be found on the Ofsted website. The school has had three headteachers and two periods of acting headship within the last four years.

The headteacher joined the school at the start of January 2012. The school has had several changes of staff since then. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress.