King's Hawford School A GSG School

Other features

All-through school (for example 3-18 years). - An all-through school covers junior and senior education. It may start at 3 or 4, or later, and continue through to 16 or 18. Some all-through schools set exams at 11 or 13 that pupils must pass to move on.

What The Good Schools Guide says

Head

Since 2022, Tom Butt. ‘Nothing but fond memories’ of his own education at the Judd School, Kent, enjoying ‘long, character forming, adventure filled’ holidays with parents (both teachers). Read exercise and sports science at Exeter University, then a PGCE (alongside girlfriend, now wife, Charlotte). ‘Work, adventure and the great outdoors’ tempted them to St John’s School, Chile (‘north of Patagonia, my favourite place in the world’), heading up the rugby programme and teaching PE to Chilean pupils (‘a baptism of fire’).

Three years later, joined international school the Grange, Santiago to head PE, teaching GCSE and A level. Arrival of son Oliver ‘signalled time for a final adventure in the mountains’ as head of games and housemaster of senior boys’ boarding house at Swiss International school Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz (‘a baptism of ice’), where welcomed daughter, Millie. A ‘hard decision’ followed: Educate children abroad with outdoor lifestyle, or return as director of sport and houseparents’ of girls’ boarding house at Dover College? He chose the latter but soon realised he had an ‘itch to scratch beyond PE’, accepting deputy head of pastoral at Bredon, Gloucestershire, where legacy was introducing a house system and revamping pastoral care. To ‘release evenings and weekends for family’, jumped at King’s Hawford headship (Charlotte leads hockey programme, Millie final year, Ollie at King’s Worcester).

He is an informal head who was not above making our coffee as he chatted about pupil handiwork on his desk (upcoming assembly presentation) and memorabilia on the walls (painting by adventurer grandfather, family photos, hero Johnny Wilkinson) while springer spaniel Saffy lay flat-out after ‘early morning dash around the fields’. Parents like his ‘can-do’ attitude and ‘respect for school’s long held traditions’. He’s ‘quietly putting his stamp on things’. ‘I don’t believe in change for change’s sake,’ he says, confessing, ‘I love this school’s mad idiosyncrasies.’ Pupils like to ‘chat to him’ and say, ‘he’s nice’.

Priority is to align the Foundation schools (St Albans and King’s Worcester) and he wants to put an end to the misconception that this is the ‘lesser academic option – we offer academic rigour in spades’, although parents say there’s a more ‘relaxed vibe’ to Hawford. Like parents, is delighted that senior entrance exam has been ‘scrapped’ and Foundation now a ‘one stop shop’. ‘It was an unnecessary pressure and waste of time.’ It’s about getting ‘King’s-ready and if senior not a good fit, we prepare early and are instrumental in finding the right destination’, he says. Advocate of technology ‘only when appropriate’, retaining focus on ‘pen and paper’. Strictly no phones, vehemently against social media for pupils.

Enjoys living onsite and ‘travelling during holidays’. Happiest watching children and pupils play sport and ‘super proud’ of Charlotte for still playing high level hockey, ‘a great example to our kids’. Recently played vets rugby, ‘which I won’t be repeating, too many aches’. Loves outdoor cooking all year round ‘with a good fire’.

Entrance

Most join at 2+ into kindergarten via a ‘settling in’ session and informal ‘chat’ with parents but be sure to get your name down early as there’s often a waiting list. Taster mornings with staff observation from reception and assessments in English and maths for pupils joining from year 1 and above.

Exit

Almost all (99 per cent) to the senior school, with automatic entry. Nineteen scholarships in 2024.

Our view

At first glance, you’d be forgiven for thinking you were on a farm, with ‘the Stables’ classrooms, sturdy ‘polytunnel’ and ‘the Barn’, a capacious wooden performance, assembly and PE space. Easily accessible to Worcester or M5, though cheek by jowl with busy A449 (seen and heard from Main School – you can’t have it all). Turn your back and a rural countryside idyll beckons.

Whitewashed main school surveys a 23-acre site on which chicken coops, bee hives, owl boxes, forest schools, outdoor play zones, sports fields and meandering canal (we could go on) create the award-winning outdoor provision for which school is renowned. ‘We did have homing pigeons from the Queen but a sparrowhawk got them’, our guide reported matter-of-factly. Parents reflect, ‘it’s this that sets our school apart’.

