Ofsted praises ‘welcoming and friendly’ Scotton school

Scotton Lingerfield Primary School, near Knaresborough, has been rated ‘good’ by Ofsted.

The inspection took place in June this year and the findings were published in a report on Wednesday.

It maintains the school’s official ‘good’ rating from 2013.

When a school receives a ‘good’ rating, Ofsted visits about every four years to confirm the grading.

Government inspectors found the school to be welcoming and friendly, and said pupils are polite and courteous.

They added that pupils demonstrate the school’s three rules: be safe, be respectful and be responsible.

The report found:

“Older pupils play well with younger pupils at breaktimes and lunchtimes.

“This adds to a sense of community.

“Bullying is extremely rare. Pupils told inspectors that they did not think it took place.”

During the visit, pupils were enthusiastically rehearsing songs for the end-of-year production, inspectors said, adding these opportunities support the development of pupils’ talents and interests effectively.

They commented:

“Leaders have designed and implemented a curriculum to meet the needs of pupils at the school.

“Children in reception begin to learn phonics from the start of the academic year. There are plentiful opportunities for children to apply their phonic knowledge within the classroom and outside area.

“Adults effectively model how to read with expression and interest to bring stories to life.”

Leaders were also praised for their approach to pupils with special educational needs. Tasks are suitably adapted to enable them to access the curriculum and adults know when it is necessary to explain something in a simpler way, the report added.

It continued:

“Pupils are proud of their school.

“Older pupils are positive role models to younger pupils.”

“Requires further refinement”

Ofsted did note, however, some of the curriculum requires further refinement.

The report added:

“In some subjects, leaders have not clearly defined the knowledge that pupils should learn as they progress through the school.

“Some pupils do not develop the depth of knowledge that they could in some subjects.

“Leaders should further develop the curriculum to support pupils to build their knowledge over time so that they are able to make connections within subjects and across the curriculum.”

Headteacher “incredibly proud” of report

 In response to the report, headteacher Debbie Calvert said:

“We are incredibly proud of the Ofsted report. The inspection was thorough and rigorous and offered a valuable opportunity to engage in professional conversations around all aspects of school life. All staff work tirelessly to ensure that pupils are happy, safe and able to achieve to their full potential. We are delighted that these efforts have been recognised across all areas of school.

“We couldn’t have achieved this outcome without a huge team effort. We are blessed with hardworking staff, supportive families, knowledgeable governors and children who have excellent attitudes to their learning.”

Chair of governors, Rob Manton, added:

“The passion that the staff put in, day in, day out is immeasurable.

“They truly make the school a special place for our children to learn.”

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GALLERY: Nidderdale Show brings down the curtain on show season

Despite leaden skies, thousands of people flocked to yesterday’s Nidderdale Show.

The event, which celebrated its 151st anniversary this year, is organised by Nidderdale Agricultural Society.

It is held annually at Pateley Bridge Showground and marks the end of the local agricultural show season.

Last year, it was moved from its traditional Monday slot to a Sunday to avoid clashing with Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral and proved such a success organisers decided to stick to the Sunday.

Visitors could enjoy a range of classes, from cattle and sheep to showjumping and pigs, as well as rabbit and pigeon displays, dry-stone walling and a band parade.

Here are some photos of the day in case you missed it.

Just two of the many prize-winning pigeons.

York North & West of Yore Hunt and hound demonstration.

The Wharfedale Terrier Racing team.

The brass band performed in the high-street parade and throughout the day.

Rebecca Richards, 8, and sister Jess, 6, showed their sheep in the young shepherd/shepherdess class.

Proud parents gathered to watch their little ones in the young handlers class.

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Everything you need to know about Nidderdale Show tomorrow

The annual Nidderdale Show signals the end of summer and the local agricultural show season.

More than 15,000 people are expected to attend tomorrow’s event, which takes place at Nidderdale Showground in Pateley Bridge, and will showcase some of the finest animals and agricultural products the country has to offer.

From show jumping and cricket matches to terrier racing and prize cattle, here’s everything you need to know ahead of the event:

Timings

Doors open at 7.45am and close at approximately 6pm.

Trade stands and marquees are open from 9am to 5.30pm, and the popular band parade down Pateley high-street will begin at 11am.

Pic: Jemison Photographer

What’s on?

Classes and competitions will take place throughout the day – with a breakdown of the schedule is available at the show.

With a wide variety on offer, visitors can watch traditional farm animal classes, including cattle, sheep, goats and pigs, while horse-lovers can enjoy equine classes and show jumping.

Four-legged friends will feature in the sheep dog trials and terrier racing classes.

The show will have a funfair and children’s entertainment area for little ones to enjoy. Sunflower’s Day Nursery will provide a family area where children can relax. It also includes a nappy changing area, bottle warming facilities and a quiet area for nursing mothers.

Visitors can expect a dry-stone walling class, forestry exhibition, a heritage marquee, and farm crops and home produce competitions too.

For those looking to do some shopping, trade stands will also be in place, and cricket fans enjoy a friendly match between Nidderdale XI and Craven XI.

