Harrogate Grammar School Archives - Page 3 of 9

Students collect A-level results at Harrogate district schools

Hundreds of students across the Harrogate district have collected their A-level results this week.

The teenagers, whose education was severely disrupted by covid as they prepared for their GCSEs, are now preparing for the first steps in their careers, via further education or work.

Nationally, the number of the top A* and A grades have dropped after rising in the pandemic. However, 79% of students in the UK still got into their first choice of university.

At Rossett School this year, 38% of grades were A* to B, and 21% A* or A, while there was a 100% pass rate in BTEC subjects. of which 78% were graded ‘merit’ or above.

Newly-appointed headteacher Tim Milburn said:

“We’re seeing similar results to those of 2019, which reflects the national picture and is remarkable given what these students have faced over the last three-and-a-half years.

“We are so proud of all our students today. They have shown resilience and versatility in navigating the challenges of the last few years, and their fantastic results are thoroughly deserved.”

Among the outstanding individual results was Kenneth Burt achieved two A*s and two As in physics AS level.

Beth Cannings will use her three As and an A in the extended project qualification to study medicine at Lancaster University..

And Jamie Tucker is set to read biochemistry at Birmingham University after achieving an A* and two As.

Amy Beardmore, Beth Cannings and Jamie Tucker collect their A level results from Rossett School

Harrogate Ladies’ College today celebrated an increase in its top grades compared to pre-pandemic levels.

The percentage of A* and A grades was 41%, an increase of more than 17% compared to 2019.

More than half of the A* grades were in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects.

In five subjects, including further maths, students acheve a clean sweep of grades at A* to B.

Elsewhere, 75% of French grades were A*, 85* of geography grades were B or above, and in creative arts, 90% were A*-B.

Sylvia Brett, principal of Harrogate Ladies’ College, said:

“These are an exceptionally good set of results across a huge range of subjects and the class of 2023 should be so proud of everything they have achieved.

“They have shown a huge appetite for hard work and incredible resilience. It’s very rewarding to see them propelled into the next exciting stage of their lives.

“Today is about celebrating their personal achievements – however big or small. We have watched with pleasure as these incredible young women have fulfilled their potential in an inspiring and supportive environment.“

Among the high achievers was Sophie McHugh, who achieved an A* and three As, securing her place to study engineering at Durham University.

Eve Brasher’s A* and two As will see her go on to study law at the Newcastle University.

Exeter University is the chosen destination for Lucy Thomson, who also secured an A* and two As, and she will study international relations.

And Ukrainian twins who were separated from their family thanks to the war have gone on to achieve top grades, as reported earlier today by the Stray Ferret.

Ripon Grammar School, meanwhile, was celebrating after 82.5% of results for its 149 students were at A*-B.

That figure matches last year’s total, despite grades declining nationally, and there were a total of 98 A* grades across the year group.

Four students achieved four A* grades apiece, while Ben Statham was the top-performing pupil with five A*s.

Headmaster Jonathan Webb said:

“While the national figure for A*-A has fallen from 45% to 27%, RGS has maintained its high percentage of A*-A grades, which I think reflects the integrity of our procedures in previous years.”

At King James’s School in Knaresborough, 120 students collected their results, though the school has not published details of the grades achieved across the year group.

The school said 93% secured a place at university and the proportion getting their first choice was “in line with 2019”, with “only a handful” were waiting for places through the clearing process.

Harrogate Grammar School has not released details of its results, but said in a statement the current students “faced the pressure of taking formal exams for the very first time” after having GCSEs cancelled in 2021.

The school said 81% of students applied to university and 70% of those had achieved their first choice, with 91% getting a place somewhere.

St Aidan’s and St john Fisher Associated Sixth Form said around 90% of students had secured a place at their first or second choice university.

The sixth form has not published details of its results, but said in a statement they were “in line” with those achieved in 2019.

Harrogate schools trust celebrates training 1000 new teachers

A Harrogate-based teacher training organisation has celebrated training more than 1,000 qualified teachers.

Red Kite Teacher Training reached the milestone after the graduation of its ninth cohort.

The association was founded in 2015 and is part of the Red Kite Learning Trust, which works with schools across North and West Yorkshire, including Harrogate Grammar School.

