Hampreston Church of England Voluntary Aided First School

First School

Address: Hampreston Village, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 7LX Unique reference number (URN): 150992

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Early years Strong standard

Children get off to a flying start in Reception. They thrive because of adults' deliberate and carefully crafted interactions. Specific guidance supports children to settle very quickly. Therefore, they learn successfully; on their own, in groups or with adults, in preparation for Year 1. Precise phonics teaching ensures that all children acquire the knowledge of sounds needed to decode words.

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Early years Strong standard

Staff prioritise language development. They develop children’s vocabulary singing songs, repeating rhymes and talking in pairs. The reading area provides an inviting place to share stories, early writing and poems. This early language and vocabulary development underpins all areas of learning and children's wider personal development. Adults model repeating mathematical patterns with cubes so children can apply the same knowledge during child-initiated play. They choose resources sensibly, work with others and focus on their tasks.

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Early years Strong standard

Staff build trusting relationships with children, their parents and carers. Close teamwork between adults enables early support for children’s progress and wellbeing. Consequently, children behave well and build their independence. Adults check learning at the start of the school year to structure activities that overcome academic and social barriers. By the end of the Reception Year, children reach a good level of development well above national outcomes.

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Achievement Expected standard

By the time they leave school, pupils’ standards in reading, writing and mathematics are typically in line with their age. Their achievements in the Year 4 times table check and Year 1 phonics screening check are well above the national averages. Disadvantaged pupils achieve positively when compared to their peers nationally. Overall, pupils’ achievements in these core subjects have been rising year on year, since joining the trust. Most are well prepared for their next school.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils’ knowledge across the wider curriculum subjects is secure. The quality of current work and verbal responses typically matches that seen in reading, writing and mathematics. In science, pupils learn that the earth is spherical when studying space. They understand light travels in straight lines when exploring shadows and the lunar eclipse. However, teaching is not yet ensuring all groups of pupils consistently produce high-quality work across the curriculum.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Hampreston is a nurturing school. Most pupils attend regularly, demonstrating their enjoyment of school and learning. They arrive for the school day promptly, prepared, and ready to learn. Everyday leaders greet parents and carers and their children warmly at the school gate. Their presence builds trust, understanding and familiarity. They carefully encourage those who may need a ‘soft start’ towards classrooms. Consequently, all enter school and settle to learning quickly. Careful monitoring of patterns, trends of early attendance dips help leaders prevent and address concerns or issues as they arise. Approaches support all families overcome any barriers to good attendance.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils’ conduct is positive. Incidents of bullying are rare. Staff deal quickly with any that do occur. Pupils show ‘Ambition, Respect and Love’ through their daily actions. The embedded culture builds a supportive local community and sense of belonging. As one parent said, ‘Teachers give a warm welcome every morning, I feel well supported and engaged as a parent.' Pupils build secure friendships and enjoy sharing their learning and wider experiences with everyone. Exclusions are rare. School values underpin all aspects of this supportive setting. Just occasionally, when teaching is less effective, pupils’ attitudes to learning can fall.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The mathematics curriculum is ambitious. Content covers the building blocks that pupils need. Thoughtful design develops pupils' secure understanding of how numbers work. Pupils explain their mathematical thinking when tackling more complex mathematical problems.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

