Seagry Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Seagry Church of England Primary School Upper Seagry, Chippenham, Wiltshire SN15 5EX

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Inspection dates: 14 to 15 November 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Christina Brugger. This school is part of the Diocese of Bristol Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Stephen Mitchell, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Nigel Daniel. 14 and 15 November 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to Seagry Church of England Primary School. They describe the school as, ‘A small school where everyone is friendly.’ Pupils feel valued at Seagry, regardless of who they are and where they come from. Pupils confidently recall the school’s ‘grapes’ values of ‘generosity, respect, acceptance, perseverance, empathy and selflessness’. They say that the values matter ‘because it makes us a community’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite and respectful. They understand the school rules and follow them well. They listen carefully and are eager to learn. There is a calm and purposeful environment in classrooms and around the school. Children in early years settle well. They know the daily routines. Children follow instructions and listen well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe. Relationships are strong between adults and pupils. Pupils say that adults listen to them and support them with any worries. The school has an accurate understanding of pupils’ individual needs. The school provides effective care and support.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school designs activities to support pupils’ mental health and well-being. For example, pupils learn how the brain works to help them develop positive habits. As a result, pupils develop strategies to support their mental health, such as ‘happy breathing’.

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better?

The school has designed a broad and ambitious curriculum. There is a sharp focus on developing children’s communication and language skills in early years. This helps them to gain the vocabulary they need for future learning. The curriculum is sequenced well to ensure that pupils build on their prior learning.

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better?

A love of reading is visible across the school. In early years, children enjoy joining in with rhymes and familiar stories. They start learning phonics straight away. They quickly understand how to blend sounds together to read simple words. Staff have the expertise to deliver phonics effectively. They ensure that the books pupils read match the sounds they are learning. They check for any gaps in pupils’ reading knowledge. If pupils fall behind, they receive the support they need to help them to catch up quickly.

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better?

Pupils’ enthusiasm for reading continues as they move through the school. As they gain confidence, pupils read books to improve their fluency. Texts become longer and more complex as pupils get older. They enjoy listening to adults read. The school encourages pupils to recommend different books and authors to each other.

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better?

Teachers have the subject knowledge they need to teach the curriculum effectively. However, assessment is not always used effectively to check pupils’ understanding. 14 and 15 November 2023

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When this happens, learning is not adapted in response to what pupils know and can do. This hinders pupils from building detailed knowledge over time.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. Staff know pupils’ needs well. They carefully consider the support that is needed. Staff adapt learning to meet most pupils’ needs effectively. The school has processes that assess, identify and evidence the bespoke support that pupils with SEND need.

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The school supports pupils with their personal development well. Pupils learn about difference, respect and equality. They understand about healthy relationships. Pupils know what it means to be a good friend. They talk about the culture of mutual respect in the school. Pupils know it is important to treat everyone fairly.

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Pupils know how to keep themselves healthy, both in their physical and mental health. They learn how to keep themselves safe, including online. The curriculum provides opportunities for pupils to debate and develop their opinions. They understand some of the wider societal issues, such as the environment and climate change.

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Many parents comment that Seagry has a positive and nurturing environment with passionate staff. However, some parents feel that communication between the trust, school and home could be improved so that they are better informed of their child’s education.

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Staff are proud to work at the school. They say that the school thoughtfully manages their workload and well-being. Staff value this support. Trust leaders and the local academy council have a good understanding of the school’s priorities. They understand their roles and provide meaningful support and challenge.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Assessment is not used with enough precision to check what pupils know and remember. As a result, learning is not adapted as necessary. The school needs to further develop its approach to assessment across the curriculum. This will help teachers to adapt learning so that pupils deepen their understanding.  Some parents say that communication from the school and trust is not effective. As a result, parents do not always feel well informed about their child’s education. The school and trust must work more effectively with parents so that they are aware of the work the school is doing to support their child. 14 and 15 November 2023

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 14 and 15 November 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection 7 February 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Seagry Church of England Primary School is part of the Diocese of Bristol Academies Trust.  The headteacher of the school is also the headteacher of two other schools in the trust. The three schools work closely together.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 14 and 15 November 2023

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 The inspectors met with the headteacher, the assistant headteachers, the early years leader and the special educational needs coordinator for the school. Inspectors also met with a range of teaching and support staff.  The lead inspector also met with the chief executive officer, executive director of learning and the hub director of learning at the Diocese of Bristol Academies Trust, along with other school and trust leaders.  The lead inspector met with the chair of trustees and representatives of the local academy council.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff, and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and art. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum

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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 inspectors also discussed the curriculum in other subjects.  The inspectors listened to pupils in Year 1, 2 and 3 read to an adult.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.  The inspectors gathered parents’ views by considering the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and by talking to parents before and after school. The inspector also evaluated responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Matt Fletcher, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Helen Springett Ofsted Inspector 14 and 15 November 2023

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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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