This year, 150 successful trainees were recommended for Qualified Teacher Status, bringing the total number of qualified teachers trained by the association to 1,049.

Director of Red Kite Teacher Training Victoria Lickley said:

“We are immensely proud to have supported so many newly qualified teachers.

“Our school-centred approach equips trainees with the skills and confidence to become innovative and passionate teachers who go on to enjoy brilliant careers.

“this year’s trainees will be future mentors and facilitators across our courses.”

Ellie Rowe, the 1000th trainee to qualify from Red Kite Teacher Training, was proud of her achievement and added:

“Teaching is the profession that teaches every other profession.”

The trainee teachers from this year’s cohort came together to celebrate their graduation at an event hosted by Harrogate Grammar School.

Accident reignites safety concerns near Harrogate schools

A road accident this afternoon has reignited safety concerns for children walking to school in Harrogate.

A red Fiesta mounted the pavement on Yew Tree Lane — the same street where 15-year-old Rossett School students Fraser and Reuben were taken to hospital with serious injuries following a collision with a vehicle in February.

No further details of today’s incident are known — the Stray Ferret has asked North Yorkshire Police to provide some information.

But the sight of a car on the pavement prompted the father of one of the teenagers who was injured in February to get in touch to say it reinforced the need for safer roads around schools.

He said:

“A lot of people are campaigning for a 20 mph speed limit on roads near schools.

“The issue feels very close to home when I see something like this so near to where my son’s accident took place.”

The Yew Tree Lane area is particularly busy because it caters for children attending three secondary schools — Ashville College, Harrogate Grammar School and Rossett School – as well as primary schools, nurseries and pre-schools.

But the parent said 20 mph “should be the limit outside all schools”, including small village primary schools.

A petition calling for a 20 mph limit to be imposed on streets across the south of Harrogate was handed to North Yorkshire Council last month.

Hazel Peacock, who delivered the petition on behalf of the campaigning parents, said the limit would “change people’s attitudes in regard to comfort around walking, cycling and mobility users”.

Teachers back plans for specialist autism school in Harrogate

Schools across the Harrogate district have given their backing to plans for a specialist school for students with autism.

The proposal for the site of the former Woodfield Primary School will be discussed by North Yorkshire Council leaders today – and teachers are urging them to support it.

Samina O’Brien, special educational needs coordinator (Senco) and inclusion manager at Ripon Grammar School, said a specialist facility for students with autism across the Harrogate district was badly needed.

She told the Stray Ferret:

“We are getting so many more diagnoses of autism and a lot of these students can’t cope, to the point where they stop coming to school.

“When they come back, the school can’t change. The students can’t cope with the routine, the rigidity of the rules, and even when we make allowances they still struggle.”

Mrs O’Brien said schools did their best to help children with autism, but did not receive adequate funding to deliver the right support, such as one-to-one help or quieter rooms to work in.

She said Ripon Grammar School was not as badly affected by the situation as some schools because it was selective based on academic ability. However, she said many autistic students were highly academically able, but were unable to reach their full potential because they could not cope with the school environment.

When that was the case, specialist provision was often a significant distance away, she said, and students were not always able to make the journey.

There were private specialist schools students could attend, but cost was a barrier for most families. She added:

“There’s some stereotyping about the students in North Yorkshire, but the problems are the same wherever you are in the country. They don’t just change because you’ve crossed into an area that’s perceived as more wealthy or more rural.

“We’ve got a few students here who we know would be so much more suited to [a specialist school]. It would still be academic, but we would reduce the amount of stress the students went through.

“Our biggest concern is how unhappy some of those youngsters are. I think it would be so beneficial for all those students that are struggling.

“If this goes ahead, for some parents and more importantly the children, this will be what saves them and puts them back into mainstream where they should be and can thrive.”

The proposal for the former Woodfield site is for a school catering for students aged between 11 and 19. It would have capacity for around 80 children, who would not need to have a formal diagnosis of autism.

Rossett School is also in favour of the proposal. Newly-appointed headteacher Tim Milburn said:

“It is so pleasing to see significant investment being proposed for specialist provision in the area. This is such welcome news for children and families who have been seeking this support for a number of years.

