Seghill First School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching and learning further, by:
  • making sure that teachers provide further opportunities to challenge and extend the learning of the lowest attaining pupils consistently, particularly in writing in lower key stage 1.
• Improve the attendance of the small group of pupils who do not attend regularly enough.
• Further develop middle leaders’ skills to have a greater impact on whole-school development.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher, deputy headteacher and governors are ambitious for the school and work effectively as a partnership to ensure that the school continues to improve. They have been successful in creating a culture of high expectations where good teaching, learning and assessment can flourish. Staff within the school share the same aspirational vision for the school and this is equally supported by the pupils.
• Leaders and managers have an accurate view of the school’s performance because of their rigorous programme of monitoring and evaluation that takes place across the year. They are quick to identify those areas that need further work and improvement planning focuses on the correct priorities.
• The headteacher is very clear about taking immediate and robust action when necessary to make sure that all pupils within school get the best possible education. At times, this has meant that difficult decisions have had to be made but this has not negatively impacted on the good quality of teaching and learning and outcomes within the school.
• Parents and carers spoken to and those who responded to the Ofsted online questionnaire, Parent View, and free-text service recognise the work of all leaders and staff within the school but particularly that of the headteacher. One parent stated, ‘Miss Chappell is a super leader and well organised. Many schools could take a lead from her.’
• Senior leaders support and challenge staff to improve their practice, rigorously. Challenging targets are set that focus on constantly improving outcomes through high-quality teaching and learning. Staff performance is managed and led effectively.
• Staff are given the opportunity to take part in a range of training and support to help further develop their work in the classroom. Any training which staff take part in is firmly linked back to the school’s priorities as outlined in their ‘getting to good plan’.
• Leaders and managers make sure that pupils’ progress is monitored carefully. Regular pupil progress meetings are held with class teachers and senior leaders to check that all pupils are making the best progress that they can. Where progress is not as strong, appropriate additional in-class support is quickly put in place and impact monitored.
• The rationale for the school’s curriculum is that it must be right for Seghill First School pupils. The key focus is about building pupils’ aspirations and developing independent learners ready to move on to the next stage of their education. New and exciting learning opportunities are provided for pupils to provide a ‘hook’ into their work. For example, pupils visited Wallington Hall, which included spending time in the walled garden focusing on the shapes and colours of the flowers and creating mood boards. On a regular basis, the curriculum is reviewed to make sure pupils’ interests are taken account of and, with each new topic, pupils are encouraged to explore what they most want to learn about within that topic. For example, work planned around exploring Diwali went more deeply into wedding ceremonies and customs due to the interest of pupils.
• Extra-curricular activities support pupils’ learning again through providing a range of experiences including archery, golf, hula-hoop, multi-skills and a residential visit for Year 4 pupils. These opportunities contribute to the good progress that pupils make.
• All staff within school promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development very effectively. It is shown clearly in the quality of relationships within the school and the sense of community and family that is highly valued by parents. All pupils are involved in numerous charitable events including, for example, a Macmillan coffee morning, food donations from harvest festival to be given to the most vulnerable members of the community via The People’s Kitchen and supporting Jeans for Genes. Pupils can explore different cultures through focused weeks across the year. For example, pupils recently explored the festival of Diwali by experiencing different foods, making lanterns and taking part in traditional dances.
• All leaders and managers, including governors, see developing and promoting British values as an important part of the school’s work. Throughout the curriculum, teachers plan opportunities for pupils to explore the importance of tolerance and respect, liberty, the rule of law and democracy. For example, pupils are involved in exploring different civilisations and countries to examine their law systems. In addition, through debates and elections for school council membership pupils have the opportunity to make decisions about how they would like to see their school environment develop.
• Physical education and sport funding is used effectively to raise staff expertise in teaching this subject area. In addition, funding is used to provide pupils with access to competitive sporting events, make links with community sporting clubs in the area, and develop sports leaders and partnership working across eight local schools.
• Leaders, including governors, make sure that additional funding for disadvantaged pupils is used effectively. It is used to provide, for example, additional adults to address those areas that are identified as being barriers for pupils in their learning, support access to residential visits, and provide guidance for pupils and parents in relation to attendance issues and the ‘be your best’ mentoring programme developed by the school.
• The headteacher is developing the role of middle leaders; however, impact is currently focused on subject or phase areas rather than more strategic whole-school concerns.
• Parents are extremely positive about the work that the school does for their children. Of those who responded to the Ofsted online questionnaire, Parent View, and free-text service, the overwhelming majority would recommend the school to another parent. One parent stated, ‘The headteacher and her staff do an excellent job, they all work tirelessly to give all the children at Seghill First a good standard of education.’

