The Rushmere Park Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 28 April 2026

The values of resilience, respect and responsibility guide pupils' daily life. Pupils link these values to honesty, kindness and trying again when learning feels hard. A buddy system supports pupils new to the school to settle in, learn routines and make friends. In the early years, routines build confidence. They help children feel safe, manage feelings and become independent. Pupils settle quickly and learn well. Clear expectations shape behaviour. Routines help lessons start promptly and protect learning time. Breaktimes usually feel calm with close supervision. Most pupils play sensibly and include others. Some pupils report unkind behaviour at times. Staff deal with bullying quickly and fairly. Pupils know how to report problems, and trusted adults are easy to find. Learning captures pupils’ interests. Early reading and number skills give pupils the knowledge and skills they need for harder work as they move through the school. Pupils talk confidently about different letter sounds. They can also recall key facts from geography, such as naming the different continents. Planned visits make learning more memorable, such as exploring history during a visit to a castle or learning more about animals during a zoo visit linked to science. Wider experiences add to school life. Clubs build confidence and teamwork. Activities include sport, craft, gardening, yoga and mindfulness. Leadership roles develop pupils' skills and prepare them well for life in modern Britain. For example, pupils improve the school grounds through projects such as developing the pond area. They also raise funds to improve access to books. Attendance is improving for most pupils. Some pupils still miss too much school, especially pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils. Leaders understand that being in school every day matters. Attendance protects learning and friendships. Staff work with families to remove barriers and offer targeted support so all pupils attend more regularly.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should work on recent gains to sustain and improve pupil attendance, reducing persistent absence rates, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils.
• Leaders should ensure consistent implementation of the curriculum and teaching so that pupils apply and build key skills ready for the next stage of education.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)