Seaton Delaval First School

Overview

Seaton Delaval First School continues to be a good school, described as a "warm and welcoming" environment where pupils are "happy and feel safe." Leaders maintain high expectations, ensuring the curriculum builds curiosity and engages pupils’ interest, while staff provide effective support for those with additional needs.

Strengths

• The curriculum is carefully designed to match pupil needs, with subject leaders who are "knowledgeable about their subjects" and check for gaps in knowledge.
• Reading is a "high priority," with staff delivering the programme effectively and ensuring pupils who find it difficult receive extra help to catch up.
• Provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is "highly effective," with needs identified promptly and well-thought-out support provided.
• Pupils behave well, bullying is "rare," and they have a strong understanding of and respect for others’ differences.
• Staff feel "well supported by the senior leadership team," who are considerate of workload and provide training for subject leaders.

Areas to improve

• The curriculum is not delivered as well as it needs to be in a "very small number of lessons," meaning some pupils are not making as much progress as they could.
• Leaders need to complete their review of curriculum delivery across the school and implement planned improvements within the identified timescale.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with a "strong culture of safeguarding across the school" and staff who know what to do if they have concerns.