A village primary school near Ripon has been graded ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted in its latest report.

Dishforth Airfield Primary School was praised across the board by inspectors, who described the school community as  “safe, happy and highly ambitious”.

In the report, published this week, they said:

“Pupils thrive at this exceptional school. Staff expectations for pupils’ behaviour and achievement are very high. Pupils behave extremely well in lessons and are highly enthusiastic about their learning. They talk confidently about what they know and take pride in their work.

“Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported and make excellent progress. Staff know how to get the best out of every child.”

While visiting the school last month, inspectors noted that many of the pupils had a parent or carer serving in the armed forces.

They found pupils were “extremely well supported” with this, including through a club for them to join while their parents were deployed overseas.

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The early years provision was described as “superb”, while curriculum planning throughout the school was “extremely well thought through”.

Inspectors praised pupils’ behaviour across the school, as well as their understanding of life in modern Britain.

The report added:

“The leadership team is deeply committed to providing pupils with the very best curriculum and pastoral care. Governors are experts in education. They support and challenge leaders to continually develop the school.

“Teachers describe a supportive ethos. Workload is well managed. Leaders ensure that staff access high-quality training and coaching. Subject leaders receive very effective support. They are confident in their roles. There are regular opportunities for collaborative working.”

The school, which has around 100 pupils aged from three to 11, was rated ‘outstanding’ at its last full inspection in 2015. However, Ofsted has since changed the way it grades schools meaning fewer are now achieving the top rating.

Its leaders have welcomed the latest report, saying it puts Dishforth Airfield Primary School among only 17% of previously ‘outstanding’ schools to maintain that rating.

Headteacher Julie Lyon said:

“The inspector’s judgement is testament to the hard work, determination and commitment shown by all the staff at the school as well as the governors which in turn enables the children to flourish.”

Chair of governors Jim Brown added:

“It is a fantastic result for the whole school. A testimony to the hard work, dedication and teamwork of everyone involved including our excellent pupils over a number of years. Results like this do not happen overnight.

“Let’s hope everybody can look forward to the summer break with a smile on their face and a spring in their step and come back in September refreshed and ready to continue where they left off.”

Twenty-two junior soldiers at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate said they were raped or sexually assaulted last year.

Figures released by ministers reveal 47 British army recruits under the age of 18 claimed to have been raped or sexually assaulted last year.

Dave Doogan, the Scottish National Party MP for Angus, asked armed forces minister Leo Docherty how many of those were from the Harrogate college.

Mr Docherty replied:

“Of the 47 victims in those statistics, 37 were female and of those cases one has been proven, four are ongoing, and 11 have been transferred to the civilian police.

“Twenty-two were based at the Army Foundation College at the time of the offence.”

The Harrogate college, which recruits about 1,500 recruits each year, is the only British army establishment that delivers military training to junior soldiers aged 16 and 17. Recruits undertake 23-week or 49-week basic training at the college on Penny Pot Lane.

The college on Penny Pot Lane.

Colonel Philip Ingram a former army commanding officer and NATO planner was quoted in The Sun saying:

“These statistics are shocking whatever way you look at them.

“They highlight the most basic of failures in command at a number of different levels and yet it takes a parliamentary question to get the information into the public domain, delivered by the very minister who continuously says the MoD is making huge progress in addressing inappropriate behaviours.

“It is clear that either he is lying or is being lied to in his briefings and the result is the lifetime of trauma imposed on the victims, some of whom are still children. Until defence gets some form of independent oversight then it will continue to cover up what can only be described as atrocious acts.”

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The Stray Ferret asked the Ministry of Defence to respond to the allegations and asked why so many abuse claims were made by recruits at Harrogate.

An MoD spokesperson said:

“There is absolutely no place for unacceptable behaviour in the army. We recognise the great courage it takes to come forward and report a sexual offence and commanding officers will always refer any allegation of rape and sexual assault, or any other offence which may have a sexual element, to the service police. All allegations are thoroughly investigated, and support provided to alleged victims.

