During their visit to Hawley Woods School in Camberley, inspectors found that pupils are “very happy” and attend school regularly and with enthusiasm, many for the first time in their education.
Hawley Woods School supports autistic children and young people. Ofsted recognised that personalised approaches, strong relationships and a well‑planned curriculum are helping pupils to engage positively and achieve well.
Attendance was highlighted as a particular strength. Inspectors noted that many pupils arrive with histories of poor attendance, yet “now attend school regularly and with enthusiasm”. The report credits leaders’ “careful and rigorous planning”, including working closely with families even before pupils join the school to identify individual barriers and agree bespoke strategies to overcome them. This tailored approach was found to “help pupils to improve their attendance quickly”.
Behaviour was judged to be a strong standard, with Ofsted reporting that “pupils behave very well” and that staff manage behaviour effectively. Inspectors praised the school’s “calm and focused environment”, observing that pupils understand and consistently meet high expectations, participate enthusiastically in lessons and manage their emotions with confidence.
The inspection also highlighted the school’s deep understanding of pupils’ individual needs. Leaders were commended for making “every effort to get to know pupils’ individual needs well” from the outset, ensuring that education, health and care plans inform both learning and therapy programmes. Inspectors found that the school’s “well‑informed approach to meeting pupils’ therapeutic needs contributes effectively to pupils’ progress and achievement”, supported by an expert therapy team delivering carefully tailored interventions.
Classrooms were described as calm, clear learning spaces, including individual workstations and sensory rooms where needed. Additional support for reading was also praised, with Ofsted noting that “pupils receiving additional support to read make tangible progress to catch up quickly”.
The curriculum was found to be carefully designed to meet pupils’ specific needs and to remove barriers to learning. Inspectors praised a wide range of enrichment activities, including educational visits and a thoughtful ‘life skills curriculum’ that prepares pupils for adulthood through practical learning such as cooking, domestic tasks and using public transport.