“I will be really interested to hear how the investment will support children and families for whom mainstream education is the most appropriate setting.”

Liz Zoccolan, Senco and assistant headteacher at Harrogate Grammar School, added:

“Any increase in provision which will meet the needs of the growing number of students with education, health and care plans is to be welcomed in the area. This would further enable potentially vulnerable young people and their families timely access to specialist support if that is their choice.

“We would be keen to work alongside and collaborate with the proposed provision so that as many students as possible may benefit.”

If the plans are approved by NYC’s executive member for children and young people’s services and corporate directors today, a consultation could be launched in two weeks’ time, running until late July.

Rossett School to meet parents to discuss sixth form merger concerns

Rossett School leaders are to meet parents next week to discuss concerns about the sixth form merger with Harrogate Grammar School.

Students planning to join Rossett sixth form in autumn were informed last week they will be taught at nearby Harrogate Grammar School instead. Current Rossett sixth form students are unaffected.

The move took pupils and parents by surprise, with some questioning why they weren’t consulted and unhappy at the potential disruption.

About 65 Rossett students will be affected and school leaders held a media briefing yesterday to provide more details about the merger and the reasoning behind it. They revealed:

The number of sixth form students at Harrogate Grammar School is expected to remain at about 650 despite the influx of Rossett students because “grade inflation” caused by covid is expected to ease, thus reducing the number of eligible students.
Sixth form students will attend all their lessons at Harrogate Grammar School but teachers will move between the two schools.
Rossett’s former sixth form buildings will be used as a teacher recruitment and training hub by the Red Kite Learning Trust. Rossett is due to become the trust’s 14th school in September. Harrogate Grammar School already belongs to it.

Richard Sheriff, chief executive of the trust, said collaborative sixth forms were a proven model in Harrogate, citing St Aidan’s Church of England High School and St John Fisher Catholic High School.

Mr Sheriff added there had been a long-term vision for Rossett and Harrogate Grammar School to collaborate more closely and the merger would not only achieve this but also improve education for students.

He said better children’s outcomes was the main driver for change but acknowledged cost was also “absolutely part of this”.

Rossett’s income, which is based on student numbers, has decreased significantly in recent years due to pupil numbers falling by roughly a third from 1,500 to 1,000.

Mr Sheriff said the decline in pupil numbers was due to fewer students from Leeds attending because of higher bus fares and improved schools in Leeds as well as Rossett’s ‘requires improvement’ rating by schools inspector Ofsted.

He said the Ofsted assessment “weighed heavily” on Rossett and the merger would demonstrate the school’s commitment to improve.

Mr Sheriff added building a new joint sixth form building was a long-term dream. He said:

“It’s hard for any school to survive on their own these days. It’s not a safe place to be.”

‘We have to be realistic’

Rossett consulted with governors about the merger but not parents — why not? Mr Sheriff said:

“What would we do with the outcome of the consultation if parents said ‘we’d like to keep things as they are’?

“If we did that the school would be bankrupt next year. We have to be realistic and genuine with parents.”

Harrogate Grammar School

Tim Milburn, who will formally take up the headteacher’s role at Rossett in September after previously being deputy headteacher at Harrogate Grammar School, hopes next week’s meeting will reassure parents. He said:

“There’s been some questions and concerns but we have tried to respond to them quickly.

“The news will have come as a shock and we acknowledge there are concerns but we have thought long and hard about how we can make the best provision for children. We want Rossett to be a thriving, growing school again.”

What about special needs students that might be particularly anxious about the unwanted change of environment?

Pete Saunders, the current acting headteacher at Rossett, said:

“In that scenario, special educational needs co-ordinators will get together with parents and students and discuss what provision they need to make the transition successfully.”

Mr Saunders added another advantage of the move is that Rossett sixth formers will be able to take advantage of Harrogate Grammar School’s broader curriculum, which includes subjects such as medical science that otherwise would not be available.

Rossett sixth form to merge with Harrogate Grammar School

Students planning to go to a Harrogate sixth form in September have been told they will instead be taught at another school.

Rossett School has this week told parents that pupils going into sixth form will attend classes at Harrogate Grammar School.