A small school where head confesses there’s ‘room for a couple more’ in each class but feels it’s at a ‘sweet spot’. Two classes per year, early years average 14 per class rising to 20 in year 6. Overall boy/girl ratio 50/50.

Three well-resourced forest schools mainly used by early years but clubs, award schemes, campouts and enrichment feed ongoing interest. Parents extol use of green spaces and three outdoor classrooms (one a tepee), raving about flow of photos shared on ‘Dojo’ app. ‘They’re building fires, cooking and exploring during regular lessons!’ No wonder it’s only one of only 35 schools nationally with the gold mark for Learning Outside the Classroom.

Main school walls plastered with displays of projects, trips, activities. Warren of corridors and staircases reveal the fruits of staff’s ‘super imaginative’ cross-curricular projects where humanities and science combine, eg ‘Find the Yeti’ – footprints traversing campus for pupils to discover lair and ‘Space Craft Crash’ – retrieving a scattered UFO. Parents ‘stunned’ at ‘brilliant’ dungeon in a downstairs classroom. Parents like higher-than-average number of male teachers for ‘different perspectives and influences’.

Kindergarten spans two years with 3-year-olds moving to independent classroom for differing learning needs. Diminutive playground – they must play sardines. Parents praise continual provision, ‘no alternative arrangements for holidays’.

Two vibrant reception classrooms with play zones, tables for formal learning, giant playhouse, indoor sandpit and 360 degrees of hedgehogs, pumpkins and autumn leaves on our visit – alluring aroma of bread hedgehogs fresh from the oven. We visited year 1 maths, busy with pens on white boards (and tables - parents be warned). Impressive interactivity, including standing to perform ‘greater than, less than’ and clapping numbers. Scant homework for younger years – reading, spellings, tables. Head remarks, ‘It’s a conscious choice to set one weekly homework for years 5 and 6’.

From year 4, pupils move to purpose-built classrooms scattered around campus - one boasting a flourishing pumpkin patch. Year 5 split by ability in English and maths) Ample science classroom and lab, used from year 3. No IT room and iPads used ‘sparingly’. German taught from kindergarten (‘phonetically similar to English so it’s a good language to start with,’ says inspiring head of MFL). French then Spanish added by top of school. Room bedecked with flags, costumes and trinkets from pupil’s travels. A double decker bus is one of the quirkiest libraries we have seen.

Full-time SEN with main school classroom and office. Currently 12 per cent on SEN register, and a further five per cent receiving additional support (TAs in class). ‘We’re hugely inclusive but only resourced for pupils in need of one-to-one if they have EHCP’ (three when we visited). Experience of autism, dyslexia, ADHD and ‘fantastic for hard of hearing’, according to parents - productions and assemblies are signed and there’s a lunchtime signing club. Main school presents some disability access issues, but elsewhere ground floor classrooms facilitate. School ‘adjust accordingly’.

Head of art likes to ‘challenge’. We visited a class considering how to evoke feeling through sculpture. Dedicated music block with three practice rooms. Orchestra, wood, brass, string ensembles. Choirs merge with Foundation to perform termly at Worcester cathedral. Senior choir winners of Cheltenham festival of performing arts two years running. Trumpet tuition for all year 4s - ‘Oh, the joy of trumpet practice!’ a parent laughs. Around 80 per cent learn instruments, regularly achieving grade 5 or 6. ‘Everyone acts and dances’, with countless opportunities to perform in plays, concerts, assemblies. Early years nativities grow to year 1 and 2 Christmas shows such as Boogie Wonderland and Santa’s Setbacks. Older years stage more ‘ambitious, all-singing-all-dancing’ productions (recently Robin Hood) in the Barn. ‘The standard’s amazing for a small school,’ say parents. LAMDA recently reintroduced.

