New permanent headteacher chosen for St Aidan’s in Harrogate

A new headteacher has been selected to lead St Aidan’s High School from September.

The Harrogate school has appointed Siân Dover to the role, from her current post of principal of Oasis Academy Lister Park in Bradford.

She was previously part of the leadership team that saw Nidderdale High School ranked within the top 100 schools in the country for securing outstanding GCSE outcomes.

Mrs Dover said:

“With the exception of my most recent school, I have always worked in schools in North Yorkshire. It is not only my home county, but also an area that I feel a strong affinity with.”

“My reason for applying to St Aidan’s, however, was much deeper than that. This is a school with a strong identity, a fantastic heritage and a community of students, staff and families that I felt it would be a real privilege to be part of.

“It is also abundantly clear that there is a huge amount for this school to be proud of, but I wouldn’t be a headteacher if I didn’t have a strong belief that I can help build on all of these strengths to help the school develop further in the future. The world that awaits our students is constantly evolving, and it is important that the education that we offer meets those needs.

“That is why leading the school is such a genuinely exciting prospect, and just like in my previous two jobs, I plan to be here for the long term.”

It will be the first time the school has been led on a permanent basis by a woman since its founding headteacher, Miss Hindmarsh, who was appointed in 1966.

Chair of governors Joanne Wicks said:

“Not only does Siân have the expertise and experience to build on all of St Aidan’s strengths, but her Christian values and commitment to providing a nurturing and caring environment for every young person made her the perfect fit for our community.”

In a letter to parents, Mrs Wicks and Jane Goodwin, interim CEO of Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust, said the new head would bring “significant senior leadership experience and knowledge of the current education landscape”.

They added:

“The committee is confident that Mrs Dover has the skills and experience needed to successfully lead St Aidan’s as the school begins a new chapter in its history.”

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The school said candidates from across the country applied for the role of headteacher when it was advertised in January.

Geography and PE graduate Mrs Dover was selected through a two-day assessment by its governing body and board of trustees, as well as the Diocese of Leeds. Pupils, members of the school leadership team, and other headteachers in the Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust (YCST) were also involved.

Mrs Wicks and Jane Goodwin, interim CEO of YCST, said she would bring “significant senior leadership experience and knowledge of the current education landscape”.

St Aidan’s has been without a permanent head since December 2021, when Chris Burt left through ill health. He was replaced by Chris Ives as acting headteacher, before David Thornton was appointed last summer on an interim basis.

St Aidan's High School in Harrogate

In recruiting for the role, St Aidan’s acknowledged it had faced a “challenging” time over the last 18 months.

The school was rated inadequate in an Ofsted report published last January, following a visit by inspectors more than three months earlier. The report found four out of five areas to be ‘good’ but because the leadership and management were ‘inadequate’, the overall rating was also brought down.

However, a monitoring visit in May led Ofsted to return for a full inspection just two days later. The report, published in June, concluded the school was ‘good’, with pupil behaviour and its sixth form both rated ‘outstanding’.

Mrs Goodwin said the school was in “excellent hands” under Mr Thornton until September, and thanked him for his leadership while St Aidan’s waited for the “right moment” to recruit its new head.

Ofsted praise for opportunities on offer at Nidderdale High School

Ofsted inspectors have praised the ethos and “high ambitions” at Nidderdale High School in their latest report.

The report, published yesterday, was not a full grading inspection but found the school “continues to be good”, in line with its last full inspection ranking in 2017.

After visiting the school in January, inspectors found pupils felt safe, behaviour was generally good, and pupils with special educational needs and disabilities were well supported.

The report said:

“There is a full personal development programme in place for pupils. This has a clear focus on important issues such as careers education, personal safety and relationships, sex and health education.

“Assemblies focus on developing pupils’ character, supporting their wellbeing and improving their resilience. Leaders have established a programme called ‘Wednesday Flourish’ where pupils access opportunities to support their wider development such as baking, bush craft and sign language.

“Trips and visits have also been re-established. Pupils can go on theatre trips, to Christmas markets and abroad to places such as Berlin and France. Pupils in Years 10 and 11 can also be part of the student council, and leaders have plans to re-establish the key stage 3 student council.

