Scremerston First School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 8 July 2025

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. 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. 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. 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.

What the school should improve

• 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 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.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)