Knaresborough pre-school receives ‘outstanding’ Ofsted ratingNew nursery near Knaresborough rated ‘good’ by OfstedStaveley primary school rated ‘good’ by OfstedMarkington school rated ‘good’ by OfstedHarrogate pre-school receives ‘outstanding’ Ofsted ratingHarrogate school judged ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted

A  Harrogate primary school has received an ‘outstanding’ rating in its latest Ofsted report.

Inspectors praised Western Primary School on Cold Bath Road for its “rich and inclusive curriculum” in a report that also said “the school ensures that all pupils achieve well”.

It said pupils “behave consistently well” and that the school “supports pupils’ emotional needs well” and ensure “all subjects are well sequenced and progressive”.

The report added:

“Pupils are extremely proud to attend this happy and vibrant school. Pupils flourish here. They talk with enthusiasm and interest about their learning.”

The 500-pupil school, which is part of the Red Kite Learning Trust, is praised for promoting a love of reading and learning and for providing “highly effective, targeted support to pupils who need it.”

The report says last year’s published outcomes in mathematics “were not in line with previous years” but adds:

“Overall, however, the school’s implementation of the planned learning in mathematics is strong. The school is swift to intervene if pupils are struggling to master a particular concept. Pupils speak very positively about mathematics.”

Inspectors said “trustees and governors provide highly effective support and challenge to the school” and also praised leaders.

Headteacher Tim Broad, who is retiring this summer, said:

“I am delighted with the outcome of our recent inspection, which validates not only the tremendous, day-to-day work of our wonderful staff team, but also the remarkable nature of the entire Western community which works together tirelessly in the best interests of all our pupils.

“I am very proud to lead such an exceptional group of staff and pupils and would like to extend my gratitude and admiration to everyone associated with our school for the contribution they have made, and continue to make, to the success story that is Western Primary School.”

Headteacher Mr Tim Broad

Formed in 2015, Red Kite Learning Trust has 14 schools in north and west Yorkshire including Oatlands Junior School and Harrogate Grammar School.

Western was also rated ‘outstanding’ in its previous inspection in 2018.

Red Kite Teacher Training receives ‘outstanding’ rating

Red Kite Teacher Training, based in Harrogate, has also received an ‘outstanding’ rating from Ofsted.

Red Kite Teacher Training works in partnership with schools across the region, as well as the University of Leeds, to train primary and secondary teachers.

Ofsted Inspectors found that “trainees flourish at Red Kite Teacher Training” and “experience high-quality training.”

Red Kite Teacher Training 

The report said:

“Training is driven by a strong vision of excellence that is shared and exceptionally well realised. Trainees are enthused by these experiences and by the programme as a whole. They are truly excited about embarking on their teaching careers.”

Victoria Lickley, director of Red Kite Teacher Training. said:

“We are delighted to receive such high praise from Ofsted, which reflects our strong partnerships with schools and dedication to providing an exceptional training experience for our aspiring teachers.”

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Ripon primary school receives ‘good’ Ofsted rating

A primary school at West Tanfield, near Ripon, has received a ‘good’ Ofsted rating.

St Nicholas Church of England Primary School on Mowbray Terrace is a mixed primary school with 49 students currently enrolled.

The school has maintained its status as good since 2010.

The report said “pupils thrive at this small and inclusive school” and praised St Nicholas for its “ambitious curriculum”, “exemplary” behaviour from pupils, and “wide range of opportunities”.

The report added:

“The school has a strong spirit of community. It shows genuine care for pupils and works in effective partnership with parents and carers to meet pupils’ individual needs. Pupils enjoy school. They work and play happily with each other and build trusting relationships with staff.”

Headteacher Sarah Taylor said:

‘We are incredibly proud of the excellent feedback in our report and delighted that the report recognised the exemplary behaviour of our pupils and that our school is an inclusive school where children thrive.

“None of this would have been possible without the professionalism and dedication of our school staff who Ofsted recognised as providing all children with a high-quality education.”

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Harrogate primary school receives ‘good’ Ofsted rating

St Peter’s Church of England Primary School in Harrogate has received a ‘good’ Ofsted rating.

The school was inspected in March and the newly released report said St Peter’s is “a welcoming and friendly school” where children are taught “an ambitious curriculum” and “‘enjoy their learning and achieve well”.

Inspectors noted the adaptation of lessons to provide effective support for all children including those with additional needs and those for whom English is an additional language.

They added children “talk with maturity about a range of issues”, “show empathy and care for each other” and that there is, “a range of opportunities for children to develop their talents and interests”.

Paul Griffiths, headteacher at St Peter’s CE Primary School, said;

“It is privilege to lead a wonderful team of dedicated and hardworking professionals who work tirelessly to provide the very best for children and their families.