“Morale among staff is high. They feel valued by members of the leadership team, who are mindful of their workload. All staff who responded to the staff survey said that they were proud to work at the school.”

Inspectors particularly praised the Pateley Bridge school’s ‘Niddventure’ programme, with outdoor learning opportunities such as hill climbing.

They said the way it was set up enabled pupils to choose their own activities and was inclusive of all pupils.

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The report cited two key areas for development. Firstly, it said the school did not work closely enough with alternative providers where some of its students were enrolled, and should be visiting them regularly.

Secondly, it found there was still work to do in developing the curriculum across all subjects. The inspectors said:

“Pupils generally behave well in lessons and around school. In some lessons, there is some low-level disruption. Teachers follow the behaviour policy to refocus pupils on their learning.

“Where behaviour is not as strong in some lessons, learning activities are not as challenging as they could be. Leaders know this and have plans to review curriculum planning in subjects where the curriculum requires further development, including in mathematics.”

‘High ambitions recognised’

Nidderdale High School, which has just under 400 pupils aged between 11 and 16 on its roll, has welcomed the latest report.

Headteacher Kath Jordan said:

“We were delighted to see the importance of strong relationships highlighted through our emphasis on Ready, Respectful and Safe.

“The many strengths of our school in providing support, care and guidance for individuals are highlighted as well as some of the more unique and innovative aspects of our school curriculum, including NiddVenture and Flourish.

“The new inspection framework places great emphasis on curriculum development and we were very pleased that the school’s ‘high ambitions’ were recognised and that our ability to provide a ‘wide curriculum offer’ is also noted.

“Our teaching staff are passionate about their subjects and about providing the very best opportunities for all of our young people. This is recognised in the ‘shared vision for ensuring that the quality of education continues to improve’.

“From an already good position we will continue to strive for excellence in all that we do at Nidderdale High School.”

Ofsted carries out interim visits to schools rated ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ to ensure they are still of the same standard, without giving a new rating.

If inspectors find the school would now achieve a higher or lower ranking, they will carry out a full grading inspection, usually within two years.

Knaresborough’s King James’ School rated ‘good’ by Ofsted

King James’ School in Knaresborough has been rated ‘good’ by Ofsted in a report published today.

Government inspectors visited the 1,575-pupil school for the first time in six years on January 10 this year.

They described it as a “caring environment where pupils learn well” with “a strong focus on ensuring that everyone feels welcome”.

The report says the “vast majority of pupils are keen and engage confidently in their learning” and bullying is rare.

It adds the school, which dates back to 1616, supports children with special educational needs “extremely well”, enables sixth form students to “flourish” and organises “a rich range of extra-curricular visits”.

Staff are praised for their “excellent subject knowledge” and safeguarding is described as “effective”.

Reading concerns

However, the report says the school provides “insufficient opportunities for pupils to engage meaningfully with the world of work” and “pupils who struggle with reading do not receive effective interventions routinely” and is urged to improve in these areas.

This was King James’ School’s second ungraded inspection since Ofsted judged the school to be good in its last full inspection in December 2011.

Schools graded ‘good’ are usually visited once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an ungraded inspection.

King James’ School, which has 242 sixth form students, is federated with Boroughbridge High School.

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Ofsted praise for ‘warm and welcoming’ village pre-school near Harrogate

A pre-school in Pannal has received praise from Ofsted for its “welcoming” setting and care for its children.

Busy Bees Pre-school, based in the grounds of Pannal Primary School, retained its ‘good’ grading in the report published this month.

Inspector Amy Whiting, who visited the setting in January, said:

“Children are happy and enjoy spending time in this warm, welcoming setting. New children settle quickly and soon become familiar with their surroundings.

“Staff are attentive to children’s needs. Children show they feel comfortable with the staff. For example, they climb onto staff members’ knees during play, and seek out staff for cuddles.”

She also praised the way the manager leads the team of staff, offering support and mentoring to new and more junior people, with relevant online training.

