POOR results, bad behaviour of pupils and low attendance by some children have led to Rose Hill Primary School being rated as requiring improvement.

But headteacher Sue Vermes has said she is confident the school can improve after starting to recover from a difficult year in 2013-14.

Schools inspection body Ofsted gave Rose Hill Primary the rating – below ‘good’ but above ‘inadequate’ – following an inspection on June 10 and 11.

The school, which has 404 pupils, had been rated as good following its previous inspection in July 2010.

Lead inspector Jenny Batelen and additional inspectors Sheila Boyle and Alwyne Jolly said it had to improve the achievement of pupils and strengthen leadership at the school.

But they also praised Ms Vermes, who took over as headteacher at the start of the current academic year.

In their report, the inspectors said: “Senior leaders have not, until this year, ensured the quality of teaching improves and as a result the previously rising pupils’ attainment dipped across the school last year.

“School information shows an improving picture, but there is still not consistently good teaching that ensures that all pupils make good progress and so the school is not yet fully ensuring equality of opportunity for all pupils.”

Attendance was cited as a problem, particularly among ‘White British’ pupils.

The report said: “A focus on attendance within school has raised the pupils’ awareness of how important it is to be in school.

“However, attendance is still low for some groups of pupils, especially those of White British heritage, and leaders are implementing further strategies to improve this.

“These are beginning to show improvements for some pupils.

“The headteacher has, since her arrival, established an ethos of aspiration among senior leaders and governors that pupils will achieve the best they can.

“Staff who have joined the school recently are now beginning to be part of this aspiration.”

Inspectors also said the behaviour of pupils required improvement.

Ms Vermes said: “I think one of the issues is that we are picking up from a two-year period of a lot of change and turbulence. It is very important to work with parents.

“The children are amazing and really capable.”

The school will be inspected again within two years and will be monitored by Ofsted between now and then.