Hawkshead Esthwaite Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. Pupils and their families greatly value the highly personalised attention the very caring staff provide. The Early Years Foundation Stage provides an extremely stimulating environment in which children can develop a love for learning.

By the time they leave Year 6, most pupils usually attain above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. Most pupils make good progress throughout their time at this school. Pupils with special educational needs progress at least as well as their peers.

The classrooms and outdoor areas contribute well to pupils' learning. Opportunities outside the school also considerably enhance pupils' le...arning and development. The quality of teaching is good and at times outstanding.

Activities are very well planned to excite and enthuse pupils. The school is exceptionally well led by the dedicated headteacher. All staff share her vision of bringing out the best in pupils' personal and academic development.

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is exceptional. They have a highly developed understanding of global issues and how they can make a positive impact on their local environment and beyond. All staff, including the governing body, work extremely well as a team.

Their successful actions have a positive impact on improving the quality of teaching and pupils' achievements. This is an improving school. It is not yet an outstanding school because : Pupils do not always progress as rapidly in writing as they do in reading and mathematics.

Some pupils' written work contains too many errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar. Pupils do not consistently respond to teachers' marking in order to learn from their mistakes.

Information about this school

Hawkshead is much smaller than the average sized primary school.

The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium is much lower than that found nationally. This is additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after by the local authority. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs supported at school action is higher than that found nationally.

The proportion supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is broadly average. All pupils are White British. Pupils are taught in mixed-age classes.

Since the previous inspection, there has been an increase in the number of pupils joining the school during Key Stages 1 and 2. Hawkshead holds the Green Eco Flag Ambassador Award, Silver Geography Mark and Silver Learning Outside the Classroom Award. The school is a Centre for Excellence/Hub school for The Global learning Programme.

The headteacher has gained the Global Teacher's Award and leads training for 17 schools. The school has achieved Full International Mark. In this very small school the government's current floor standards do not apply.