Hawkchurch CE Primary on the border of Devon and Dorset, ‘welcomes and nurtures the individuality of its pupils’ and is Good in all areas according to Ofsted. 

Chris Threlfall, Head of School said, ‘Our school may be small, but we have a very big heart, with happy and harmonious children, and enthusiastic staff who encourage our pupils to Learn Together and Grow Together with respect, resilience, compassion, community and enjoyment. We’re pleased to see all our hard work recognised by Ofsted who have witnessed first-hand how amicable and earnest our pupils are.’   

Pupils are seen to ‘support and encourage each other in class and on the playground because they see this modelled by staff’ and they are emotionally aware of their peers, displaying ‘a strong awareness of why their friends might struggle’. There is much trust between staff and children with help to manage behaviour and encouragement of great things for all. 

Hawkchurch is governed by First Federation Trust, a multi-academy of 29 primaries across Plymouth, Devon and Dorset, and has benefitted from the Trust’s support, guidance and challenge to ensure it is ‘well equipped to provide a high-quality education for its pupils’. 

Claire Fegan, Director of School Improvement for First Federation Trust, said ‘Teaching staff at Hawkchurch work hard to maintain an ambitious, well-designed curriculum with a learning experience offering opportunities for all. Strong relationships mean staff know their pupils very well, enabling potential challenges or special needs to be quickly identified and addressed, with adaptations being made where necessary.’ 

The school prioritises early language development and reading, laying down solid foundations for younger pupils preparing them well for future years. Songs, rhymes and stories are used to ‘spark an interest and broaden vocabulary’, with regular checks ensuring good knowledge retention and understanding. Children are ‘increasingly confident and fluent readers’ with a ‘good awareness of the diverse world around them’, and those who need extra help are well supported. Pupils ‘learn to read with great success and develop a love of reading for pleasure’, while also securing a solid understanding of different faiths and cultures and good attitudes to physical and mental health.  

Wider development is enriched through fundraising opportunities, leadership roles, and participation in local events, which help to ‘build confidence and independence’ and ‘prepares pupils well to be active community participants in the future’.  

Chris continues, ‘We are really proud of our well-behaved pupils and want to thank them, alongside their parents and carers, for their positive attitude. Ofsted recognised that children ‘are motivated to behave well because they want to do well’ and they have a sense of pride in our school encouraging good attendance. We couldn’t agree more and want to thank our hard-working staff for their dedication and passion, and the Trust for its continued support. Together we will continue to learn and grow.’