Seaton Delaval First School

Inspection of a good school: Seaton Delaval First School Western Avenue, Seaton Delaval, Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear NE25 0EP

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Inspection dates: 28 and 29 September 2022

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Outcome

Seaton Delaval First School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a warm and welcoming school. Leaders make sure that pupils and staff are valued members of the school community. Staff look after pupils well. Staff take the time to listen to pupils who have any concerns. Pupils are happy and feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils. Pupils work hard and find their lessons interesting. For example, older pupils talk about how their learning around mathematics is helping them in other subjects like science. Children in Nursery and Reception enjoy learning indoors and outdoors. Pupils enjoy practising their mathematics skills outside, counting and sorting objects from their nature collections. Leaders know where more work is needed to further develop the curriculum in some areas of the school. Leaders include a range of different experiences for pupils across the curriculum. These help pupils develop an understanding of the world beyond their local area.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are respectful of staff and each other. Pupils talk about the school’s values of being happy and safe, and learning. These values underpin the school’s personal, social, health and citizenship programme. Pupils take part in a wide range of activities. These include theatre visits and fundraising events. These activities support the development of pupils’ personal skills well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Older pupils understand the protected characteristics, such as disability. Bullying is rare. Pupils are confident that, if it happens, staff will help sort it quickly. Pupils who need additional help in lessons are supported well by staff.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders think carefully about what they want for pupils when designing the curriculum. Leaders systematically review each subject. Leaders makes sure that the planned curriculum matches the needs of the pupils in the school. For example, leaders recently adopted a local authority religious education (RE) programme. Leaders adapted this RE programme to reflect the needs of their pupils. Leaders know they need to further refine 28 and 29 September 2022

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the learning opportunities in some classes to ensure the plans match the needs of all pupils in the class.

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The curriculum builds curiosity and engages pupils’ interest and enthusiasm. Subject leaders are knowledgeable about their subjects. They check pupils’ learning to identify areas for improvement and for gaps in pupils’ knowledge. Pupils recall prior learning well. For example, pupils link what they know about number and place value to new learning.

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Reading is a high priority. Staff are well trained and deliver the reading programme effectively. Pupils enjoy reading a wide range of books and can name their favourite authors. Leaders ensure that the phonics programme is planned and implemented well across the school. Children begin learning phonics as soon as they start in school. Pupils read books containing words that match the sounds that they know. Regular assessments help teachers to identify pupils who need extra help in phonics. Leaders ensure that pupils who find reading difficult get extra help to catch up.

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In all subjects, teachers sequence work in a logical way. Teachers remind pupils of their past learning so that pupils remember essential ideas. For example, pupils explain that work on number and partitioning helps them to tackle difficult, problem-solving questions. In RE, pupils learn about different faiths and beliefs. This starts with children in Reception exploring feelings and learning about belonging to communities. Pupils learn more about the different faith communities across Britain as they move through school.

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Provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is highly effective. Leaders make sure that pupils’ needs are identified promptly. In lessons, adults provide well-thought-out support to help pupils with SEND to fully access the curriculum.

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Pupils behave well in classrooms and around the school. Most pupils attend school regularly. Staff promote pupils’ wider development well. Pupils have a strong understanding of, respect for and acceptance of others’ differences. Leaders provide a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities to meet the different interests of pupils.

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Staff feel well supported by the senior leadership team. Subject leaders appreciate the training and time to work on leading their subjects. Leaders are considerate of staff’s workload. Staff welcome this and are positive about their experience of working at the school. Leaders have a strong vision of the school’s ethos and values. Leaders, including those responsible for governance, have a detailed and accurate view of the school. They understand the school’s community well and the priorities for development.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding across the school. Leaders ensure that all required checks are carried out when recruiting new staff. Training and induction records are carefully maintained and managed. All staff have regular and relevant training on how to keep pupils safe. Staff know what to do if they have any concerns about a pupil. Leaders know pupils and their families well. Staff engage appropriately with outside 28 and 29 September 2022

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agencies to provide help and support for pupils when needed. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. Pupils learn how to stay safe when online. Pupils know how to respond to any concerns around bullying or name-calling.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s curriculum is not delivered as well as it needs to be in a very small number of lessons. This means that some pupils are not making as much progress as they could. It is clear from leaders’ actions that they are in the process of bringing about change to address this issue. Leaders need to complete their review of curriculum delivery across the school and implement their planned improvements within the identified timescale.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in June 2017.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 28 and 29 September 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10240372 Type of school First

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Margaret Richards

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School details

Website www.seatondelaval.northumberland.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20 June 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school does not use alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Several meetings were held with the headteacher during the inspection.  The inspector met with other leaders, teachers and support staff.  The inspector met with governors and spoke with an adviser from the local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and religious education. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult. 28 and 29 September 2022

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 The inspector spoke to pupils formally and informally about their learning and experiences at school.  Safeguarding documentation and records for behaviour and attendance were reviewed.  The inspector reviewed the responses received through the Ofsted questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, including all free-text responses. The inspector considered the responses received through Ofsted’s staff questionnaire and Ofsted’s pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Catherine Beard, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 28 and 29 September 2022

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regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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