Governance of the school

• Governors have a very accurate view of the school because they are regular visitors and work in partnership with the headteacher and staff to check pupils’ progress and the quality of teaching and learning.
• The governing body possesses a wide range of skills and experience, which it uses effectively to challenge the work of the headteacher and staff in school. Minutes of governing body meetings clearly show that governors are not simply accepting of the information provided for them, but can analyse and interrogate it appropriately to ensure it is accurate.
• Governors have put in place a planned programme of visits to the school which have a clear purpose and link to any subsequent actions. Teaching staff regularly keep governors up to date on the work of the school and the progress pupils are making.
• The governing body is forward-thinking and has articulated a vision for the school and the actions required to make it happen.
• The chair of the governing body is new in post since the last inspection. They have quickly and accurately identified key actions for the governing body and the school as a whole. With the other governors, they continuously review their work and are very reflective. As the chair of the governing body stated, ‘If we don’t have an impact, then why are we doing it?’

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• There is a strong culture of safeguarding that is upheld by all adults within school. Staff receive regular updates and training on all necessary aspects of safeguarding. The school knows its pupils extremely well and keeps detailed records about all safeguarding issues and concerns.
• The school engages positively with parents who are then comfortable to ask for help and support, which the headteacher and staff are quick to provide. Those parents spoken to during the inspection all commented positively on the level of care the school provides for their children.
• Pupils in discussion show they have a good understanding overall of how to keep themselves safe in school and out in the wider community, including in relation to e-safety.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Leaders, including governors, have worked effectively to make sure the quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good, and this enables pupils to make good progress.
• The teaching of phonics is carefully developed across the school and this is reflected in the increasing proportion of pupils who are successful in the Year 1 phonics screening check.
• Pupils enjoy reading and are given many different opportunities across school to experience good-quality texts that extend their skills. Pupils are confident readers and can use a good range of strategies to help them when reading more challenging books. Year 1 and Year 2 pupils enjoyed exploring the work of one author, Julia Donaldson, and could list many of her books and the particular way she writes, for example using rhyme.
• Teachers provide exciting and challenging ‘hooks’ to attract and interest pupils in their learning and those pupils spoken to speak very positively about this approach. For example, in a Year 3 class, through work around Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, pupils were excited to explore different historical time periods. This led to discussions around their impact in the North East and the country as a whole, then to exploring pupils’ name origins. One pupil spoken to was able to make the connection between their surname and possibly the job their ancestor did in Anglo-Saxon times. Year 4 pupils, when told they would be tackling ‘challenge champion’ mathematics questions the next day, responded immediately with ‘It will be super fun!’
• Across all subjects, teachers are very aware of the need to develop pupils’ language skills, both spoken and written. Every opportunity is taken to extend their learning through challenging texts, providing opportunities to talk through ideas before beginning to write or respond verbally, and teachers themselves modelling the language required. For example, in Year 4 the teacher modelled the mathematical vocabulary that pupils needed when exploring their understanding of length and how to record it as decimals in their books. This was then reflected positively when pupils went on to their own group and partner discussions.
• Teachers consistently check pupils’ understanding to make sure that pupils are making good progress. Teachers use this knowledge to continuously adapt planning so that the curriculum is addressing everyone’s needs. When pupils experience any barriers in their learning, teachers and teaching assistants then quickly provide additional support and guidance.
• Teachers use questions effectively in lessons to provide opportunities for pupils to express their opinions and respond to the views of others. Pupils are continuously asked ‘how’ and ‘why’ they have reached an answer and are able to provide evidence to support their response. For example, Reception/Year 1 pupils were able to explore why the bears in the traditional fairy tale of ‘Goldilocks and the three bears’ responded in a particular way and whether they – the pupils – would have responded in the same way. Pupils were able to use evidence from the text to support their viewpoints and refer to their own experiences as well.
• Teachers share good practice and take opportunities to learn from one another and from other schools. They check pupils’ progress carefully and identify what pupils need to know next. However, teachers do not always fully use opportunities to extend the knowledge and skills of the least able pupils, particularly in writing at lower key stage 1.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils have very positive attitudes towards their learning. Pupils spoken to value their education and what Seghill First School can offer them. As one pupil said when asked whether they enjoyed coming to school, ‘How can anyone say no to that question!’
• Pupils recognise the need to work hard and be challenged to make sure they make the best progress. They talk confidently about the targets set in different subjects across the curriculum and the skills and knowledge they need to learn to achieve them.
• Pupils have a distinct pride in their school. They show this, for example, through presenting work using their best handwriting, making sure the school environment looks good and taking every opportunity to tell visitors how much they like Seghill First. They are especially proud to wear the ‘star of the week’ badge, which is awarded for a range of things including positive behaviours, learning, and respect towards each other. A pupil in each year group receives the badge, which is passed on from their peers. In addition, a member of staff is given one too.
• Pupils feel safe in school and extremely well looked after by all adults. They are confident they can talk to any member of staff for help and support. Pupils know how to keep safe in a variety of different situations, including when online. Pupils know that if there is any small incident of inappropriate behaviour then it will be addressed quickly by staff.
• The overwhelming majority of parents who responded via the free-text service agreed that their children are happy and kept safe in school.
• The school works hard with outside agencies to make sure that parents and their children receive the support and guidance that they need. Leaders and governors have strong relationships with families so parents are confident to share concerns and issues. Parents spoken to all commented on the good level of support and guidance the school provides. As one parent stated, ‘I come past three schools to come to this one because they care.’

