Staithes, Seton Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Seton are confident, happy and safe. They embody the school's values of ambition, community and excellence. They are proud to belong to the 'family' of this small, coastal, village school.

Staff keep pupils safe. There is a strong shared culture of safeguarding throughout the school. Pupils' sense of equality and fairness is tangible.

They are polite, courteous and helpful to others. An older pupil summed up the thoughts of others by saying, 'We are good role models. We help the little ones.'



Pupils' behaviour and attitudes to learning are exceptional. This contributes to a purposeful learning environment throughout the school. Trusted, w...ell-trained adults deal with any behaviour issues quickly.

Pupils benefit from an exemplary programme for personal development. The distinctive 'beach school' provision, for example, helps pupils of all ages to develop a keen understanding of safety, resilience, determination and teamwork.

Pupils benefit from leaders' high expectations.

They enjoy a curriculum that is tailored to the local area's rich heritage. The provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is effective. Pupils who receive the government's additional pupil premium funding achieve highly.

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

From children's first days in Nursery, they enjoy a stimulating environment for learning. Children benefit from an ambitious and well-planned curriculum that meets their needs. Their positive attitudes to learning ensure that they engage well with a wide set of experiences.

This includes educational visits to Castle Howard and the theatre. There is a very clear focus on communication and language. Skilled and knowledgeable adults carefully model language and vocabulary for children.

Children in early years make exceptional progress. They are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

Reading has a high priority throughout the curriculum.

Adults place a strong focus on pupils' acquisition of phonics knowledge. Adults have secure subject knowledge. They deliver phonics with consistency.

Pupils develop confidence and fluency in reading. They speak with enthusiasm about the many opportunities they have for reading in school. This includes reading their own books for pleasure or hearing adults read a range of quality texts aloud to the class.

Pupils enjoy their lessons. The school's strong focus on professional development for teachers means that lessons are engaging and allow pupils to build on prior learning. Pupils in an art lesson, for example, could talk knowledgeably about their use of atmospheric perspective in their work.

This built on previous teaching of techniques from artists such as Van Gogh, David Hockney and a local artist, Rob Shaw.

Pupils' outcomes from the key stage 2 statutory tests in 2023 do not accurately reflect the quality of the school's education provision. Pupils are learning the intended curriculum well.

However, assessment in some subjects is not used well so as to precisely identify gaps in pupils' learning and inform future teaching.

Pupils arrive at school promptly and cheerfully. Attendance is high.

The school is vigilant when checking up on pupils' absence. Leaders demonstrate a tenacious approach to working with families to improve attendance where this is an issue. Their actions have a positive impact.

The curriculum across school extends well beyond the academic. Pupils benefit from regular opportunities to take part in sporting events, clubs and other rich experiences. These include aspirational speakers and opportunities to have individual talents and interests celebrated throughout school.

Leaders have implemented a meticulous programme of personal, social and health education. This takes into account the local context and the results of the 'Growing Up in North Yorkshire' pupil survey. This means that pupils are well equipped to be safe, respectful and responsible members of society.

Pupils' participation in regular 'beach school' sessions enables them to make positive contributions to the local area via litter picks. This provision also allows pupils to make strong links to their academic learning in the beach environment. Adults encourage pupils to develop an acute awareness of risk and how to keep themselves and others safe.

Pupils' understanding of tolerance, respect and equality stems from the school's effective spiritual, moral, social and cultural curriculum.

Leaders place the interests of the school's pupils at the heart of all that they do. Governors fulfil their roles with diligence and understanding.

They receive detailed information on the school's performance. Governors use this information to probe, question and challenge. They hold the school to account.

Recent improvements to the writing curriculum, for example, have occurred as a result of leaders' efforts to further improve the school. Staff are well supported with workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Assessment in some subjects is not used to precisely identify pupils' misconceptions and inform teachers' future planning. This means that gaps in pupils' learning are not identified quickly enough. The school should ensure that assessment identifies and addresses gaps in learning quickly so that pupils' progress in these subjects closely matches the school's intentions.

In some subjects, pupils' achievement is not in line with the school's intentions. This means that some pupils are not well prepared for the next stage of education. The school must ensure that identified priority areas are developed at pace so that pupils' outcomes reflect leaders' high ambitions and expectations.