Two games afternoons a week – hockey and netball for girls; rugby and football for boys, then co-ed cricket in summer (except IAPS, for which girls U11 are recent winners), plus athletics. For weekly PE, it’s swimming (own pool), basketball, trampoline and gymnastics. All pupils represent school regularly in A or B teams. Captains rotate and produce match reports. All on-site save hockey (nearby Astro). Foundational facilities (just announced) will ‘enhance and expand offering’. Beware, ‘sitting out’ not an option. ‘Even the reticent get swept along and enjoy the camaraderie,’ says head of sport. Five pupils currently play cricket at county level and the school produces regular swimming and athletics finalists. Rugby and hockey ‘particularly strong play big hitters’ (Warwick, Millfield). Attends annual Rosslyn Park 7s. Regular fixtures against RGS The Grange, Winterfold, Dean Close, Moore Park. Year 6 Cardiff sports tour imminent on our visit. Equestrian team (run by parents with school financial support) twice qualifiers for Hickstead.

Best thing about school, we ask pupils? ‘Residentials!’ they chorus. Parents say they ‘cement friendships, build confidence and instil independence’. Year 2s ‘bed down’ in The Barn, year 4 were prepping for York when we visited. Year 5 depart to Duke’s Barn (stream scrambling, abseiling) and year 6 culminates with a five-day outward-bound adventure. Additional events punctuate the calendar eg Hobby Horse Derby, Pupils’ Take Over Day.

Friday afternoon’s enrichment curriculum for years 3 to 6 includes gardening group, global explorers, eco warriors, outdoor explorers. Masses of clubs, with chess ‘really popular’, plus couch to 5K, eco club, theatre. We peeped into dance club in the Cobb Studio.

Lovely pastoral touches, eg own clothes on birthdays and skills badge producing armfuls of neatly sewn on awards for reading, dance, performance. No dedicated wellbeing room but head of pastoral welcomes ‘time out’ in comfy classroom. Playtime buddies for those feeling lonely or sad; worry boxes for anonymity. Staff ‘on it’ with pupil welfare, praise parents – we saw really engaged interaction between pupils and teachers. Weekly whole staff meeting to discuss pupil concerns. ‘Very little’ teasing or bullying, inevitable friendship issues ‘quickly resolved’. Cliques ‘discouraged by annual class juggling’.

Opportunities to garner praise at headmaster’s twice weekly assemblies - and for those who step out of line there are behaviour points, yellow cards or head meeting (‘so rare’). Parents grateful for staff email and rapid responses. Head boy and girl rotated on termly basis, along with prefects across all disciplines - and pupil parliament is confident their voice is heard, citing outside caterer to on-site chef as example of the power they wield. And very good food it is too, with friendly kitchen staff offering seconds and thirds. Pupils favour ‘chicken and rice’ and ‘gooey brownies’. We add chicken curry – delicious!

‘Uniform regularly mud-splattered by end of day,’ parents told us, so we were impressed at smart turn out in red-trimmed navy with sensible approach to wearing sports kit on games days. Inclusive, eg if shorts or trousers preferred or questioning gender identity. ‘It’s about making everyone comfortable.’

Traditionally strong house system ‘stepped up a gear’ under current head. Endeavours include tug of war, Apache relays, aquathons in local lake, concerts, sports day. Parents rave about community events too, including ‘Welcome Home Hawford’ (bouncy castles, fete), Grandparents Day (pupil tours, concert, afternoon tea) and the summer ball. Although founded in Christianity, ethos is ‘about being a good person’ say parents.

WhatsApp groups and PTA connect a ‘down-to-earth, welcoming set’ (mums’ netball, Pilates, fundraisers). ‘We don’t lounge around in Sweaty Betty though’ - most work, praising free 7.45am to 6pm wraparound care (a few clubs incur costs). Some relocated from London for rural setting. Only gripe is ‘scattergun communication’ being rectified by ISAMs hub.

Ebullient pupils trot around with freedom to roam. We laughingly resort to a talking stick during group chats (futile as stick quickly forgotten). Parents say they are ‘caring, carefree, happy and supportive bunch’.

Money matters

Means tested bursaries available.

The last word

A flock of super creative, invested teachers inspire engaged and enthusiastic fledglings to peck every last grain out of this wonderfully organic, free-range experience. ‘It’s the sort of childhood I only ever dreamed of,’ said a parent.

Special Education Needs

2022: The school has a SENDCo who provides in-class and small group support for those children who have additional learning needs. This support is decided by a process of regular assessment and review with teachers and other agencies. There is no charge for this provision. The school employs a number of support staff to assist both in the classroom and in individual support lessons. All support lessons are an integral part of our provision and there is no additional charge for such provision.