Rossmore School

Inspection of a good school: Rossmore School Red Lion Lane, Little Sutton, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire CH66 1HF

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Inspection dates: 18 and 19 October 2022

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Outcome

Rossmore School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending Rossmore School. They appreciate the welcome that they receive from staff in the morning, including the bagels. Pupils value the variety of clubs and other activities available to them. These include a range of residential visits. Pupils are proud to be e-cadets or members of the school parliament. They have a well-developed understanding of equality and diversity.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff have high expectations of the work and behaviour of all pupils. Pupils talk confidently and enthusiastically about their learning. They are proud to share their work, including that in their books. Parents and carers particularly like the community feel of the school. They describe it as caring and appreciate the positive relationships with staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The pupils that the inspector spoke with told him that they feel safe and that staff care for them well. They said that behaviour is mostly good. Pupils and parents have confidence that leaders and staff will take them seriously if they report bullying. Leaders deal effectively with any incidents that occur.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils told the inspector that the best things about the school are their teachers, their friends and the wide range of different subjects that they study. Pupils are polite and show respect for others. This contributes to their positive relationships with staff and the calm environment throughout the school.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum, which makes clear the important knowledge and vocabulary that they want pupils to learn in each subject. Leaders have ensured that in most subjects, pupils’ learning builds on their prior knowledge as they move through the school. Pupils’ understanding develops in well-ordered steps. Leaders have identified the knowledge and experiences that they want children in the early years 18 and 19 October 2022

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to gain. This provides secure foundations for children’s future learning. Pupils learn and achieve well, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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The teaching of phonics begins when children start in the early years. Leaders make sure that children and pupils learn phonics in a well-ordered manner. Any children or pupils who need help to catch up with their phonics learning are identified quickly. By the end of key stage 1, most pupils can read confidently.

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Teachers provide lots of opportunities for pupils to read or to listen to stories. This improves pupils’ knowledge and understanding of vocabulary. In key stage 2, the reading curriculum helps pupils to develop their understanding of a wide range of texts. It also develops their comprehension skills. Older pupils read fluently and talk with enthusiasm about the books that they have read.

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Teachers know the curriculum well. This enables them to deliver it as leaders intend. Teachers organise activities in a logical order. They explain content clearly and use questions to extend pupils’ understanding. Teachers make effective checks on pupils’ learning. This helps them to identify which pupils need more help or guidance. Leaders gather a range of information about pupils’ learning. Leaders understand the extent to which the curriculum helps pupils to increase their knowledge successfully over time. In a few subjects, teachers sometimes do not give pupils enough opportunity to build on previous work. Some pupils do not deepen their knowledge and remember it as well in these subjects as they do in others.

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Leaders and staff identify those pupils who may have SEND quickly. Leaders involve parents in the reviews of their children's progress. Leaders liaise with outside agencies effectively. This ensures that those pupils who need more specialist support get it promptly. Leaders ensure that staff receive training to help these pupils to follow the same ambitious curriculum as that of their peers.

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Children in the early years understand the clear routines that help them work and play safely and purposefully. Pupils across the rest of the school behave well. They listen carefully in class and are well behaved around the school. They concentrate on their learning and are keen to do their best.

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Pupils enjoy the many opportunities available to them for their wider development. Leaders provide a wide range of after-school clubs and lunchtime activities. Pupils learn how to keep themselves fit and healthy. They understand fairness and they know that everyone is equal.

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Governors know the school well. They ask leaders challenging questions to find out how well the curriculum is helping pupils to know more and remember more.

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Staff spoke positively about the strong and supportive relationships that exist in the school. They know that leaders consider their workload and well-being when new initiatives are being introduced. They said that they are proud to work at the school. 18 and 19 October 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

School leaders understand their safeguarding responsibilities. Staff know the school’s safeguarding procedures well. Leaders ensure that staff complete appropriate training. They provide regular updates to keep staff knowledge of safeguarding up to date. This helps staff to identify pupils who may be at risk from harm swiftly and promptly. Leaders’ effective liaison with other agencies ensures that pupils and families are well supported.

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Safeguarding

Pupils feel safe in school. They learn how to keep themselves safe through the curriculum. This includes water safety, e-safety and stranger danger.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, sometimes teachers do not deepen pupils’ knowledge or help pupils to remember what they have learned. Some pupils do not achieve as well in these subjects as they could. Leaders should ensure that teachers enable pupils to deepen their knowledge by building on previous work, so that they know and remember more over time.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an ungraded inspection and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2012.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 18 and 19 October 2022

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, 'disadvantaged pupils' refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 18 and 19 October 2022

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School details

Local authority Cheshire West and Chester

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School details

Inspection number 10226085 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 14 February 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Leaders do not make use of any alternative providers for pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and has taken that into account in his evaluation of the school.  The inspector spoke with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and with other leaders and members of staff. He also spoke with members of the governing body. The inspector also spoke with a representative of the local authority.  The inspector looked at a range of documents and spoke with leaders about the school’s safeguarding procedures.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and art and design. He talked with curriculum leaders of these subject areas. The inspector also visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ work, held discussions with teachers and talked with pupils. The inspector also observed some pupils reading to staff. 18 and 19 October 2022

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 The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in class and as they moved around school. He also observed pupils in the dining hall and playing outside at lunchtime.  The inspector spoke with a group of pupils about their experiences at school.  The inspector looked at the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. He also met with parents before school to find out their views of the school.  The inspector also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for pupils and Ofsted’s online survey for staff.

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Inspection team

Ian Shackleton, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 October 2022

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regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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