Seghill First School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school where everyone is made to feel welcome. Pupils respect and appreciate the staff who care for them. In the early years, staff support children to settle quickly into school life.

This high level of care continues as pupils progress through the school. Pupils feel safe in school. Parents said that they like the 'family feel' which is offered.

They appreciate how well adults know their children.

The school is ambitious for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to achieve highly. Leaders, including governors, have worked with determination and speed to improve the school.

Pupils enjoy the... new curriculum. Pupils' knowledge is improving because the changes to the curriculum are helping pupils to remember more.

Pupils behave well in school.

They learn how to understand and manage their emotions. Pupils learn to empathise with others. This contributes to the calm environment in school.

Pupils enjoy the range of activities on offer during playtime. They take part together in games with skipping ropes, hula hoops and balls. Pupils look after each other when they have difficulty.

For example, they help each other to zip up their coats at playtimes.

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

The school has successfully addressed previous weaknesses in the curriculum. The curriculum for all subjects clearly defines the small steps of important knowledge that pupils need to learn from early years to Year 4.

Staff have received training to help them to best teach the new curriculum. In religious education (RE), teachers ensure that pupils revisit important knowledge from previous lessons. Pupils are given the opportunity to make links between their own and others' beliefs.

They create artwork to stimulate discussion about who do we envisage God to be. Pupils confidently make comparisons between different religions.

Teachers use their assessment of pupils' knowledge skilfully in mathematics so that new learning builds on what pupils already know.

Pupils can clearly explain what they have understood from current and previous units of work. For example, in Year 3, pupils used lolly sticks to show their understanding of perpendicular and parallel lines. Pupils achieve well in mathematics.

Whereas in the foundation subjects, assessment to check pupils' knowledge is not securely embedded. Assessment is not consistently used well to inform future learning in all subjects.

Reading is at the heart of the curriculum.

Children in Nursery learn to listen to sounds so that they begin to become familiar with the school's approach to learning to read before they start Reception. Staff with expert knowledge teach the phonics programme. Leaders check that lessons effectively support pupils to remember the sounds and words that they need to know to be able to read.

The school makes sure that extra help is provided for pupils who find reading difficult. This is helping pupils to catch up quickly. Pupils are keen readers.

They practise reading often. The school ensures that pupils read books that match the words and letter sounds they know. Pupils enjoy the books they choose to read for pleasure.

They are well supported to read fluently.

The school has effective systems to identify and assess the needs of pupils with SEND. The school seeks advice from external experts such as speech and language therapists to help inform the precise support that pupils need.

Pupils with SEND have personalised plans that map out their support. Staff use this information to ensure pupils can access the school's full ambitious curriculum. Pupils with SEND achieve well over time.

From their start in the early years, children learn to share with one another. They are supported to develop their independence and perseverance as they concentrate on exciting activities. For example, children were deeply focused as they hunted for 'treasure' using a treasure map.

Children follow adult's instructions to help them to play well together.

The school effectively supports families to ensure all pupils attend school often and on time. Attendance is improving.

The school ensures that pupils engage in a wide range of experiences, such as learning to cycle cross-country from school to the coast. Pupils enjoy the variety of visits and visitors that leaders plan, such as the annual visit to Ford Castle. Pupils visit the Tyne Theatre to watch pantomimes.

Children in early years enjoy performances at the Northern Stage. The school ensures that pupils learn to keep safe, including when near water and online. Pupils discuss and debate views different from their own through RE and interactive assemblies.

This helps to prepare pupils for life in modern Britain.

Governors support and challenge the school effectively. In some new subject curriculums, leaders do not know the strengths and areas for development precisely enough to best support further improvements.

The dedicated staff team appreciates the training and professional development opportunities on offer. They feel valued and are proud to work at the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Assessment is not fully developed in all foundation subjects. Staff do not consistently check pupils' knowledge to find out what pupils know before introducing new content. The school needs to ensure that assessment is used well across all subjects so that pupils deepen their knowledge across the full curriculum.

• The school has not checked the impact of the new subject curriculums well enough. This means that leaders do not know the strengths and areas for further development. The school should continue to support subject leaders so that they can monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the curriculum.