Victor Seymour Infants' School

Inspection of a school judged outstanding for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Victor Seymour Infants’ School Denmark Road, Carshalton, Surrey SM5 2JE

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Outcome

Victor Seymour Infants’ School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Samantha Morrissy. This school is part of Greenshaw Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Will Smith, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Anne Spackman.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils blossom in this warm, vibrant and welcoming school. They arrive happily in the morning, eagerly anticipating all of the learning that each day brings. Pupils find their lessons fun and engaging. They feel safe, valued and supported by staff, who encourage them to try hard and do their best. They trust leaders and staff to help them if they have any concerns or worries.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school believes that there is ‘limitless potential for every child’. Leaders have designed the curriculum with this aspirational aim in mind. Since the last inspection, they have further strengthened the curriculum and its delivery. As a result, pupils benefit from expert teaching that enables them to achieve exceptionally well across subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary because the school’s expectations are clear and consistently reinforced. Pupils treat each other, and adults, with kindness and respect. Pupils listen attentively and support one another. They show genuine appreciation for the staff, who help them to learn and grow.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school. They praise how well their children are learning, the high expectations set by staff and the strong sense of 11 and 12 March 2025

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community. Many parents say they know how happy their children are because they often talk enthusiastically about their day at school.

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

Leaders, trustees and governors want the very best for the school and its pupils. They work hard to keep improving the school so that pupils achieve consistently high standards. This ambition is evident in the excellent progress pupils make through the curriculum in different subjects. It is also clear in pupils’ highly positive conduct and attitudes to learning. Staff are proud to be part of the school. They feel supported by leaders, who have made school systems easier to use and reduced unnecessary workload.

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

The school has designed a carefully sequenced and ambitious curriculum. It ensures that pupils build on prior knowledge. Teachers consider what pupils need to know before moving them on to new learning. For example, in geography, Year 1 pupils learn to locate places using the four compass points. This helps them when they later use maps and atlases in Year 2.

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

The school is committed to giving its pupils an excellent start to their education. It uses a wide range of strategies to get to know each child as soon as they join in the early years. Staff identify pupils’ needs, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, at the earliest opportunity. They match these needs with effective adaptations and support. As a result, pupils learn the curriculum very well.

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

Children are prepared to learn how to read from when they start in Nursery. For instance, teaching helps them to begin to distinguish different sounds in their surroundings. Children then build on this when they start to learn phonics in Reception. Well-trained staff deliver the phonics programme expertly. They use effective strategies that enable pupils to remember and apply their phonics knowledge with ease. Those who fall behind in phonics receive high-quality support and catch up quickly. The school also promotes pupils’ early writing development with rigour and ambition. Pupils have plenty of opportunities to develop and secure foundational writing skills. As a result, most pupils in this school read and write fluently by the end of Year 2.

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

Staff receive high-quality training that enables them to deliver the curriculum well. They introduce subject matter clearly, for example through making use of resources, images and examples effectively. This allows pupils to develop a deeper understanding of concepts in a subject. Staff regularly check pupils’ understanding and provide prompt and precise feedback that moves learning forward. As a result, pupils remember key ideas well and can apply their knowledge across subjects.

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

Pupils attend school regularly. There are effective school systems in place to monitor and support attendance. These include, for example, early intervention strategies, home visits and personalised support plans for pupils. If levels of absence become a concern, leaders work well with parents and external agencies to remove barriers to attendance. 11 and 12 March 2025

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The school provides excellent opportunities for pupils to become confident and respectful individuals. They take part in a wide range of after-school clubs, performances and sports, with disadvantaged pupils encouraged to join. Assemblies and celebrations, such as for World Food Day or to mark Ramadan, help to promote cultural awareness and respect.

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The school builds strong community links. For example, the school choir often performs for residents in a local care home for older people. Pupils are exceptionally well prepared for life in modern Britain. The elected school parliament contributes to decision-making, for example by suggesting improvements to playtime activities.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be outstanding for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding for overall effectiveness in September 2019.

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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. 11 and 12 March 2025

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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). 11 and 12 March 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 25 and 26 September 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Greenshaw Learning Trust.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector held discussions with the headteacher, and other members of the senior leadership team.  The inspector also held discussions with the chief executive officer, and other members of the trust’s leadership team. 11 and 12 March 2025

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 The inspector met with trustees and governors, including the vice-chair of the board of trustees.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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 inspector also considered the views of parents through their responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Edison David, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 March 2025

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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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