Seend Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Seend Church of England Primary School School Road, Seend, Melksham, Wiltshire SN12 6NJ

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Outcome

Seend Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Seend Church of England Primary has a caring ethos. Adults teach pupils to be kind and respectful. Pupils are polite, courteous and well mannered. There is a calm and orderly atmosphere in school and on the playground. Pupils enjoy school, feel safe and attend regularly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of behaviour and learning, and pupils respond well to this. Routines are securely in place, which staff apply consistently. Pupils behave sensibly in lessons and during social times. Incidents of bullying are rare. Pupils are confident that if it did happen, staff would sort it out quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand how the school’s values, respect, friendship, tolerance, resilience and generosity, help guide them to make the right choices. For example, they learn to ‘respect’ differences and show ‘empathy’ towards others. Pupils value the pastoral support and advice offered. This support increases pupils’ confidence and self-belief.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy taking on responsibilities. They take their roles seriously. These include student leaders and worship leaders. Older pupils relish being a buddy to children in Reception Year, for example by playing games and reading with them. Pupils told inspectors that there is a range of clubs they can attend, such as karate, football and art.

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

Leaders are ambitious for what pupils can achieve. They provide pupils with a broad and exciting curriculum from the start of Reception Year. The curriculum is well planned. It sets out the important knowledge and vocabulary that pupils need to know, understand and remember. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities learn the same curriculum content and opportunities as their classmates. Teachers adapt the work carefully to allow pupils to experience success. 13 December 2022 In some subjects, teachers use assessment well to identify gaps in pupils’ learning. They revisit prior learning to help the most important knowledge stick in pupils’ memories. However, leaders rightly recognise that assessment in some subjects is not yet implemented well as in others. Where this is the case, teachers do not build on what pupils already know and can do.

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

Leaders recognise the importance of reading. They expect every pupil to become a fluent reader. Children in Reception Year learn phonics from the start. They enjoy joining in with rhymes, fairy tales and books such as ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’. Staff receive training that gives them the knowledge and skills to teach early reading with confidence. Reading books match the sounds that pupils know. Staff quickly spot pupils who may be at risk of falling behind. They intervene with additional support, which enables pupils to catch up with their peers. Pupils talk with enthusiasm about their favourite books. Older pupils describe how they enjoy different types of books, such as murder mysteries and adventure stories. Teachers share their love of reading with pupils. Both staff and pupils enjoy class story time. Pupils comment how their teachers bring stories alive by using ‘funny voices’ for each character. This inspires pupils to read more.

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

Leaders plan a well-sequenced curriculum. It shows how pupils will increase their knowledge and understanding of mathematical concepts as they move through the school. There is a consistent approach to the teaching of mathematics. It builds on pupils’ prior knowledge. Pupils are confident in their mathematics. They can reason and solve problems with increasing confidence.

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

School leaders and trust staff work closely with subject leaders. They provide training and guidance to ensure that staff have the necessary knowledge and expertise to support pupils’ learning.

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

Many parents recommend the school to others. Typical comments include ‘Seend School is absolutely amazing’ and ‘my child thrives’. However, some express frustration with aspects of the school. Some parents do not feel that communication is as strong as it could be. For example, some would like more information on how well their child is doing. Leaders are aware of these concerns. They recognise the need to continue to work with parents to ensure they have a secure understanding of the work of the school.

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

Leaders and staff help those pupils who have experienced trauma, which is reflected in some behaviours. They provide high-quality pastoral support. This helps pupils to regulate their feelings and emotions with success.

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

Leaders of the trust and governors know what is working well and what needs to improve. They hold leaders to account for the quality of education. Staff enjoy their work at the school and being part of the village community. They feel well supported by leaders, who are mindful of their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 13 December 2022 Leaders have created a strong culture of safeguarding. Staff receive high-quality training. This gives them the confidence to notice and report any signs of concern. Leaders are swift to support pupils and families in need of help. They do not hesitate to escalate concerns when needed. Leaders carry out the required checks on the suitability of staff to work with pupils.

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Safeguarding

Leaders provide a curriculum that teaches pupils to understand age-appropriate risks, including personal safety and how to be safe online. Pupils know that adults will listen to them if they have any concerns.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, leaders have not established rigorous systems to assess how well pupils remember the knowledge they have been taught. As a result, pupils’ recall of prior learning can be insecure in these subjects. Leaders need to ensure that staff use assessment effectively in order to check what pupils know and remember across all subjects.

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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 March 2014.

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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. 13 December 2022 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. 13 December 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10240657 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 25 April 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of White Horse Federation, a multi-academy trust. It joined the trust in October 2018.  The principal started in post September 2020. She is also the principal of St George’s Church of England Primary School and St Mary’s Broughton Gifford Church of England Primary School.  Seend Church of England Primary is in the Diocese of Salisbury.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the principal, assistant principal, other school staff and the chair of the local governing body. The lead inspector spoke with the chief executive officer and the executive director of education from the trust.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject 13 December 2022 leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector listened to pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 read to an adult.  Inspectors reviewed the school’s safeguarding documentation, including the safeguarding checks carried out on staff working at the school. They considered how

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Information about this inspection

well the designated safeguarding leader acts on concerns about pupils’ welfare and safety. Inspectors talked to pupils, staff and a governor about how the school keeps everyone safe.  The lead inspector considered key documentation, including school development plans.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. An inspector met with the principal and the assistant principal to discuss and scrutinise how they respond to safeguarding and behaviour incidents.  Inspectors considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text replies and responses to the staff surveys.

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Inspection team

Jen Southall, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Laura Bennett Ofsted Inspector 13 December 2022 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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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