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils behave well in lessons and interruptions are very rare, so pupils’ progress is good.
• Leaders and teachers believe that appropriate behaviours are taught and there are many opportunities within the curriculum where this is done. For example, in religious education pupils are taught about the meaning of tolerance through exploring different religions. There is the expectation that all adults will model the behaviours they want from their pupils. This is clearly seen around the school as no adults raise their voices when dealing with pupils and, in turn, pupils do the same.
• The school is an orderly and calm environment which is well cared for by pupils and adults. Pupils move around the building in a purposeful way and clearly know there are rules and procedures which they follow consistently, but also understand why these rules are in place.
• The greater majority of pupils are very happy to come to school and they appreciate the opportunities that school provides for them. Pupils understand the need to be in school so that they can learn and make good progress. However, there are a minority of families who are having a negative impact on attendance rates. Leaders and governors are very aware of this. They work continuously to make sure everyone understands the importance of attending school through using a range of strategies, including rewards for good attendance, meeting with parents, displaying individual class attendance figures and the use of support from the local authority when necessary. Despite this work, attendance is still low for this group of pupils.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Pupils are making good progress throughout the school in a range of different subjects. This is the result of good teaching, learning and assessment. Observations of learning across different year groups and looking at pupils’ books confirm that key groups of pupils make good progress, particularly in reading, mathematics and overall in writing.
• Results in the Year 1 phonics screening check are improving every year and are regularly above national average results. Pupils make good progress in reading at key stage 1 and key stage 2.
• Disadvantaged pupils are making good progress from different starting points and benefit from well-planned support and extra help from teachers and other adults as appropriate.
• Pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities make good progress from different starting points. The strong leadership of the SEN coordinator combined with their very good knowledge of each pupil and family have impacted positively on the progress this group of pupils make within school. Early identification of needs and barriers to learning means that teachers can plan support that is effective and activities that are at the right level.
• Pupils make good progress in mathematics, particularly in upper key stage 1 and in key stage 2. This is because of the strength in leadership, the increasingly strong subject knowledge of teachers, the ability of teachers to pick up misconceptions quickly and address them effectively and also through providing pupils with the opportunities to unpick how an answer has been achieved.
• The most able pupils achieve well across all subjects and historical data shows that in 2017 an increasing proportion achieved at greater depth, particularly in mathematics. This is because of increasingly challenging learning tasks being planned for by all teachers.
• In writing, most year groups achieve well due to the opportunities provided to practise and apply their knowledge, skills and understanding regularly across a range of both fiction and non-fiction writing. However, in lower key stage 1 the least able pupils are not being challenged appropriately to make sure they make the best progress possible.
• When pupils leave in Year 4, they are well prepared for their move into the next stage of their education in middle school.

