Rossett School

Inspection of Rossett School Green Lane, Harrogate, North Yorkshire HG2 9JP

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement

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The headteacher of this school is Timothy Milburn. This school is part of Red Kite Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Richard Sheriff, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Chris Tulley. 1 and 2 April 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this happy, welcoming and inclusive school. They are safe and have trusted adults they can turn to for help and support. Pupils understand the importance of the school’s ‘5Rs’ values. These values set out expectations of good character, which most pupils live up to. Pupils learn the school’s bespoke behaviour curriculum. This consistent approach means pupils’ behaviour has much improved over time. They increasingly flourish in this calm and orderly learning environment.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils’ achievement. Pupils’ published outcomes are in line with national outcomes and are improving. Most students in the sixth form value the teaching they receive. They enjoy high-quality learning from subject experts. Students can choose courses from a broad post-16 curriculum offer. Collaboration with another sixth form in the trust further enhances their options.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils across the school enjoy their ‘personal development’ lessons. They learn about important topics linked to life in modern Britain. The well-designed curriculum helps pupils to engage in mature discussions about a wide range of topics. For example, key stage 4 pupils talk confidently about Britain’s parliamentary system. Sixth-form students learn about the dangers they could face on a night out. They share ways in which they can ensure their friendship group stays safe.

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

The school ensures that the staff’s professional development positively impacts pupils’ education experience. Across the curriculum, teachers typically explain tasks clearly. They skilfully show pupils what effective work looks like. This helps pupils to reach the high standards that teachers set. Teachers have strong subject knowledge. During learning, they continually check pupils’ understanding. This helps to ensure that pupils progress well through the curriculum. In the sixth form, teachers identify students’ misconceptions perceptively. By addressing these, students acquire a strong foundation for future learning.

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

The school prioritises support for vulnerable pupils. This includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). These pupils access the curriculum alongside their peers. Where pupils need extra support, interventions take place. For pupils with SEND, the school ensures supportive strategies are in place. These help teachers apply a broad range of well-considered resources in lessons. However, some of these strategies lack specific or measurable outcomes to check that pupils with SEND are learning as well as they can. Consequently, on occasions, staff are not as clear as they could be on how best to support pupils with SEND to progress in their learning.

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

Staff have made reading a key focus across the school. Sixth-form students enjoy their independent study time in the school’s library. Pupils who lack confidence and skill in reading lower down the school receive targeted support. This impacts well on their reading ability. The school promotes reading for pleasure. Pupils enjoy listening to adults 1 and 2 April 2025

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read during ‘drop everything and listen’ sessions. In English, well-chosen and diverse texts enable pupils to explore culture and diversity.

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This is a school that wants every pupil to belong and benefit fully from all it has to offer. A culture of kindness and respect is the hallmark of everyday routines. Pupils, parents and carers and staff praise the improved climate for learning and care. A recently restructured pastoral team is making a difference to pupils’ attendance and behaviour. However, some areas of its work are not fully embedded. For example, the current number of suspensions for some pupils remains high, and attendance is below national levels.

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Across the school, pupils have access to a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities. These include varied trips and experiences, including foreign exchange visits. A large cohort also complete the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme. An active student council represents the voice of pupils from Year 7 to Year 12. Pupils are proud to impact their school community. Examples of their actions include planting trees and installing recycling bins around school. Students in the sixth form enjoy learning about a range of pathways they can follow post-18. Careers education in all years helps pupils aspire to a wide range of ambitious next steps. The school recognises the achievements of pupils. It helps them develop character traits that will help them in the future. For example, pupils are proud to collect ‘tokens’ which recognise and celebrate when they display the school’s values.

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Staff are exceptionally proud to work at Rossett School. They recognise the improvements since the last inspection. Many parents comment on the quality of pastoral care provided. These parents say their child is thriving due to expert guidance and teaching. Members of the interim executive board of governors provide effective support and challenge. The school is outward facing, seeking review from peers in other schools. This all helps the school identify and address areas for improvement accurately. Leaders commit to ensuring the highest standards for pupils. Across the trust, there is an ambitious vision for the school and the wider community.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The improved capacity of the recently restructured pastoral support team has not had sufficient time to embed some areas of its work. Consequently, its actions are not reaching some pupils who still do not attend school regularly enough, including in the sixth form, or those who are suspended too often. The school should continue its work to ensure targeted pastoral support, including working with families in the community, has a demonstrable impact on the behaviour and engagement of a small minority of harder-to-reach pupils.  Some SEND support strategies lack precision and do not capture or address pupils’ 1 and 2 April 2025

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current needs well enough. Therefore, some in-class support for pupils with SEND is not sharp enough and does not account for pupils’ specific needs. The school should continue its work to review and update support guidance and ensure staff develop a deeper understanding of the specific needs of individual pupils so pupils with SEND learn and achieve as well as they can.

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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.

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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). 1 and 2 April 2025

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form

Date of previous inspection 23 January 2024, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 This school is part of Red Kite Learning Trust.  Since the last section 5 inspection, the headteacher has changed and the school joined a new multi-academy trust.  The sixth-form provision currently has Year 12 students only.  The school currently uses two registered and three unregistered alternative provisions.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships. 1 and 2 April 2025

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, trust leaders and other senior leaders over the course of the inspection. The lead inspector also met with the CEO for the trust.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, history and technology. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  An inspector met with the leader responsible for SEND, reviewed pupils’ support plans and visited lessons to see support for pupils with SEND in action.  The lead inspector met with the leader responsible for the sixth form.

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Information about this inspection

 The lead inspector met with trustees and members of the interim executive board. They also reviewed documentation related to governance, including minutes of meetings.  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 inspectors met with groups of pupils and staff formally throughout the inspection and spoke with them informally at social times and in lessons.  Inspectors reviewed a range of school documents, including the school’s self-evaluation and the school improvement plan.  Inspectors considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online

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Inspection team

Hannah Millett, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lucy Toner-Gowland Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 April 2025

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Pritiben Patel Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 April 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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