Seagrave Village Primary School

Inspection of Seagrave Village Primary School Green Lane, Seagrave, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 7LU

p.1

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

p.1

The headteacher of this school is Hettie Culling. This school is part of Bradgate Education Partnership, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Gareth Nelmes, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Stephen Cotton. 4 and 5 March 2025

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils speak highly of their school. They are proud to attend. Absence is rare. The school has a special, family feel that makes pupils feel safe and secure. Pupils enjoy warm relationships with staff. They know that staff have their best interests at heart and are there to support them if need be.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has great aspirations for every pupil. These goals are encapsulated by its ‘STRIDE’ principles. Through ‘STRIDE’, the school aims for pupils to speak well, think deeply, read widely, be inspired and determined, and embrace difference. This approach leads to pupils achieving well.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite and friendly. Staff model the behaviours and attitudes that they want pupils to adopt. Through the ‘SEAGRAVE’ code, staff teach pupils what it means to be a good learner. Pupils understand that ‘showing SEAGRAVE’ means having focused, respectful attitudes to learning. Most pupils display these learning behaviours, although some reminders are needed occasionally to help pupils listen and concentrate.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

In their daily ‘Learnful’ time, pupils work on their mental fitness and self-regulation. They build their understanding of emotions and learn strategies to cope with different feelings. Pupils relish these sessions and are keen to use the techniques they are taught.

p.2

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

The school’s curriculum is broad and balanced. It leads to pupils gaining secure knowledge and skills in most subjects. However, some pupils do not develop a sufficient depth of understanding in all areas of the curriculum. This is because, in some subjects, the school has not identified the most important content for staff to systematically revisit and help pupils remember.

p.2

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

Staff are experts in teaching pupils how to read. There is a sharp focus on helping pupils to become confident readers. Staff model fluent reading. This helps pupils develop their understanding and use of expression. Staff check closely on how well pupils learn the school’s phonics programme. If any pupil falls behind, staff ensure that they are given the support they need to catch up. Pupils benefit from a rich diet of carefully curated texts, including fiction, non-fiction and poetry. These support pupils to learn about the world around them, and the differences between its people and communities. Staff teach pupils about the school’s values, the ‘Seagrave Steps’, through well-chosen moral tales. Children in Reception are captivated by the stories they listen to. Early years staff support the development of communication and language skills well when children are completing challenges or engaged in imaginative play.

p.2

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

The school identifies any additional learning needs swiftly. Teachers ensure that small changes are made to lessons to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils with SEND access the same ambitious curriculum as other pupils. Pupils with complex needs benefit from well-matched, individual support. As a result of this careful work, pupils with SEND attend often and achieve well. 4 and 5 March 2025

p.2

3

Staff have good subject knowledge. They model learning effectively and explain things precisely. However, at times, staff do not check closely enough that pupils clearly understand what they need to know and do. Sometimes, staff do not spot pupils’ mistakes and correct misconceptions.

p.3

3

The school has high expectations of pupils’ conduct. Pupils behave well. Leaders respond swiftly if any pupil has too much time off so that absence is kept to a minimum. As a result, attendance is high.

p.3

3

The school’s personal development provision is a strength. Staff reference the six ‘Seagrave Steps’ in lessons and pupils talk about them confidently. For instance, pupils know that ‘resilient penguin’ stands for ‘persevering, even when things are tough’. Pupils enjoy the reward of having a ‘Seagrave Steps’ cuddly animal sit on their desk as recognition for demonstrating one of the values. Pupils have inclusive and welcoming attitudes towards diversity. One pupil spoke for many when they said, ‘It doesn’t matter what people look like, what they believe, or how they live – we are all equal.’ Despite this, some pupils do not understand fundamental British values as well as the school intends. Pupils enjoy making a difference to other people’s lives through their charitable fundraising. Pupils develop their talents and interests through the range of clubs, trips, visitors and sporting opportunities on offer.

p.3

3

Staff enjoy working at Seagrave. Some members of staff have taken on new subject leadership responsibilities and feel well supported in these roles. Staff praise the consideration that leaders give to their well-being and workload.

p.3

3

The new headteacher has an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and its next steps. The trust provides effective support and challenge.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, the school has not identified the crucial curriculum content that staff need to revisit and help pupils remember. As a result, some pupils do not have a secure understanding of the key prior learning that they need to retain and use again. The school should ensure that the most important knowledge is identified in all areas of the curriculum and that there are strategies in place to enable pupils to recall it securely over the long term.  At times, staff do not check pupils’ learning closely enough. Occasionally, staff miss pupils’ mistakes, and pupils then sometimes repeat these errors. This means that some pupils do not learn the curriculum as well as they could. The school should ensure that pupils’ misconceptions are identified and resolved swiftly. 4 and 5 March 2025

p.3

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 4 and 5 March 2025

p.4

School details

Date of previous inspection 26 March 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school is part of Bradgate Education Partnership.  The headteacher took up the post in August 2024.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 4 and 5 March 2025

p.5

6

 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.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and science. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also considered pupils’ learning in English, history, art and design, design and technology, religious education and personal, social and health education.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, subject leaders, teachers and support staff. Inspectors also met with leaders with responsibility for pupils with SEND, the early years, behaviour, attendance and personal development.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central

p.6

6

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.  Inspectors examined a range of school documents relating to behaviour, attendance and governance, as well as the school’s self-evaluation and the school development plan.  The lead inspector listened to a sample of pupils read with a familiar adult. Inspectors met with groups of pupils from different year groups.  The lead inspector met with leaders from Bradgate Education Partnership multi- academy trust, including the CEO of the trust.  The lead inspector met with trustees and members of the local advisory board, including the chair of the board of trustees and the chair of the local advisory board.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s survey, Ofsted Parent View, and the responses to Ofsted’s online staff survey.

p.6

Inspection team

Shaun Carter, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Rob Cruise Ofsted Inspector 4 and 5 March 2025

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7