Early years provision Good

• Children in the early years make good progress from starting points that are below those typical for their age when entering Nursery.
• Good progress continues through the Reception class and, as a result, the proportion that achieve a good level of development by the time they leave Reception is above national figures and has increased by 32% over the last four years.
• All adults know the children very well and always show a high level of care for them. Actions to make sure all children are safe are of a good quality. Teachers regularly support children in their own understanding of how to keep safe both inside and outside the classroom.
• Relationships between adults and children are strong and these are reinforced by a warm and welcoming environment. Children are extremely tolerant of each other and demonstrate cooperation both in their learning and when they socialise together. For example, when two children working in role play could not decide who should take on the role of Goldilocks, it was decided in a fair manner through talking about who had played that role before and that they should then go last.
• Adults manage children’s behaviour very well and set out high expectations as to how children should behave when learning independently and with others.
• Teachers, children and parents work in partnership together and, as a result, this enables children to settle quickly and become confident learners, able to enjoy the range of experiences provided for them.
• Teaching in the early years is good. Children are provided with exciting and creative curriculum opportunities to develop and extend their skills and knowledge. For example, children created their own wanted posters and police reports in response to teachers creating a ‘crime scene’ of baby bear’s broken chair, complete with police tape! Teachers skilfully intervened to extend children’s language through introducing a role play situation around what questions the police might ask Goldilocks and the three bears and how they might respond. Children were able to use language they had remembered from an early storytelling session with their teacher, for example, ‘The porridge was too hot’ and ‘Someone’s been sitting on my chair.’ Staff respond to children’s interests and are flexible in their approaches. Through the use of ‘talking topics’, which children take home to complete with their parents, they are able to find out what children would like to know about a new topic and then adapt their planning appropriately.
• The leadership and management of the early years are strong. Leaders have a very good knowledge of the children and their needs and have well-thought-out plans to further increase the progress children make. There is a constant review and audit of the early years provision to make sure that it is always stimulating and engaging for all the children.
• Leaders accurately measure what children know and can do based on a strong evidence base. Learning journals, both written and online, provide a wide range of evidence to support judgements as to the progress children are making. All teachers regularly take part in opportunities to check the accuracy of children’s progress with colleagues in school and across other schools within the local area. In addition, the local authority, through visits to the school, regularly confirms the accuracy of the teachers’ assessments.
• Staff are continually reflecting on and refining their practice to make sure their children receive the best education possible.

School details

Unique reference number 122225 Local authority Northumberland Inspection number 10042170 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school First School category Maintained Age range of pupils 3 to 9 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 107 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Stephanie Hall Headteacher Tracey Chappell Telephone number 0191 237 0419 Website www.seghill.northumberland.sch.uk Email address admin@seghill.northumberland.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 12–13 January 2016

Information about this school

• Seghill First School is a smaller-than-average first school and almost all pupils are White British.
• The school is not subject to the government’s floor standards as pupils leave the school at the end of Year 4.
• The proportion of pupils who are supported for their SEN and/or disabilities is above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is well above the national average.

Information about this inspection

• The inspector observed pupils’ learning in eight lessons, of which two were joint observations with the headteacher and deputy headteacher. The inspector also heard pupils read and looked at pupils’ work in their books.
• Meetings and discussions were held with the headteacher and deputy headteacher, middle leaders, members of the governing body, parents, the local authority representative and the school improvement adviser.
• The inspector examined a range of school documents, including information on pupils’ progress across the school, minutes of governing body meetings, school self-evaluation plans and checks on the quality of teaching. The inspector also examined the school’s records relating to behaviour, safety and attendance.
• The inspector took account of 26 parental responses via free-text and 15 responses on Parent View.

Inspection team

Anne Vernon, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector