Cottesmore Academy

Cottesmore Academy has demonstrated a solid performance during its recent inspection, being rated as good in all areas assessed. The school has made notable strides since its last inspection, moving up from a previous grade of requires improvement. The well-structured curriculum emphasizes reading and mathematical skills, allowing pupils to engage actively and enthusiastically in their learning. The school serves a unique demographic with a high proportion of pupils from military families, and its extensive support programs help manage the emotional and educational needs of these students effectively.

Strengths

• Pupils demonstrate pride in their school and its values.
• Leaders and staff have high expectations for students' learning and behaviour.
• The curriculum is well-sequenced and supports deep understanding.
• Reading is prioritized, with effective early reading instruction.
• Pupils with SEND receive appropriate support and achieve well.
• Children in the early years are well-prepared for Year 1.
• Strong personal development programs foster resilience and respect.
• A supportive and cohesive staff team contributes to a positive environment.

Areas for Improvement

• In some subjects, the curriculum lacks clarity on the key knowledge needed at each stage.
• Not all subject leaders have effectively monitored curriculum implementation due to limited opportunities.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Cottesmore Academy attended 94.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 18.2% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 7.4% of pupils at Cottesmore Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). One pupil was permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Cottesmore Academy had 16.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 11.6% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 26.2% of pupils at Cottesmore Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.8% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Cottesmore Academy received £8,442 and spent £8,617 for each of its 135 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £135,000 (£1,002 per pupil).

Across all 13 schools of The Rutland Learning Trust, income was £7,559 and spending £7,570 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Oakham · Rutland local authority: places and applications

Cottesmore Academy is part of The Rutland Learning Trust, which runs 13 schools. The nearest others:

• St Nicholas Church of England Primary School Oakham
• Exton and Greetham CofE Primary School Oakham
• Oakham CofE Primary School Oakham
• Empingham Church of England Primary School Oakham
• Langham CofE (Controlled) Primary School Oakham
• Whissendine Church of England Primary School Oakham
• Great Casterton Church of England Primary School Stamford
• Ketton Church of England Primary School Stamford
• Uppingham Church of England Primary School Oakham
• Glapthorn Church of England Primary School Peterborough

What is Cottesmore Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Cottesmore Academy is Good, from an inspection in July 2022.

When was Cottesmore Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Cottesmore Academy was last inspected in July 2022.

How many pupils does Cottesmore Academy have?

Cottesmore Academy has 126 pupils on roll.

What age range does Cottesmore Academy cover?

Cottesmore Academy for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Cottesmore Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 50% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Cottesmore Academy?

Cottesmore Academy is at Kendrew Barracks, Cottesmore, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 7BA.