A letter to grammar school parents said the move was “to ensure the breadth of curriculum offer for their current Year 11 students” at Rossett.

Current sixth form students going into their second and final year at Rossett School will be unaffected, the letter said.

Harrogate Grammar School also reassured parents that it would not have an impact on class sizes. It said:

“Typically, each year one third of students in both Year 12 and Year 13 are new students to HGS, joining from a wide range of schools across the region. It is therefore entirely normal for new students to join us in our sixth form.”

It said the school had reached its sixth form capacity of 650 students during and following the covid pandemic, but was now able to accommodate the “small number” of Rossett students who would join this year.

Harrogate Grammar School offers A level and BTEC courses, as well as the extended project qualification (EPQ). Rossett School has offered a similar programme of courses and subjects.

The news comes as the two schools work increasingly closely, with Rossett expected to join the same multi-academy trust as Harrogate Grammar School from September.

Last week, it was confirmed that HGS deputy headteacher Tim Milburn will take over as head of Rossett School.

At the same time, the school is expected to join the Red Kite Learning Trust, which already has a membership of 13 schools, including three primaries and a junior school in the Harrogate district.

Tim Milburn appointed headteacher of Harrogate’s Rossett School

Harrogate Grammar School deputy headteacher Tim Milburn has been appointed headteacher of Rossett School.

Mr Milburn has been at HGS for nine years, initially as assistant headteacher. He previously spent four years as director of personal development at Ilkley Grammar School.

History teacher Mr Milburn is also the designated safeguarding lead for Red Kite Learning Trust, a multi-academy trust with 13 schools. Rossett is expected to be the 14th school to join the trust when final approval processes are completed this year.

The move completes a circle for Mr Milburn, who studied at Rossett and left in the 1990s. More recently he has also been helping to cover acting headteacher Pete Saunders’ paternity leave.

Mr Milburn, who takes up the post immediately, said:

“I am delighted to have been appointed Rossett School’s fifth headteacher and I would like to thank the governing body for entrusting me with this privileged position.

“I have been fortunate to have already spent a lot of time in school, getting to know staff and students, and have been made to feel so welcome. This time in school has allowed me to see, first hand, the dedication, commitment and care of our staff. I have also met many students who embody the best of Rossett. They are responsible, resilient and ambitious to be the best version of themselves.

“This is a truly exciting time for the school. Rossett’s golden jubilee will allow us to celebrate a past where so many families, including my own, have been well served by the school.

“As the new headteacher I look forward to leading the next chapter of Rossett’s history, working in partnership with our families, in our pursuit of ‘success for everyone’.”

Tim Milburn has returned to the school where he studied

Richard Sheriff, chief executive of Red Kite Learning Trust, said:

“We are very proud of Mr Milburn and congratulate him for being appointed to this very exciting and important role. We are excited to be working with him as Rossett integrates into our trust and we know he will do a tremendous job in leading the talented team at Rossett.

“Mr Milburn and his team are ambitious for the school and are determined to ensure it delivers excellence for every child.”

The Harrogate school providing children with additional support

In September, the Harrogate district will have a new secondary school — but it won’t be anything like the current ones.

Strive for Education‘s roll will have just 33 students who struggle in mainstream schools and require additional support. Many will have been referred for two or three days a week by other schools in the district.

Strive was set up three years ago by former Harrogate Grammar School assistant headteacher Andy Brown and his wife Sonja, who felt students requiring additional support were under-served locally.

Education inspector Ofsted paved the way for it to transition from an alternative education provider to an independent school, and potentially expand its provision, when inspectors published a report this year concluding it “is likely to meet all the independent school standards”.

Ofsted recognition means Strive will be able to provide a full-time curriculum from September and be eligible to take on students who receive education, health and care plans from local authorities full-time.

Based on North Park Road in Harrogate and with a workshop in Starbeck, Strive classes have no more than six pupils to ensure students get enough support.

The hairdressing area

There is a hairdressing studio and a calm room with bean bags where students can relax, as well as a kitchen and a pool table.

Mr Brown says:

“I identified a huge gap that wasn’t being met locally. A lot of kids were travelling out of the area for this kind of provision.

“Put kids in the right environment with the right support and they feel safe. The big difference is they know we care. Of course all schools care – but it’s different level here.”

