Hawkchurch Church of England School

Inspection of Hawkchurch Church of England School Hawkchurch, Axminster, Devon EX13 5XD

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

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The headteacher of this school is Christopher Threlfall. This school is part of First Federation Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Paul Walker, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Alexander Walmsley. 4 and 5 March 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

‘A small school with a big heart’ captures the essence of what it means to be a pupil at Hawkchurch Church of England School. The school welcomes and nurtures the individuality of its pupils. This is apparent in the ambitious education that pupils receive and the high expectations of what they can achieve. The day-to-day provision is flexible to ensure that pupils’ learning is maximised. This approach is critical in the school’s work to identify and reduce barriers to learning that pupils may have.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are strong relationships between staff and pupils. Staff’s detailed knowledge of pupils ensures that pupils are successful in meeting the school’s high expectations of their academic, social or emotional learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at the school and get along well. They support and encourage each other in class and on the playground because they see this modelled by staff. Pupils are aware that, at times, their peers can struggle with their emotions and behaviour and this can disturb learning. However, pupils show a strong awareness of why their friends might struggle. They trust that staff address this and work to support pupils to develop strategies to help them manage their behaviours.

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

Pupils learn a well-designed curriculum. Staff make effective use of secure subject knowledge to adapt their teaching to meet the intent of this curriculum. Furthermore, this enables staff to address the potential challenges that come when pupils start outside of expected transition points or who have not had a positive or successful experience of learning elsewhere. Early years staff understand children’s development needs and prepare them well for key stage 1 and beyond. Early language development is prioritised. Staff share songs, rhymes and stories with children to spark an interest and broaden their vocabulary.

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

The school checks on what pupils know and remember effectively. Pupils recall their previous learning well. However, there are times when the design of learning activities, to deliver the curriculum, practice skills and build new learning, are not as effective as they could be. In some areas, for example, the school tries to cover too much or does not prioritise important concepts. This can hamper pupils building a rich body of knowledge in these areas.

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

Reading is prioritised to ensure that pupils become increasingly confident and fluent readers and to strengthen pupils’ awareness of the diverse world around them. Children in the Nursery gain the range of listening skills that they need to make a secure start on the phonics programme when they move into Reception. Support for pupils who need extra help with their reading is targeted successfully. As a result, pupils learn to read with great success and develop a love of reading for pleasure.

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

The needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified quickly because staff know pupils well. They are alert to signs which may 4 and 5 March 2025

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indicate that children need additional support and adaptations to their learning. At times, these adaptations do not precisely target the levels of need that a pupil has. While the support rightly targets pupils’ pastoral requirements, it does not fully extend to meeting their learning needs.

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Pupils have a secure understanding of different faiths and cultures through the curriculum and assemblies. They know how to keep physically active and mentally healthy and how to maintain healthy relationships. The school makes creative use of different approaches and opportunities to enrich and strengthen pupils’ wider development. Pupils fundraise and take on roles of responsibility, which contribute to the running of the school. They participate in community events. These experiences build confidence and independence. It prepares pupils well to be active community participants in the future.

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The school’s approach to behaviour sets clear expectations of how pupils should behave. Most of the time, pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning and their school. They value the merit system but are motivated to behave well because they want to do well. This sense of pride for their school means pupils want to be in school regularly. However, there are a small number of pupils and their families that the school is working closely with to make sure that barriers to being in school regularly are reduced. The impact of this work is positive.

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The school has benefited from the capacity of the trust to support, guide and challenge, so that it is well equipped to provide a high-quality education for its pupils. The trust, along with the local advisory board, know the school well to ensure that they are successful in this work. This is valued by staff and impacts positively on their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The provision for some pupils with SEND is not as precise and targeted as it could be. This means that pupils with SEND, although getting the pastoral, social and emotional development that they need, are not as successful academically as they could be. The school should ensure that it brings together and builds on the SEND knowledge and expertise it currently has, to adapt pupils’ learning and make the most impact on the learning and development of pupils with SEND.  The design of some learning tasks are not as effective as they could be to consolidate knowledge and secure new learning. This hampers pupil’s learning and their ability to develop a deep understanding. The school should ensure that it carefully considers the way in which learning activities are designed and delivered, so that pupils secure new learning with greater success and remember the most important knowledge and skills. 4 and 5 March 2025

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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.

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How can I feed back my views?

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

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (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). 4 and 5 March 2025

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School details

Headteacher Christopher Threlfall (head of school)

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School details

Website www.hawkchurch-primary.devon.sch.uk/

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School details

Date of previous inspection 5 June 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This is a Church of England school. The school is part of the Diocese of Salisbury. The last section 48 inspection took place in July 2019. Typically, schools have a section 48 inspection within a five-year cycle. However, until all schools have received their first inspection in the ‘post-COVID’ suspension years, legislation requires that inspection will be carried out within eight years of the date of the previous inspection.  The school provides early education for two-year-old children.  The school does not use any alternative provision for pupils.

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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 4 and 5 March 2025

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provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. They met with subject leaders and teachers. They visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ work and talked with groups of pupils about their learning.  The lead inspector observed pupils read to a familiar adult.  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 the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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 The inspectors met with the head of school, leaders of SEND, the school’s link director and other members of the trust, including another trust school leader, the trust’s CEO and the chair of trustees.  The lead inspector spoke with members of hub advisory board, including the chair and the parent representative.  The inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being. They also took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff.  The inspectors looked at a range of policies and documentation relating to pupils’ welfare, behaviour and education. They observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and around the school.  An inspector met with parents at the start of the school day. They took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments.  The inspectors spoke with pupils about their experiences at school.

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Inspection team

Leanne Thirlby, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jyotsna Paranjape Ofsted Inspector 4 and 5 March 2025

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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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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