Ms Whiting said staff had “high levels of well-being and feel supported”, and there was a clear plan for improving the pre-school.

She highlighted the “effective” development of children’s maths skills, and use of additional funding to bring in teachers for extra activities such as yoga and rugby. She said children were encouraged to take turns at activities, but instructions could be clearer so they always know what is expected of them.

The report also praised the manager’s understanding of the safeguarding and referral process, saying anyone left in charge in her absence was suitably knowledgeable, and all staff had regular safeguarding training.

But Ms Whiting added:

“However, in some cases, staff’s understanding of, and confidence to talk about wider safeguarding issues, such as female genital mutilation and ‘Prevent’ duty [relating to terrorism], is not fully developed.

“Similarly to this, plans for staff’s continued professional development in this regard are not yet fully developed.”

The report and grading have been welcomed by the pre-school, which cares for 30 children aged between two and four.

Pre-school manager Tina Morley said:

“We feel the inspection went very well and I couldn’t be prouder of my amazing team.

“The inspector commented during the feedback meeting how confident and well-settled the children were and how the staff seemed genuinely passionate about their care, education and welfare.

“We were delighted to retain our Good grading across all aspects of our provision.

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Harrogate’s St John Fisher school rated ‘good’ by Ofsted

Saint John Fisher Catholic Academy in Harrogate has been rated ‘good’ by Ofsted in a report published today.

Government inspectors visited the secondary school in December last year as part of its first inspection since it was converted to an academy in 2021.

The 1,405-pupil school on Hookstone Drive is now part of Bishop Wheeler Catholic Academy Trust.

Ofsted graded the school as ‘good’ in all areas and praised the “rich set of extra-curricular opportunities”.

It found that pupils who attend St John Fisher left “well equipped for their next step in education, employment or training”.

Inspectors added that pupils behave “considerately and maturely” and “wear their uniforms with pride”.

The report said:

“Their achievements are celebrated in rewards assemblies. However, a minority of pupils think that leaders do not celebrate positive behaviour as much as they could.”

Inspectors said the school had put “careful thought” into its curriculum.

They added that recent staff training had also increased teachers understanding of special educational needs and/or disabilities.

The report said:

“There is an effective programme to deliver reading support to those pupils who need it. Pupils with reading difficulties are identified swiftly. Well-delivered reading sessions build pupils’ reading competence and confidence over time.”

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However, while inspectors praised the school’s new leaders for bringing “stability” and “expectations” to pupils and staff, they said it needed to do more to involve the community.

Inspectors said:

“A small but significant minority of parents do not feel that communication between school and home is effective. Previous instability in leadership has not helped. Sometimes leaders are slow to respond to parents who raise concerns.

“Over time, some parents of pupils with SEND have not been involved sufficiently in their children’s education. Some parents recognise recent improvements in communication. However, more is needed to include the whole community fully in the school’s improvement journey.”

Disappointment as Ofsted says village school near Ripon ‘requires improvement’

A village school near Ripon has said it is “disappointed” by its latest Ofsted report and vowed to make improvements.

North Stainley Church of England Primary School has been rated ‘requires improvement’ by the schools inspector, a downgrade from its previous ‘good’ rating in 2019.

In the latest report, inspectors said pupils were “happy and safe” at the school and felt proud to attend. They said:

“Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour, and these expectations are met. Pupils behave well in and around school.

“They are mindful to keep themselves safe and to behave well when they move between the school building and the village hall at various times in the day.

“At break and lunchtime, pupils of all ages play happily together. Pupils say that there is no bullying, and they are confident that adults would deal with it if it did happen.

“Pupils have a sense of personal and communal responsibility. They enjoy having leadership roles, such as school councillors and sports or worship ambassadors. They appreciate that these roles help to prepare them for later life.”

Pupils’ behaviour and their personal development were both rated ‘good’, along with the school’s early years provision.

However, the report, published last week, said the overall quality of education required improvement, along with its leadership.

After a visit at the end of November, inspectors said:

“Leaders have developed the curriculum in recent years, but their ambitions are not fully realised. The quality of education pupils experience is variable.

