Lady Hawkins' School

Inspection of Lady Hawkins’ School Park View, Kington, Herefordshire HR5 3AR

p.1

Inspection dates: 22 and 23 October 2024

p.1

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Good

p.1

The headteacher of this school is Allen Brace. This school is a single academy trust. The headteacher is the accounting officer. The school is overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Kate Dinsdale. 22 and 23 October 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Lady Hawkins’ is a unique and close-knit community school. Pupils value the school’s strong family feel, which allows them to be themselves. Staff know pupils as individuals. Trusted adults celebrate each pupil’s success and address any concerns that arise. As a result, pupils feel safe and happy.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of what pupils can do, which pupils live up to. Their teachers teach them well. They check what pupils know and understand and offer pupils’ constructive feedback to improve their written work. Pupils get to read widely and often. This helps them to remember more and learn new content, which pupils appreciate. As a result, most pupils achieve well.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff set high standards for pupils’ behaviour. They encourage pupils to foster healthy relationships. Pupils meet these expectations. As a result, absence, disagreements and disruption to learning are rare. Staff and pupils value their school’s calm learning environment.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils relish participation in a diverse range of extracurricular activities. Opportunities include foreign travel, theatre visits, singing in Hereford Cathedral and orienteering. These wider curriculum activities help pupils, especially disadvantaged pupils, to grow in confidence and build their self-esteem.

p.2

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

Since the last inspection, the school has focused on the right priorities, which has resulted in sustained improvement. For instance, leaders have taken decisive action to improve pupils’ future prospects and examination outcomes. They have invested in strategies to help pupils remember more of what they learn. Subsequently, most pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), progress well.

p.2

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

Pupils follow an ambitious curriculum created to equip them well for the future. Staff have thought hard about the content pupils should learn. In each subject, this knowledge is laid out in a logical order so that new learning builds successfully on the things pupils have been taught before. Across subjects, staff share their curriculums to help pupils join their learning together. For example, in English, pupils deepen their insight of ‘war poetry’ by making links to their knowledge of conflicts in history.

p.2

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

An academic core is at the heart of the school’s revised key stage 4 curriculum. This has increased pupils’ take-up of the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), widening future options for them. For instance, more pupils secure successful and appropriate progression post- 16. Even so, the school knows that more pupils could follow this EBacc pathway. It has clear plans to remedy this.

p.2

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

Teachers deliver the curriculum well. They use their expert subject knowledge to engage pupils. Teachers’ regular checks on pupils’ understanding help to address misconceptions 22 and 23 October 2024

p.2

3

straightaway. This immediate feedback helps pupils to consolidate new knowledge and motivates them to achieve more.

p.3

3

The school identifies the needs of pupils with SEND promptly. Most staff design and adapt activities well to meet pupils’ needs. Consequently, most pupils with SEND access the full curriculum. However, on occasion, teaching is not adapted well enough. As a result, some pupils with SEND do not learn as well as they could. This holds these pupils back.

p.3

3

Reading has a high priority. Staff give effective support to pupils who need extra help to read accurately and fluently. Pupils benefit greatly from this and quickly grow into confident readers who read widely and often.

p.3

3

Pupils are mature and behave well. Their positive attitudes have created an environment free from disruption. Pupils know that the school follows up lateness and absence straightaway. Consequently, pupils are rarely late and attend often.

p.3

3

Pupils benefit from a well-ordered personal development offer. They learn important content, including how to avoid unhealthy relationships, live within their means and stay safe online. Pupils receive a broad range of information about the world of work, and benefit from well-considered experiences that prepare them well for their futures.

p.3

3

Staff are aligned behind leaders’ ambitious vision. Staff know their well-being and workload matter. They are proud to work here. Trustees hold the school to account diligently. This has ensured they have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and priorities, which is leading to continued improvement.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 On occasion, teachers do not adapt their teaching well enough to enable pupils with SEND to access the curriculum. Where this happens, these pupils do not learn as well as they could. This holds them back. The school should ensure that all teachers have an accurate understanding of pupils’ individual needs and adapt their teaching to meet these needs within lessons.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection. 22 and 23 October 2024

p.3

4

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with SEND; pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 22 and 23 October 2024

p.4

School details

Dates of previous inspection 25 and 26 January 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 Lady Hawkins’ School is a smaller-than-average secondary school.  The school uses one registered and one unregistered alternative provision.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Year 7 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical qualifications and apprenticeships.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth-form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 22 and 23 October 2024

p.5

6

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors spoke to the headteacher, senior leaders and other staff.  The lead inspector met with the chair of trustees, two other trustees and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, history, geography, physical education and food technology. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered

p.6

6

the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at social times and spoke to pupils about their views of the school. Inspectors considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. They also took into consideration the online staff and pupil surveys.

p.6

Inspection team

Antony Edkins, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Jane Epton Ofsted Inspector 22 and 23 October 2024

p.6

7

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7