 “At the Army Foundation College emotional, psychological and the physical safety of our young junior soldiers is taken extremely seriously and is central to the ethos at the college. Junior soldiers are empowered to call out unacceptable behaviour and should have confidence that their complaint will be investigated.”

Series of claims

This is not the first time concerns have been expressed about behaviour towards junior soldiers at the Army Foundation College.

Claims of bullying and abuse were raised in the House of Lords in November last year.

Last year also saw a female instructor at the college demoted after being convicted of punching teenage soldiers and three parents call for the college to be closed after claiming their children were abused.

But the college was rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted last year. Government inspectors gave positive feedback on safeguarding at the college, saying it investigated incidents thoroughly and made necessary improvements.

Last year Carol Monaghan, the Scottish National Party’s spokesperson for the armed forces, attempted to introduce a clause in the Armed Forces Bill preventing 16 and 17-year-olds enlisting in the army. Anyone under the age of 18 in the UK is legally classified as a child.

But Kevan Jones, Labour MP for North Durham, defended the college. He said:

“I suggest that anyone who wants to see the positive way individuals can and do improve their lives visits the Army Foundation College in Harrogate.”

Government gives Harrogate district private school £8m a year to educate army children

A Harrogate district private school receives over £8m a year from the government to pay the school fees of children whose parents serve in the British Army.

Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate is an independent boarding school for boys and girls at Thorpe Underwood, close to Little Ouseburn.

The school has a capacity of 1,600 pupils and around 400 are children of people serving in the armed forces. It’s situated about 30 miles from ITC Catterick and 17 miles from Harrogate’s Army Foundation College.

Members of the military are entitled to use the Continuity of Education Allowance grant, which is a state payment that covers 90% of the cost to send a child to private boarding school.

The grant is paid so children do not have their education disrupted when their parents’ army jobs require them to move around the world.

However, it can also be used by troops serving in the UK and many of the families using it are well-paid officers.

One critic of the CEA grant told the Stray Ferret the payments to Queen Ethelburga’s were effectively a “state subsidy of a very large private school” and an obstacle to social mobility.

Long-standing relationship

The Stray Ferret sent a freedom of information request to the Ministry of Defence to ask which private schools in the district have been in receipt of the CEA grant over the past three years.

Other private schools, such as Harrogate’s Ashville College, also receive the grant but not on the scale of QE, whose relationship with the armed forces goes back over 100 years.

The figures show that in 2020/21, QE had 427 children receiving the grant, worth a total of £8.5m.

Over the last three years, Ashville College has received around £300,000 a year for between 18 and 20 children. Ripon Grammar School and Harrogate Ladies’ College also received the grant for a small number of children.

‘State subsidy’

Robert Verkaik is a journalist and author who wrote a book on the public school system called Posh Boys. He is also the former home affairs editor at the Independent newspaper.

Mr Verkaik told the Stray Ferret he was troubled by the amount of money received by QE, which he called “morally and economically wrong”.

Social mobility charity the Sutton Trust has said people at the top of the armed forces were seven times more likely to go to private schools — a situation that Mr Verkaik believes is reinforced by the CEA grant.

Robert Verkaik

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The journalist submitted an FOI request of his own to the MOD in 2015 that revealed, across the UK, the majority of troops using the grant are ranked officer or above.

These include lieutenant colonels, colonels, brigadiers and generals, who are paid between £75,000 and £123,000.

Mr Verkaik said:

“Taxpayers’ money should not be used to fund privileged and wealthy families.

“The grant is an obstacle to social mobility. What happens with the CEA is that officer families receive the bulk of the subsidy. So all you’re doing is promoting the education of already very privileged children”.

State boarding schools

Whilst the CEA grant covers most of the cost for children to attend private boarding schools like Queen Ethelburga’s, 10% of the fees are expected to be paid for by the family.

But with boarding fees of between £11,214 and £14,012 per term at QE, Mr Verkaik says a lance corporal earning under £30,000 would not be able to afford the 10% termly contribution, which still equates to thousands of pounds a year for one child.

He believes children of people serving in the forces should go to state boarding schools instead and save the taxpayer millions.

“The children of non-officer ranks don’t benefit to the same extent. It’s exacerbating the hold a narrow group of families have over the education of children.”