“Leaders have identified the important topics that they want pupils to learn. However, they have not consistently broken this knowledge down into small steps of learning in all subjects. This makes it difficult for pupils to remember what teachers want them to learn.

“In mathematics, the small steps that pupils need to take to make progress are clear. In other subjects, such as geography and science, the smaller steps have not been identified. This means that the curriculum is not taught consistently well.”

The report added:

“Governors are committed to their own and the school’s improvement. They receive training and understand their roles well. They are closely involved in the life of the school.

“Governors are well informed and provide leaders with the support and challenge they need.”

The school said its staff and governors have been working to make improvements and would continue to do so.

Headteacher Louise Wallen said:

“We have been disappointed by the ‘requires improvement’ category that Ofsted have placed our school under.

“We are a lovely small rural school where our staff and governors have worked hard to make many improvements in recent years. Comments made during the inspection feedback assured us that the required improvements can be put in place and return the school to a much stronger position quickly.

“We thank our parents who have given us support throughout this process safe in the knowledge that their children continue to flourish in their learning and in life, here at North Stainley School.”

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Ofsted praises village school near Harrogate

Teachers at Pannal Primary School have been praised by Ofsted for having high expectations of pupils.

The schools inspector found children lived up to those expectations and the school’s vision of ‘Pannal-shaped’ pupils who are collaborative, respectful and self-aware.

Ofsted’s latest report maintained Pannal’s ‘good’ rating, with inspectors writing:

“Leaders have prioritised the personal development of pupils. A well-planned curriculum for personal, social and health education (PSHE) is supported by other opportunities.

“Trips and visits enhance what pupils’ study. The emphasis on pupils’ personal development also supports their positive behaviour, which is seen in lessons and around the school.”

The report, published this week, found pupils felt safe in school and were confident to raise concerns with staff. They had positive relationships with staff and with each other.

Pupils who needed extra support were well supported, the inspectors said, adding:

“Provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is strong. Leaders provide effective support to ensure that teachers have the skills to support all pupils with SEND well.

“Leaders have invested in a high level of adult support. This is used well across all classes. Leaders are quick to identify the best ways to support these pupils, including work with external agencies.”

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Visiting at the end of November, the inspectors found children learned to read quickly after starting school and could get extra support if needed. They also said daily maths lessons with a “carefully planned” curriculum helped to make a good start.

The report added:

“Leaders have created a curriculum which they keep under review. Passionate and knowledgeable curriculum leaders have identified knowledge and skills they want pupils to learn as part of their big picture.

“In some subjects, leaders have not identified the small steps of learning that teachers need to follow in the right order to ensure that all pupils gain the key knowledge and vocabulary for the subject. Without coherently sequenced subject plans, pupils will not secure the essential building blocks for future learning.”

Responding to the report, Pannal Primary School headteacher Jane Turner said:

“We are very pleased that the inspectors found that we were “good” in all aspects of the inspection schedule.

“The identified areas for improvement match well with our current school development plans to further enhance our broader curriculum and strengthen the expertise of class teachers as subject leaders.

“The inspectors were blown-away by the volume and positivity of our ParentView responses – all 215 of them!

“100% of our parents would recommend our school to others. We were thrilled with this level of parental support.”

Harrogate pre-school wins Ofsted praise for care and teaching

A pre-school in Harrogate has been praised by Ofsted for its “high expectations” and helping children to prepare for school.

Little Crickets, based at Harrogate Cricket Club on St George’s Road, maintained its ‘good’ rating in its latest report from inspector Clare Bligh.

She found children were given tasks to challenge them and help them learn, as well as building on their interests, and had opportunities to be active outdoors.

In a report published this week, she said:

“Parents are very happy with the pre-school. They report that they receive lots of information about their children’s learning and development. They are actively involved in contributing to children’s assessments.

“Key persons ensure that parents know about what their children are learning in the setting. Parents particularly enjoy the regular parent consultation meetings. They also appreciate that during the settling-in period, staff fully consider the needs of their families and the individual children.”