When writing, pupils develop their knowledge of spelling, grammar and the structure and purpose of different genres. Appealing books stimulate pupils’ interests and broaden their horizons. Phonics teaching is precise, sharp and accurate. Staff carefully watch for pupils’ mouth shape and tongue position, when orally rehearsing the sounds that letters make. They intervene and provide immediate support for any pupil not sounding out letters correctly.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Pupils recall core knowledge from history, such as how the Romans changed Britain. They know the important achievements of Queen Elizabeth 1, Neil Armstrong and Ranulph Fiennes. In geography, pupils recall key locational differences between Hampreston and Kamong Ayer, Brunei.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teaching generally meets pupils’ needs. However, expectations of what pupils can achieve or how they move between, and settle to activities, vary. Teachers use termly checks of pupils' progress to plan their next steps. The use of information from checks on learning during lessons is less secure. Information is normally used to adapt activities for pupils, but occasionally tasks lack precision.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Hampreston is an inclusive school. Leaders’ knowledge of pupils and their families ensures the oversight of disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities is effective. Staff deliver strategies that typically reduce barriers to learning for most pupils, especially in English and mathematics. Support helps pupils overcome their personal and academic challenges.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Teachers adapt their lessons using tailored approaches developed by leaders. This helps pupils typically to gain the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to achieve academically and personally. Staff promote close working with external professionals, helping pupils to thrive. Work is successfully supporting families to overcome the potential risks from rural isolation or mental health challenges. Changes to classroom layouts and specialist resources, including ‘coloured overlays’ and ‘sensory circuits’, support the delivery of pupils’ plans. Support staff deliver targeted programmes skilfully. Just occasionally, some adaptations do not fully meet the precise needs of individual pupils. This hampers the achievement of a small minority.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Effective use of the pupil premium funding enables pupils to participate fully in school life. For example, by ensuring pupils can easily access sport, art or musical clubs or providing additional academic support. Disadvantaged pupils achieve the standards expected by the end of school, and often above.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders are enthusiastic and proud of their school achievements. Staff feel well supported and share leaders’ passion for continued success. The school’s culture and ethos galvanise all to create a true ‘family feel’. Staff work collectively to ensure most pupils can overcome gaps in learning. This is typically successful across the curriculum. Parents and carers are generally positive about their children’s experiences. A small group raise concerns about staff turbulence and its impact on their children’s learning. However, they also recognise the positive impact of current leaders.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Action plans identify the further support to improve teaching, assessment and raise expectations for all pupils. Plans and monitoring are accurate. They place a precise focus on how teachers will check that pupils know more and can remember more knowledge in each subject.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Support from the trust is helpful. Trust leaders identify points for improvement across a range of the school’s work. Visits help teachers to adapt their teaching and meet the needs of disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Trustees use their understanding of the school’s performance to challenge and support leaders. Clear reporting arrangements enable the trust board to make informed decisions that contribute to the quality of education at the school. Local board members use first-hand visits to gain a detailed knowledge of the school’s work from which they support and challenge the school to improve. They receive informative reports from the headteacher from which to probe, for example on pupils' behaviour or attendance patterns.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils learn a well ‑ planned programme for personal development, combining taught lessons with a range of wider opportunities. The curriculum supports pupils’ character, confidence and understanding, preparing them for future learning and later life. They enjoying performing at the local All Saints Church for key festivals and celebrations.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils thrive undertaking the broad range of leadership opportunities and enrichment experiences available. Gardening club is particularly popular among pupils and volunteer helpers. Activities help them become responsible, active members of the school community. Pupils welcome the many roles available, explaining that there are ‘enough jobs for everyone’. They form a deep understanding of democracy when applying for positions as, ‘You can only do the job once, then it is someone else’s turn.’ Leaders deliberately create extra roles and opportunities for disadvantaged pupils. These build their confidence, engagement and a sense of belonging.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils contribute regularly to school improvements. For example, eco-warriors create recycling signage and the school council a ‘buddy bench’ made from recycled plastic. Pupils know that ‘if it's a sensible idea’ adults will listen and act upon their suggestions.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils hold an age-appropriate understanding of fundamental British values. They think carefully about moral and ethical issues and understand how their actions affect others. They confidently describe strategies for keeping themselves and their personal information safe online. They seek support from trusted adults when concerned. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe and where to get support.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff deliver the relationships and health education curriculum effectively. Pupils learn about personal boundaries, respect and staying safe. They understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle, including being active, eating well and seeking help when worried.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders have plans to track pupils’ learning and enrichment participation more carefully. This would enable them to show how activities impact on pupils' knowledge, understanding, and development more clearly.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils enter this friendly village school smiling. They are keen to take part in the activities that lie ahead. Leaders prioritise pupil’s wellbeing. Staff work hard to ensure pupils feel happy and safe. On the gate each morning, leaders check in with pupils individually. They then liaise with parents and carers about their children. Most pupils learn and attend well. By the time they leave, pupils normally reach expected standards. Typically, they are ready for the next stage in their education.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Clear expectations of pupils’ conduct exist. Play and lunchtimes are happy and safe. Pupils rarely need reminding to behave well, whether on the school field, the climbing apparatus or on the playground. Bullying is rare. Leaders celebrate pupils' personal and academic achievements. Teachers generally put in place the right help for those who need it. They take part in training on social, emotional, and mental health needs, so pupils receive the right support. Teaching typically meets the needs of most pupils. Occasionally, some expectations are not high enough. At other times, tasks that match pupils' learning needs are not precise enough. Checks on pupils' understanding are sometimes lacking.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils experience a broad range of subjects and extra-curricular activities. Most remember the content they cover, such as how historical sources help them understand the past. Pupils’ mathematical explanations are improving because of improvements to the curriculum. Children in the early years get off to a flying start. Leaders have plans for further refinement to the approaches for reading and writing.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Parents and carers recognise the school has gone through a period of change. A small number raised concerns relating to staff turbulence and the impact it had on their child’s experience. Current leaders are taking determined action to improve the school further and are focusing on the right priorities.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that the quality of teaching is consistently effective with high expectations for all. Leaders should improve teachers’ subject knowledge so they accurately use assessment and adapt teaching approaches so all pupils can consistently progress well from their starting points and produce high-quality work across the curriculum. Leaders should continue to work with parents and the wider community to improve communication and understanding of the school’s work.

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About this inspection

This school is part of Hamwic Education 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) Robert Farmer, and overseen by a board of directors, chaired by Gary Plummer.

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About this inspection

The chair of the local board of governors is Ruth Cuthbert.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, senior leaders, the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator and a group of staff to consider their views. The lead inspector held a discussion with the CEO and director of education from the trust and chair of the trust board and local governing body.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 15 September 2026

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England. Inspectors visited all classroom to look at pupil’s work, the curriculum and spoke with pupils about their learning and wider school activities.

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What does this mean?

Inspectors spoke with some parents at the start of the school day. They considered responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text comments.

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What does this mean?

Inspectors also considered responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.

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What does this mean?

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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What does this mean?

Scott Tait is currently acting interim headteacher.

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What does this mean?

The school does not use any alternative provision.

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What does this mean?

The school is registered as having a Church of England religious character. It is in the Diocese of Salisbury. Its last section 48 inspection was on 6 May 2026.

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What does this mean?

Headteacher: Julie-Anne Palfrey National average: 268

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational needs support at the school. National average: 15%

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What does this mean?

Based on the English indices of deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 5.6% 5.2% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 14.8% 13.0% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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