Rockmount Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school. Leadership is extremely strong and has improved all aspects of the school's work. Staff and parents support leaders in their continuing quest for improvement.

Leaders and governors are highly effective in ensuring that the quality of teaching is outstanding, so that pupils make exceptional progress. Leaders, governors and middle leaders work and plan together well to ensure the school sustains its upward journey of improvement. The subjects pupils learn prepare them extremely effectively for the next stage of schooling.

Pupils learn to be responsible citizens, inspired by the school's strong moral values. They are encouraged to t...hink for themselves. Governance is exceptionally strong.

Governors are ready to take decisive action where needed. Working closely with leaders, they ensure that teaching and learning are of the highest quality. Leaders and governors work closely with parents and keep them well informed.

Pupils behave extremely well and are polite and considerate towards others. They get on very well with one another. Pupils are eager to learn.

From the earliest years in the Nursery and Reception classes, children pay close attention to what they are taught. Pupils are keen to improve the school. They have many opportunities in which to present their own ideas and to make a difference.

Lunch arrangements are civilised and promote sociable behaviour. Pupils who are looked after before and after school receive exemplary care. The school promotes pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development exceptionally well.

It prepares pupils extremely well for life in modern Britain. Pupils feel safe at school and know how to keep themselves safe. Teaching is outstanding, enabling pupils of all capabilities to make rapid and sustained progress.

Teaching enables pupils to learn strong skills in reading, writing and mathematics. Teaching is challenging and stimulating, helping pupils to learn for themselves. Teachers make sure that pupils understand what they need to do to make progress.

Marking, particularly in pupils' English and mathematics books, offers considerable guidance on how to improve. Marking in pupils' topic books is not always of the same high quality. Pupils who have a range of additional needs make exceptionally strong progress throughout the school.

Disadvantaged pupils achieve extremely well. No group of pupils falls behind. Children in the early years are given an excellent start to their schooling.

They learn exceptionally well through stimulating activities. Adults promote their imagination and make learning exciting.

Information about this school

Rockmount is much larger in size than the average primary school.

The executive headteacher also supports schools in other parts of the country. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils eligible for additional government funding, known as the pupil premium, is higher than average. The funding is used to support pupils who are eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after by the local authority.

The proportion of pupils who come from minority ethnic heritages is much higher than average. Pupils come from a wide range of heritages, with no one group predominating. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is higher than average.

The proportion of disabled pupils or those who have special educational needs is higher than average. The school runs a breakfast club and an after-school care club. Around half of children attend the Nursery for the full day.

The rest attend part time, either in the morning or in the afternoon sessions. Children in Reception attend full time. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress by the end of Year 6.