“I am immensely grateful to the whole staff team for all they do. As a school we are very fortunate to have a hugely supportive parent body and wonderful children who help to make St Peter’s a very special place. We look forward to building on the many positives from the recent inspection to continue to improve our facilities and provision for the benefit of all.”

Paul Griffiths St Peter’s head teacher

The school is part of Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust, founded in 2015 the company covers nine schools in Harrogate and Craven.

Jane Goodwin, CEO at Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust, said:

“This Ofsted outcome is welcomed by the School and the Trust as a representation of the fantastic School that St Peter’s is. As a happy and caring environment where everyone works hard together, all children enjoy and benefit from the quality of learning and wider experiences that staff create for them.

“St Peter’s is a shining example of a Yorkshire Causeway school, and I am hugely proud of their achievements.”

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Knaresborough primary school receives ‘good’ Ofsted rating

Knaresborough St John’s Church of England Primary School  has received a ‘good’ Ofsted rating in its latest report.

Inspectors described the school, which is part of Elevate Multi Academy Trust, as “welcoming and caring” and said “the school places very high value on pupils’ personal development”.

The report said there was a strong relationships between pupils and adults. It added that there was a rarity of bullying in the school and a broad and ambitious curriculum.

The report said:

“Respect is at the very heart of this school and individuality is celebrated. Pupils say that one of the best things about their school is how kind staff are. Leaders at all levels are passionate about their school and have high expectations.

“Their goal is for students to flourish in all areas, this includes academically, spiritually and by becoming active in the local community.”

Knaresborough St John’s Church of England Primary School on Stockwell Road.

Alex Hope, the school’s headteacher, said the staff took pride in the findings in the latest Ofsted report.

He said:

“I am so proud of everyone involved with Knaresborough St John’s C of E Primary School for being recognised as being a good school that provides the best possible start for our youngest children.

“We know the importance of the earliest years in school and how they create the foundation for the rest of a child’s school life. We take pride in this being one of our exceptional strengths.”

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Masham school pupils don’t receive ‘acceptable standard of education’, says Ofsted

Masham C.E Primary School has been rated ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted.

The findings were published in a report yesterday following a two-day inspection in January.

Government inspectors said the school, which has 71 pupils, ‘requires improvement’ in three categories: behaviour and attitudes, personal development and early years provision.

The report said the quality of education and leadership and management were both ‘inadequate’ and gave an overall grading of ‘inadequate’.

Inspectors said pupils “do not receive an acceptable standard of education” at the school, which was previously rated ‘good’ in 2019, adding the curriculum is “disjointed” and “does not meet the needs of pupils”.

They said:

“Pupils have considerable gaps in their learning and do not achieve well. This means that they are not prepared well for the next stage of their education.

“Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities do not consistently receive the support that they need to access the curriculum. This prevents them from developing the knowledge and skills that they need to succeed.”

The report praised the “polite and courteous” pupils, but said occasional misbehaviour is “not managed well enough”. This prevents pupils from learning, it added.

Inspectors said the school has struggled to address “long-term weaknesses in the structure and teaching”, which worsened due to “frequent changes in staffing”. They added:

“Over time, the quality of education that pupils have received has not been checked well enough.

“Pupils’ performance in reading and mathematics is weak throughout the school. This is beginning to improve in early years. However, there remains much to do.”

The report acknowledged some early years provisions have “improved since September”, adding:

“Knowledgeable adults support the children to learn through play.

“Early mathematics and reading are taught well. However, the legacy of children having a poor experience in early years in the past is affecting access to the curriculum in older year groups.”

Ofsted praised the staff and governors, who “care passionately about the school”, and are “deeply committed to their roles”.

However, it concluded:

“There has been a lack of focus on the most pressing areas in need of improvement.

“The school has not shown the capacity to make a rapid improvement to the educational experiences for pupils.”

Educational visits

Despite the low grading, the inspectors did highlight some positive parts of the visit.

They said pupils participate in various clubs and take on responsibilities, such as leading playtime sports or being a school councillor.

Inspectors also said the pupils take part in “educational visits and community events”, and found pupils’ knowledge of religion and fundamental British values to be “developed well”.

Pupils know they can turn to “any adult in the school” if they have any concerns, the report added.

Council ‘committed to supporting the school’

The Stray Ferret contacted Masham C.E Primary School for a response to the recent inspection.

The school asked us to contact North Yorkshire Council for a comment instead.

Amanda Newbold, the council’s assistant director of education and skills, said:

“We’re committed to supporting the school with the changes already identified for the curriculum, we acknowledge the Ofsted inspectors’ recommendations and value the commitment and passion shown by the school community.

“We are pleased to see that the recent changes made, for example in early years and support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, have improved the learning environment of the school and that the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

“Looking ahead, it is imperative that everyone involved in the school community works together to build on the progress made, which will result in improved education for the pupils.”

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