Hawkes Farm Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Since joining the school, the headteacher, supported by senior leaders and the multi-academy trust, has brought about substantial and sustained improvements to all aspects of the school's work. Senior leaders bring an unswerving commitment to improve the school further. They leave no room for complacency.

Outcomes across the school have improved. Pupils make good progress, attaining at least in line with the national average. Reading plays a central role in the curriculum.

Teachers ensure that pupils are skilled in the use of phonics. Pupils become confident, able readers. Leaders provide staff with regular, high-quality professional deve...lopment so that they have good subject knowledge.

Teachers share senior leaders' understanding of how pupils learn. Teachers use assessment effectively to intervene quickly when a pupil is at risk of falling behind. As soon as a pupil starts to struggle, staff act decisively.

Pupils' behaviour is exemplary. They are polite, confident and well mannered. They have excellent attitudes to learning and work hard to achieve their best.

Children make an excellent start in early years. Leaders are knowledgeable and ambitious for children to achieve well. Children make strong progress whatever their starting points.

A broad curriculum interests pupils. It is focused on equipping pupils with knowledge that they will remember and build upon. Pupils write well.

They learn the skills needed to be successful before writing independently. However, they have few opportunities to apply their skills in writing in curriculum areas other than English. The teaching of mathematics equips pupils with the knowledge and skills needed to achieve well.

Pupils have a strong recall of number facts. They work quickly and efficiently. In some year groups, pupils have too few opportunities to apply their mathematical skills by tackling challenging problems and using mathematical reasoning.

Most parents and carers are happy with the school and the improvements that have been made. However, some express concerns about the school, including poor communication. Others feel that the school's curriculum is narrow and focused too much on English and mathematics.

Information about this school

Hawkes Farm Academy joined the Striving Together for Excellence in Partnership (STEP) multi-academy trust in September 2016. The headteacher joined the school at the same time. The deputy headteacher joined the school in September 2017.

This school is larger than the average-sized primary school. There are two classes in all year groups. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is well below the national average.

Levels of deprivation are also below those seen nationally. The overwhelming majority of pupils are White British. There are several groups of pupils from different ethnic minorities.

There are very few pupils for whom English is an additional language. The proportion of pupils with SEND is well below that seen in other schools across the country. The proportion of pupils who have an education, health and care plan is greater than the national average for primary schools.

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