QE response

Queen Ethelburga’s said the college provided a “secure and supportive home from home for students whose parents may need to travel or live abroad for work”.

The school did not respond to our questions that asked what rank the armed forces personnel who send their children to the school hold, and how many are based in the UK.

Dan Machin, Queen Ethelburga’s principal said:

“Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate (QE) has a long-standing relationship with the British forces, welcoming students from forces military families for over 100 years.  QE is CEA-accredited, which means that forces families can use the Continuity of Education Allowance offered by the Ministry of Defence to assist with the funding of a boarding place for their child, at any school of their choice. The aim of the grant is to provide continuity of education for forces children.

“Across the collegiate there is an understanding of the importance of providing a secure and supportive home from home for students whose parents may need to travel or live abroad for work. Staff strive to create the right learning and living environment in which every one of the students at QE can thrive.  QE also has two specialist forces liaison officers, a keeping in touch club for students, and support clinics.

“In these sessions, staff help students to contact parents who may be deployed abroad, chat about issues that are important to them and anything else that they might need help and support with. Our forces children contribute significantly to our QE community with their approach to their education, boarding and activities. They are a valuable part of our QE family.

“In addition to being CEA-accredited, QE is signed up to the Armed Forces Covenant to further our commitment to families, particularly by offering the possibility of employment opportunities to veterans from all branches of the armed forces, to whom we all owe a great debt.  QE also has its own Combined Cadet Force, bringing together an army section (Yorkshire Regiment) and an RAF section. The CCF offers students the chance to develop real life skills that will help them achieve success in life and in the workplace.

“This holistic approach to supporting forces families makes QE a very popular choice.”

Dan Machin

A British Army spokesman said:

“The Ministry of Defence provides support to eligible service personnel with school age children in order to help them provide the continuity in their child’s education that can be difficult to achieve within the state education system, due to the inherent mobility of service life.”

“Continuity of Education Allowance is one of a range of measures for service personnel of all ranks and their families to allow greater parental choice in providing a stable education for their children.”

Chris Sills and Cath Richmond, are two Ripon parents whose families have benefited from the support of Team Endeavour.

Now they hope that people will support a fundraising event for the charity that helped them at their time of need.

Team Endeavour provides assistance to the families of service personnel and veterans who are suffering through illness, poverty or hardship.

Chris and his wife Sara, were helped with funds towards the cost of a medical bed and the purchase of a specialist wheelchair, after their daughter Mabel was born prematurely with a number of complications.

Cath, whose partner Gavin had served in the Royal Corps of Signals, died three years ago.

She and her then five-year-old daughter Molly, received support through the heart-breaking time from the charity, which paid for them to take a short break at Flamingo Land.

Former Royal Engineer Chris and Cath, now hope that Team Endeavour will be able to raise more funds through a charity auction being held in partnership with Halls of Ripon.

The department store, with the support of its 20 independent retailers and other businesses in the city, is holding an online auction starting on Sunday (21 November) and running until 1 December.

Cath Richmond is pictured above with Chris Sills and Emma Crossland, Mike Cooper and Ben Butler from Halls.

People will be able to bid for a wide range of items, including a 40 point diamond white gold pendant, a unique hand-painted remembrance helmet, a voucher worth £500 to spend at Halls and a shirt autographed by the Manchester United team.

At 6pm on 2 December the ten lots that have attracted the highest bids online, will be on offer at a live auction held in the department store and conducted by the comedian and actor Freddie Davies. 

Chris Sills and his eight-year-old daughter Mabel (centre) raising money for Team Endeavour at a sponsored 5k run.

The event will include live music and refreshments.

Mike Cooper of Halls of Ripon, said:

“There are many amazing lots to bid for, some of them, one-off pieces that you won’t be able to get anywhere else. All proceeds will go directly to Team Endeavour to help them continue their vital work.”

Cath, who has the designer Yorkshire Feathers stall at Halls, said:

“The charity helped me and Molly at a very difficult time and I have supported them ever since.”

Chris, who has been a volunteer fundraiser for Team Endeavour for eight years, added:

“It’s a brilliant charity that has come to the aid of people when they were feeling hopeless and with nowhere else to go.”