Students, who stay for between 12 weeks and two years, have special educational needs, including social, emotional and mental health issues. Autism and ADHD are common.

Mr Brown admits it can be difficult to pitch the teaching given the wide range of needs and abilities. But he adds:

“If anyone asks me what the greatest challenge has been it’s not the kids — it’s getting the right staff in. They have to be able to relate and provide the right education.”

If the school expands, its main Harrogate site on a residential street might not be able to cope and the Browns are keeping an eye out for a new school – although they have ruled out Woodfield Community Primary School in Bilton, which closed last year. But change isn’t imminent. Mr Brown says:

“The plan is that next year we will be open as an independent school and see how it goes for the first year and take stock.”

Andy Brown

For now though, the timetable and staffing are in place for September.

Mr Brown says his education background and his wife’s business and HR experience makes them a “perfect combination”.

But such specialist education isn’t cheap. Annual fees for full-time places start at £27,000 and vary depending on the needs of the young person, the extra support they require, and any additional professional services needed such as speech and language therapists and educational psychologists.

Strive’s educational offer also depends on whether young people are placed as part of alternative provision or full-time on-roll places.

The school will be holding a drop-in open day on April 28 at which people can meet staff and look round.

Harrogate teenager crowned national cross-country champion

Eighteen year old Harrogate student, George Couttie, has been crowned winner of the senior boys race at the English Schools’ AA Cross Country Championships.

The event in Nottingham saw hundreds of sixth form pupils representing both schools and clubs from across the nation.

The races were split into age groups – junior, intermediate, and senior – with 100 boys competing in the senior category.

George, who studies at Harrogate Grammar School, won the senior’s 7km race by a 5-second lead, with a time of 0:19:12.

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George is currently studying for his A-Levels, after which he will study sports science at the University of Charleston, in West Virginia, on a sports scholarship.

He is coached by Joanne Day at Harrogate Harriers and is hoping to run for Great Britain in the future.

Alice Couttie, George’s mother, said he has competed most weekends over the winter:

“George has high hopes for track races over summer.

“He deserves this recognition”.

Eve Whittaker, another member of Harrogate Harriers, also competed and ranked fourth place in the senior girls’ race.

She completed the 5.9km race with a time of 0:16:25.

Harrogate Grammar crowned national under-18s rugby champions

Harrogate Grammar School‘s boys’ first team has been crowned under-18s national rugby union champions.

The team beat St Peter’s High School, Gloucestershire 31-20 to win the Continental Tyres Schools Bowl at Saracens’ StoneX Stadium in London. A total of 125 schools entered.

It was the first time in the school’s recent history that the under-18s reached a national final.

Coached by former Scotland International Tom Ryder, director of sport at the school and Stuart Vincent, former captain of Ilkley RFC, six of the team the team have represented Yorkshire Academy this season.

Mr Ryder said:

“This was a fantastic performance from the boys, they’ve worked very hard all year so I’m really pleased for them that it was such a great game.

Try time for HGS

Captained by Matthew Leatham, who plays for Yorkshire Academy under-18 team and vice-captained by Sam Parsons-Bastiman, who was selected for the North of England under-18 squad, the team scored five tries in the final, which was live-streamed on England Rugby’s YouTube channel.

Matthew said:

“The squad would like to thank Mr Ryder and Mr Vincent for their coaching, mentoring and encouragement throughout the season; not forgetting Michelle Farnhill, our strength and conditioning coach, who helped us keep the intensity throughout the game.

“The players would also like to thank all the travelling supporters, it certainly made a difference hearing the singing, drumming and trumpet playing.”

Kicking for glory

Harrogate Grammar’s sixth form sports academy is only in its second year, with 30 boys currently in the rugby programme.

This, along with twice-weekly gym sessions and weekly fixtures, has cultivated a more professional approach to school sport.

Evading a tackle

Headteacher Neil Renton said:

“This is an outstanding achievement to be very proud of and a reflection of their dedication, commitment and unity as a team. We are delighted to be crowned national champions.

“The academy is a unique asset to our school, championing success in netball and rugby, and we want to continue attracting students from across the county to our sixth form.”

Photographs by Leo Wilkinson Photography