Rossmere Academy

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Rossmere Academy Catcote Road, Hartlepool TS25 3JL

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Inspection dates: 21 and 22 January 2025

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Outcome

Rossmere Academy has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Caroline Reed. This school is part of the Extol Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Julie Deville, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Jackie Butterworth.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this inclusive school. They learn well in the kind and friendly environment which exists at Rossmere. Pupils appreciate the positive working relationships they have with the staff in school. They know that teachers will help when they get stuck. Pupils have very positive attitudes to their learning and enjoy reading.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school helps children to get off to a strong start in the early years. They enjoy playing together and learning in the rich environments, both outside and in. Pupils behave well in lessons. They receive the help they need to learn about themselves, their feelings and how to respect others. Pupils take pride in their school. They understand the routines and high expectations that staff have for them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

As they grow, pupils understand increasingly what it means to ‘Be Rossmere’. They are active in their contributions to school life. Pupils enjoy electing those who represent them on the junior leadership team. With support, this team and others, such as digital leaders, plan activities to enrich other pupils’ experiences. Pupils enjoy the range of clubs available, particularly sporting activities. Older pupils are supported with after school clubs at a local secondary school to help them prepare for life beyond Rossmere. 21 and 22 January 2025

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

The school provides a curriculum that builds pupils’ knowledge from the early years to Year 6. It also looks beyond the primary years to make sure that older pupils are well prepared for Year 7. Teachers make clear what all pupils need to know and remember. They show pupils exactly how they want them to work. This is particularly effective in English and mathematics. Teachers carefully build on what pupils have already learned. They check on pupils’ learning in timely ways. This helps them to identify which pupils need more help or guidance.

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

Disadvantaged pupils are supported very well. The school ensures that pupils get support as soon as they need it. This is especially true within the additional resource provision. Staff identify and assess pupils’ additional needs well. Teachers successfully adapt the curriculum for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Additional support is used as early as possible to mitigate gaps growing between them and their peers. This thoughtful and targeted work is effective and is reflected on regularly by staff. It supports pupils to make strong progress, personally, socially and academically.

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

The school makes sure no time is wasted in teaching children to read in the early years. Staff receive regular training to teach phonics well. If pupils fall behind, they receive support to help them catch up. Pupils understand why learning to read is important. They enjoy reading. Teachers read to pupils often. The school is working on developing pupils’ oracy skills. This work is currently in its earlier stages of implementation. Pupils can struggle to participate in classroom conversations in which they are asked to express their thoughts or share what they have learned.

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

Children settle quickly into the Nursery and Reception classes. They listen well, work happily together and enjoy their interactions with adults. Children are keen to share their achievements with others. Across the school, pupils appreciate the encouragement and rewards they receive.

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

Pupils’ attendance has improved. Staff work effectively with pupils and families to help them understand the importance of being in school and remove barriers to this. Many parents appreciate the clear communication they receive about their children’s progress.

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

Pupils’ personal development is weaved carefully through all aspects of school life. Staff thoughtfully link trips together with the taught curriculum. Pupils enjoy them and talk appreciatively of what they have gained from these. The personal, social, health and economic education curriculum is carefully sequenced to grow pupils’ understanding. Pupils reflect well the school’s work in relation to forming healthy relationships and staying safe online. The school has rightly focused on broadening pupils’ horizons in terms of diversity in every subject area. For example, the texts studied in English portray an array of different communities and as do the artists that pupils get to know.

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

Trustees, trust staff and governors use their depth of expertise to provide the school with effective support and challenge. Leaders at all levels have positive working relationships with their staff. They consider staff’s workload and well-being. Staff value being able to 21 and 22 January 2025

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work with colleagues from across the trust. School staff share a mutual determination to provide pupils with the very best.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Pupils’ oracy skills require more development. As a result, they are not always able to express their thoughts or learning clearly as they could. The school should improve pupils’ understanding and use of spoken language throughout the curriculum.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 predecessor school, Rossmere Primary School, to be good for overall effectiveness in May 2013.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers 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. 21 and 22 January 2025

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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' is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school's pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 21 and 22 January 2025

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School details

Date of previous inspection 28 March 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is part of Extol Academy Trust.  The school uses no alternative provision.  The school has an additional resource provision to support pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school's education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspector held discussions with the headteacher, other senior and middle leaders, and the special educational needs coordinator. 21 and 22 January 2025

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 The inspector held discussions with the chief executive officer, the trustees and members of the local governing board.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector reviewed the school’s personal development offer with leaders.  The inspector looked at records and spoke to staff in relation to behaviour, bullying and attendance.  A range of documentation was scrutinised, including leaders’ plans to improve the school and their self-evaluation of the school’s work.  The inspector took account of responses to Ofsted’s staff surveys, as well as Ofsted’s

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parent survey, Parent View, including free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Richard Wakefield, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 21 and 22 January 2025

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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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