Visiting in December, the inspector found children were “happy and motivated to learn”, going into the “thoughtfully designed” pre-school with confidence.

Ms Bligh praised the support offered to children with English as an additional language. She found they were encouraged to use their home languages and staff translated their words to ensure they were understanding the tasks set for them.

She added:

“Staff feel very supported by the leaders. They have regular supervision sessions.

“Managers ensure they check the well-being of staff and are keen to identify any workload issues. Any issues are managed effectively.

“Staff report that they love their jobs and enjoy working in this caring and supportive pre-school.”

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The report said in some cases, children were not given enough time to think about and give their answers before staff provided them. During large-group activities, not everyone was invited to join in, such as song time before lunch.

Ms Bligh said this could be improved to ensure children were able to develop their thoughts and to take advantage of all learning opportunities.

Responding to the report, Little Crickets manager Rebecca Vass said:

“I am really proud of our staff team who as always go above and beyond to meet the individual needs of the children who attend Little Crickets and this is what Ofsted saw when they came to visit.”

Jen Baldry and Ben Priestley, co-chairs of the pre-school committee, added:

“The committee continue to be incredibly grateful to all the staff who consistently deliver a great learning environment and a genuine care for the children at Little Crickets.”
Harrogate school to recruit fourth headteacher in two years

A Harrogate secondary school has begun the search for its fourth headteacher in two years.

St Aidan’s Church of England High School has set up a website outlining its vision for the next post holder after facing a number of challenges since late 2021.

The website says:

“The school has had challenges in the last 18 months, including a 2021 Ofsted inspection that highlighted concerns regarding safeguarding processes.

“But the school and the trust responded to this quickly and decisively, and we were delighted that the subsequent inspection in early summer 2022 both acknowledged this, and confirmed the many strengths of the school.

“Our commitment is that we will build on these strengths to re-establish the school’s judgement as an outstanding school.”

St Aidan’s was rated inadequate in an Ofsted report published last January, following a visit by inspectors more than three months earlier. The report found four out of five areas to be ‘good’ but because the leadership and management were ‘inadequate’, the overall rating was also brought down.

However, a monitoring visit in May led Ofsted to return for a full inspection just two days later. The report, published in June, concluded the school was ‘good’, with pupil behaviour and its sixth form both rated ‘outstanding’.

At the time, the school was being led by acting headteacher Chris Ives, who had replaced Chris Burt when he left through ill health in December 2021 after two years in the post.

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Since last summer, headteacher David Thornton has been in post on an interim basis, but has said throughout that he does not want to be considered for the permanent role.

The recruitment website said:

“The school will look to its new headteacher not solely to manage and maintain its strengths, but to build on them.

“An exceptional leader who can challenge, support, and stretch an already strong team, you’ll understand how to nourish an organisational culture founded on continuous professional development and learning.

“It’s important not only that your own values resonate with the Christian ethos of the school, but that you can also embed these personal values into daily school life.

“You will nurture a learning environment that is welcoming and inclusive, where students feel safe and cared for, and where they have the opportunity to develop as individuals, as well as achieving their academic potential.

“This is a fantastic career opportunity – to take on a leadership role in a school where high expectations are shared by staff and students alike and where all feel they have a stake in the school’s success.

“Harnessing and fully realising the potential of such a school requires sophisticated and assured leadership skills, founded on the highest aspirations for every pupil who passes through the school’s doors.”

Potential candidates have until Monday, February 13 to apply, with interviews expected to take place in early March.

St Aidan’s has almost 2,000 students on role, including in its associated sixth form with St John Fisher Catholic High School.

The school became an academy in 2011. It then formed the Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust, which now includes eight primary schools across Harrogate and Skipton.

A spokesperson for St Aidan’s High School said:

“To suggest that the school is looking for the fourth headteacher in two years is slightly misleading.

“After our last permanent headteacher stepped back from the role, two interim heads have helped lead the school. The decision to appoint interim heads was a pragmatic response based on the changes to our Ofsted grading and headteacher recruitment cycles.

