Victor Seymour Infants’ School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils like the way teachers make lessons fun and interesting. They understand the ways teachers explain things to them.

This helps them remember what they have learned. Staff and pupils get on splendidly together. When pupils do not understand something or need to talk about a worry, they trust staff to help them.

Parents and carers particularly appreciate how well leaders and teachers know their child.

Pupils really enjoy the wide range of activities available after school, such as the pottery club. These clubs are open to and popular with all.

Pupils remember how visits to interesting places have helped them understand more about the subjects they... learn. Older pupils can discuss their ideas together with maturity, even at the beginning of Year 2. They have learned how to respect one another's ideas and listen well.

The youngest children who have just started in the Nursery have already settled in very well and enjoy the excellent activities on offer.

The pupils we spoke with feel safe. They understand how teachers sort out poor behaviour and say this happens in a way which does not interrupt their learning.

Pupils do not see bullying as a problem in school but they do understand what it is.

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

The headteacher and governors involve all staff in deciding what they want pupils to learn. Everyone understands what pupils should achieve and shares high expectations for all pupils.

Our checks on pupils' books show that leaders' ambitious aims lead to high-quality work. For example, many Year 2 pupils include ideas in their writing learned from the authors they have read and admired.

Teachers know how to change lessons so that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) can achieve well.

They manage and improve the behaviour of the few pupils who need help. Teachers do this in a way which means that pupils who do behave well do not get interrupted.

Teachers gather lots of information about children arriving in the Nursery.

They use this to decide how to help children settle in straight away and make great use of the activities inside and outside the classroom. Schools nearby visit the Nursery to learn from this excellent provision. Leaders in the early years organise training and checks on teaching to make sure that children learn to read confidently.

They work with other leaders to influence the way pupils learn subjects across the whole school.

Teachers understand the way leaders expect them to teach pupils to read. They pick up on mistakes pupils make when pronouncing letters and sounds.

When pupils try to read words they cannot say fluently, it is obvious that they remember their phonics (letters and the sounds they represent) skills. Most pupils achieve well in reading and enjoy the inspiring guidance of staff when choosing books to read. The 'echo reading' activity, which Year 2 pupils have done for a year, has resulted in their remarkably confident expression and understanding.

Pupils know how important it is to understand and respect differences and diversity. Leaders use a very well-organised range of activities to help pupils know and remember more about different religions, cultures and types of families. They make things clearer when parents do not immediately understand why some lessons or activities are important.

Older pupils make impressive use of what they remember when they discuss their ideas with their classmates. For example, in science, pupils in Year 2 use what they remember about observing materials to decide which would burn in a fire. Teachers make sure that pupils can automatically take turns and share ideas in discussions.

This is preparing them exceptionally well for their move into key stage 2.

Leaders and governors, together with the trust, bear teachers' workload in mind when setting expectations and driving improvement. They listen to staff when they notice unnecessary duplication of work.

Teachers are inspired by the way they are supported to develop as teachers and learn from one another.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders and trustees check that all staff understand what to do if they have concerns about a child.

Leaders include ways to spot and respond to risks they know are more common at the school in training.

Staff talk with each other to make sure that everyone has enough information to keep an eye on pupils who may be vulnerable. They have established good links with other professionals to make sure that everyone works together when pupils are at risk.