Scremerston First School

Inspection of Scremerston First School Scremerston, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland TD15 2RB

p.1

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

p.1

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 8 and 9 July 2025

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Positive relationships between staff and pupils are at the heart of this welcoming and nurturing school. Pupils are happy and safe. The school has high ambitions for pupils’ academic success. Pupils leave school well prepared for the next stage of their education.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in lessons and around school. The school celebrates when pupils make the right choices and decisions. Their success is shared with parents and carers through the certificates sent home. The high number of certificates pupils receive reflects the school’s positive and supportive culture.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school places great importance on developing pupils’ character and citizenship. This aligns to some of the wider experience pupils are provided. For example, as the school is below average in size, it arranges a residential trip with other local small schools. This supports pupils’ wider social interactions effectively, promotes their independence and helps them to transition to middle school successfully.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils access a wide range of extra-curricular clubs, which are informed by their interests. These include computing, art and the knitting club. Pupils are taught how to recognise risks and keep themselves safe. They work with experts like the lifeboat service and fire brigade to learn how to stay safe around water, fire and the roads.

p.2

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

Learning to read is a priority. The school introduces children to phonics as soon as they start in Reception. Staff skilfully deliver the school’s phonics programme accurately. They model the sounds that letters make and check that pupils use this understanding to quickly decode words. Pupils read books which include the sounds they know. This helps them to practise their phonics knowledge and become more proficient readers. The school regularly checks what pupils understand. Any gaps in reading are quickly addressed through targeted additional support. Consequently, pupils become confident and fluent readers.

p.2

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

The school has ensured that the curriculum is well sequenced and supports pupils’ learning effectively. Staff have strong subject knowledge and introduce new learning well. They use a range of resources to help pupils grasp new concepts quickly and successfully. The school checks what pupils understand across the curriculum. It uses this information to revisit any misconceptions in pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Pupils articulate their knowledge in different subjects well. While pupils’ understanding of the important knowledge is typically strong, in some subjects, teaching does not help pupils apply their understanding effectively enough. For example, in geography, pupils learn map reading skills but do not use and apply these skills in wider contexts. Some pupils are not aware that these skills have a purpose in the world outside of the classroom. As a result, pupils do not achieve the curriculum’s intended purpose well enough.

p.2

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

The needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified early. The school works with external experts to understand pupils’ precise next 8 and 9 July 2025

p.2

3

steps. Adjustments in the classroom are purposeful and effective. As a result, pupils with SEND access the curriculum with confidence alongside their peers.

p.3

3

The early years provision is effective. The school checks any gaps in children’s understanding. This information is used to prioritise children’s language development. Staff extend children’s knowledge through carefully considered modelling and questioning. While the learning activities in the classroom are well thought through and support children’s development, the provision outside is not as well designed. As a result, children are not supported well enough to develop their knowledge when accessing this area.

p.3

3

Pupils learn about the fundamental British values and have an age-appropriate understanding of respect and democracy. They learn about global events through regular focused discussions. However, while pupils’ broader development is cultivated positively, there are limited opportunities for pupils to apply their learning and play their part as responsible citizens. This means that pupils do not have a deep enough understanding of the positive impact they can have on their community as an individual.

p.3

3

Pupils’ attendance is positive. The school motivates pupils to attend regularly through the effective strategies in place. Relationships between pupils and staff are respectful. In classrooms, pupils respond well to adults’ direction and requests. This ensures that classrooms are effective learning environments.

p.3

3

School leaders ensure staff receive support to deliver the curriculum accurately. Staff appreciate this. They are generally positive about how the school supports their well- being and workload. Since the previous inspection, the school has worked well to improve governance. As a result, governors are astute in reviewing the school’s work. They identify ways to support and challenge the school to improve. Those responsible for governance fulfil their roles and responsibilities well.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some foundation subjects, the school does not help pupils to apply their knowledge consistently and effectively enough. As a result, pupils do not develop a secure understanding of key concepts and how these can be applied to the wider world. The school should strengthen curriculum implementation by ensuring that teachers know how to support pupils to use and apply their knowledge and understand the relevance of what they are learning across the curriculum.  The activities provided in the early years outdoor area are not aligned closely enough to children’s learning needs. As a result, children do not learn as well as they could. The school should ensure that activities, particularly in the outdoor area, are carefully 8 and 9 July 2025

p.3

4

designed to meet the children’s next steps, so that children are better prepared for the curriculum in Year 1.  The school’s personal development programme does not provide pupils with enough first-hand opportunities to become responsible, active citizens. Pupils do not understand how their actions can have a positive impact on others, including in their local community. The school should ensure that pupils are empowered to use the caring and thoughtful qualities they are developing to contribute positively to society, through the opportunities it provides.

p.4

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). 8 and 9 July 2025

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Chair of governing body Kathleen Anne Robertson

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 14 July 2021, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school does not use alternative provision for any pupils.  The school has a breakfast club, overseen by the governing body.

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.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 8 and 9 July 2025

p.5

6

 The inspection team met with the headteacher and members of the senior leadership team.  Inspectors met with representatives of the governing body and local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors considered the views of parents through their responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors spoke to staff and pupils during the inspection and took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online staff survey.  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

p.6

6

safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

p.6

Inspection team

Andrew Yeomans, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Vic Good-Bruce Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 July 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