“Now that our Ofsted grading is clear and we are Good with Outstanding features, we have reached the right point in the school year to start a leadership recruitment process, and a national search to find our new permanent headteacher is underway.

“Initial feedback has been very positive, and we look forward at keeping our community updated as we go through the process.”

Harrogate’s Rossett School still ‘requires improvement’, says Ofsted

Ofsted has said Rossett School in Harrogate ‘requires improvement’ in a critical report published today.

High staff turnover, disruptive pupils and extremely high absence rates among disadvantaged students are among the concerns highlighted by the government schools inspector.

The report, which followed a two-day visit on November 22 and 23, acknowledges that for the most part the 1,200-pupil school “is a warm, friendly and welcoming school”. It adds:

“Leaders, governors and staff are deeply committed to the pupils who attend the school. A strong determination to be inclusive and supportive permeates the school.”

But it adds a “notable minority of pupils do not behave well” and “sometimes disrupt the smooth running of the school”.

It then details further behaviour concerns:

“Most pupils who communicated with inspectors feel safe at school, but the conduct of the minority makes some pupils feel unsafe at times.

“Some pupils’ conduct out of lessons is variable, with overly boisterous behaviour. Some pupils ignore staff requests and instructions. Some staff do not apply the school’s behaviour policy consistently. A minority of pupils are regularly late to lessons, or have to be rounded up by leaders and escorted to class.”

Leaders, it said, were “taking action to improve the behaviour of the challenging minority of pupils” but “do not have an accurate picture of whether pupils are late, trying to avoid going to lessons, or both, and consequently this limits their ability to deal with the problem as sharply as required”.

‘Persistent absence’

Regarding attendance, the report said data showed that approaching half of all disadvantaged pupils were “persistently absent”.

The inspectors said leaders were following the school’s policy in attempting to improve this situation, but “it lacks the necessary drive and urgency to bring about the required step change in some pupils’ rate of attendance”.

The report said governors “do not have a fully accurate understanding of the school’s performance”, adding:

“They have a more positive view of behaviour than is the case. They have not been enabled by leaders to rigorously explore those aspects of pupils’ outcomes at key stage 4, which are less strong than others.”

The school, which is part of the Red Kite Alliance collaborative partnership of schools and a university across Yorkshire, was previously rated ‘requires improvement’ at its last full inspection in 2019. Today’s report said:

“Since the previous inspection, there has been a substantial turnover of staff, with 20 new staff joining the school in September 2022.”

The school was rated ‘good’ for quality of education, personal development and sixth-form provision and ‘requires improvement’ for behaviour and attitude, and leadership and management.

But the overall rating was ‘requires improvement’, which is worse than ‘outstanding’ and ‘good’ but better than ‘inadequate’.

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‘We are incredibly disappointed’

The school issued the following statement by John Hesketh, chair of governors, in response to the report.

“We are incredibly disappointed by the overall judgment, particularly after being upgraded to ‘good’ in the areas of quality of education and personal development, as well as maintaining the ‘good’ rating for our sixth form provision.

“We are delighted with these improved gradings which recognise the progress we have made since our last inspection and reflect the hard work and commitment from our leaders and all our staff. We will continue to build on all our strengths as we strive for continuous improvement in everything we do.

“We immediately remedied some areas for improvement such as the management of sixth form absence, inconsistencies in school uniform, and the reporting process for staff should they have any concerns. We are reviewing all other areas for improvement and are currently formulating an Ofsted action plan.

“We are pleased the inspectors recognised many positives that reflect the strength of our education provision, our values and ambitions, and the commitment and support we provide to our students and their families.

“There is much to be proud of in the report. Inspectors highlighted our warm, welcoming atmosphere, the breadth and ambition of our curriculum, and the fact that our students move on to positive next steps in education, employment or training at the end of their time with us.

“We received praise for the good, polite behaviour of our students, the commitment of our leaders and governors, our effective safeguarding, and our strength in teaching inclusivity, tolerance and respect.

“We’d like to thank all of Rossett School’s leaders and staff, parents, carers and our whole school community who continue to support us to provide the very best education and positive outcomes for all our students.”