Welcome to our school
A very warm welcome to our school community. Holywell Church of England Primary School is a thatched school in the picturesque village of Tawstock near Barnstaple in North Devon. Holywell is a school with history, named after the holy well which used to supply water to the school. Our school really is a hidden little gem.
As Headteacher, I am proud to lead a school where every child is valued, supported, and encouraged to achieve their very best. We believe that children learn most effectively when they feel safe, happy, and respected, and creating this environment is at the heart of everything we do.
Safeguarding is our highest priority. The welfare, safety, and wellbeing of every child underpins all aspects of school life. We are committed to providing a secure, nurturing, and inclusive environment where children feel confident, listened to, and protected. Our dedicated staff work closely with families, governors, and external agencies to ensure that every child receives the care and support they need to thrive.
Alongside our commitment to safeguarding, we provide a rich and inspiring curriculum that nurtures curiosity, creativity, resilience, and a love of learning. We strive to help every child develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to succeed both academically and personally.
We value the strong partnerships we build with parents and carers and recognise that working together is essential in helping children reach their full potential. We hope that our website gives you an insight into our school, our values, and the many opportunities available to our pupils.
Whether you are a current member of our school community or considering joining us, we look forward to welcoming you and working together to ensure every child feels safe, supported, and inspired to achieve their very best.
The school was founded in 1822 as a National School. The Church paid for the first building on the current site circa 1830, establishing it as a Church of England School. At that time the school consisted of one large room. Over the years it has continued to grow and now we have a reception area/staff room and head teacher's office, 3 classrooms and several small group rooms. Currently we have a mixed Nursery (Hedgehogs) and a mixed Reception and Year 1 class (Robins), a mixed Year 2, Year 3 and 4 class (Foxes) and a mixed Year 4, Year 5 and 6 class (Squirrels). Following an accidental fire in December 2023, we are delighted to have created additional intervention space and benefit from more inclusive and modern adaptations to our beautiful old building.
As a Church of England School we aim to support a Christian ethos through the teaching of Christian Values and relating them to our everyday lives. We have an open door policy and welcome the involvement of parents and members of the local community.
We hope you find our website both interesting and informative.