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More than 4,000 people gathered at Spa Gardens and on nearby city streets, as Ripon remembered the dead of two world wars and other conflicts this morning.

Civic services were held at the war memorial and in Ripon Cathedral.

Spa Gardens, which like all other parts of the city was ablaze with thousands of red hand-knitted poppies created by the Ripon Community Poppy Project, provided a fitting backdrop for the ceremony at the memorial.

It was here that Andrew Cowie, president of the Ripon branch of the Royal British Legion, read out almost 400 names that appear on memorials at the gardens and in the cathedral.

Ripon’s civic Remembrance Sunday service attracted a large gathering in Spa Gardens and along city streets leading to the cathedral

Wreaths were laid by the Mayor of Ripon Councillor Eamon Parkin, Ripon councillor and chairman of North Yorkshire County Council Stuart Martin, other dignitaries and representatives of all branches of the armed forces and the emergency services.

Members of the Royal Engineers are pictured in Spa Gardens prior to the start of formal proceedings

More than 200 Royal Engineers from Claro Barracks, were present, alongside retired service men and women and members of the Ripon Branch of the Royal British Legion.

The service included hymns played by Ripon City Band and the Last Post played by a bugler, which preceded the two-minute silence.

A lament by a lone piper, was followed by a prayer read by the Dean of Ripon The Very Revd. John Dobson, for fallen soldiers, sailors, air crew and civilians, who laid down their lives in conflicts across the globe.

A prayer and a blessing were read out respectively, by the Dean of Ripon, and the Bishop of Ripon.

The ceremony concluded with the National Anthem and a blessing from the Bishop of Ripon, the Rt. Revd Dr Helen-Ann Hartley and was followed by a march past from Spa Gardens to the cathedral, where a Remembrance Service was held.

Soldiers of the Royal Engineers took the salute as they passed Ripon Town Hall en route to the cathedral service

The march past was led by the Royal Engineers – whose regiment has enjoyed the Freedom of the city since 1949 and continues to maintain a significant presence in Ripon.

Soldiers and all of those who followed behind them, were saluted, and applauded as they passed the town hall.

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Ripon’s Royal Engineers exercised a right granted to them 72 years ago, with their annual freedom march through the city this morning,

The four sqaudrons of 21 Engineer Regiment were represented in the spectacular event, which saw them march past Ripon Town Hall, the famous Market Square and obelisk and down Kirkgate to Ripon’s ancient and iconic cathedral.

An advance party led the troops who, in line with tradition and the rights bestowed on them when freedom of the city was granted, marched in step to the sound of their military band with drums beating, colours flying and bayonets fixed.

The advance party paused outside Ripon Town Hall, where they were met by hornblower Allison Clark

Since 1949, Royal Engineers based at Claro Barracks have had the Freedom of the City of Ripon and this morning’s march followed a day on Market Square yesterday, at which they showed the public machinery and equipment used in supporting British armed forces in many parts of the world.

The march was a prelude to a ceremony at Ripon Cathedral marking Councillor Eamon Parkin’s continuance as mayor of the city – an historic event making, him the first to remain in office for three consecutive terms.

Cllr Parkin, told the Stray Ferret:

“I am honoured to serve this fine city and proud of the association that it has had with the Royal Engineers, for as long as I can remember.

“They do us proud here in Ripon and do the country proud, through their service around the world.”

The band set the beat for the marching troops

Yesterday, Lt Col Simon Graham, commanding officer at Claro Barracks, where 650 personnel are based, pointed out:

“A lot of our time in Ripon is spent behind closed doors and though our work takes us to many places around the world, we feel very much part of this community.”

He added:

“It’s marvellous to have the honour of the Freedom of Ripon and this weekend is a great opportunity to let let people know what we do.”

The troops pass the cathedral

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The Royal Engineers have served on operations in Northern Ireland, Kuwait, Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan, providing light role close support that enables the army to live, move and fight.

In Afghanistan, the regiment was deployed on Operation Herrick, the codename used for all British military operations in Afghanistan since 2002.