Food and drink

Food and drink will be on offer throughout the day.

The dining marquee will offer a two-course hot carvery lunch, hot meals and a range of hot and cold sandwiches.

Food and drink stalls will also be available around the showground.

Pic: Jemison Photographer

Parking and travel

All car parking is free and parking areas will be well signed.

In addition, the show is offering a free tractor park and ride service – the route is shown below.

Drivers are advised to travel early or use alternative routes to avoid heavy traffic.

Dogs are welcome on short leads but will not be allowed in livestock marquees.

Tickets can be bought on the gate or online before midnight tonight.

Adult tickets will cost £15 and children under 16 go free. Have fun!

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Group to run marathon in memory of ‘wonderful’ young Harrogate woman

A group of 34 runners is taking part in the Yorkshire Marathon to raise funds for a scholarship after the sudden death of a young Harrogate woman.

Ellie Kempley, who was a pupil at both The Grammar School at Leeds and Ashville College, died from arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS) on September 16 last year.

Her family say her life was taken “without warning or reason” at the age of 22.

Before her death, Ellie was midway through an AMI Montessori 3-6 Diploma at the Maria Montessori Institute – following her dreams of working with children.

Now, her brother Ben has gathered a team of runners to complete this year’s marathon to raise enough money to fund The Ellie Kempley Scholarship.

The bursary will cover the full tuition of a student, or students, on the course Ellie was unable to finish.

Ben said:

“She was incredibly passionate about children, had graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University in childhood studies, and had worked part-time at Rigg Farm Montessori Nursery.

“It was always her dream to educate, inspire, and care for young people.

“By sponsoring teachers in her honour, we can do just that.”

The group, formed by Ellie’s closest friends and family, as well of her boyfriend, Ryan, have already raised more than £10,000 and hope to raise a further £6,000 to put their plan into action.

The members have been training for the marathon for 10 weeks and are dotted across the globe in England, Australia and Japan.

Some are seasoned runners, while others are complete beginners.

Ben added:

“She was an absolutely wonderful person: infinitely selfless, thoughtful, and kind.

“We would therefore be incredibly grateful for any donations – little or large – to our cause.”

The Yorkshire Marathon will take place on Sunday, October 15.

Donations can be made via the GoFundMe page.

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Yemi’s Food Stories: a lesson on plot-to-table cooking and food waste at Harlow Carr

Yemi Adelekan is a food writer and blogger who was a semi-finalist in last year’s BBC TV’s Masterchef  competition. Every Saturday Yemi will be writing on the Stray Ferret about her love of the district’s food  and sharing cooking tips– please get in touch with her if you want her to review a restaurant, visit your farm, taste the produce you sell or even share a recipe.  

One of the upsides of British summer is the opportunity to go to festivals, and I love that there are so many food festivals in Yorkshire.

Each one has a different vibe, and you can never quite anticipate what the experience will be with Yorkshire weather. Luckily, this year, the weather was fantastic.

The RHS launched The Festival of Flavours in 2022 to celebrate the produce from its gardens and encourage us to grow some of our own food. It was a huge success and this year’s festival offered even more traders and chef demonstrations.

Both seasoned and amateur gardeners and foodies turned out in their droves for the event, which included children’s cooking classes, kitchen garden tours, live music performances and a wide variety of food to try.

The festival was backdropped by the colourful grounds of Harlow Carr and I was excited to be on stage cooking two dishes alongside many other local chefs.

Fig and raspberry clafoutis

A personal highlight for me was using seasonal ingredients; I used white currants as part of my sweet dish, which was fig and raspberry clafoutis, with a white currant and raspberry whipped cream. It was my first time using the berry and I was excited to learn about the flavour profile.

The clafoutis.

Traditionally made with cherries, clafoutis is a French classic that is a staple in many homes. Methods behind the dessert can be varied – some simple and others much more complicated.

The former calls for all ingredients to be mixed in a blender before pouring over the fruit in an oiled dish.

The more complex recipes, however, call for the egg whites to be beaten separately – to form soft peaks – before being added to the yolks which have been beaten with sugar. Melted butter is also drizzled into it before folding in the flour.

Having tried different recipes, I have concluded it doesn’t make much difference to the end result, so I would recommend keeping it simple!

I sometimes use brown butter (beurre noisette) to get a nutty taste and add some almonds for a bit of crunch.

The cooking stage

The cooking stage featured some incredible chefs, including 2022 MasterChef winner, Eddie Scott, and contestants Afsaneh Kaviani and Owen Diaram. The RHS’s own Joe Lofthouse was also there, as well Gilly Robinson from The Cook’s Place in Malton, Ian Wilkinson from Yolk Farm, and Bobby and Minal Patel from Prashad, Leeds.

(L) Yolk Farm’s Ian Wilkinson and Yemi

David Atherton, who won the Great British Bake Off in 2019, taught a masterclass on scones. I am still dreaming of his lemonade scone, but we still don’t know if the cream or jam should go first.

Lots of local businesses were also there, including the district’s own Harrogate Tipple and Jack in a Box, as well as The Yorkshire Pasta Company which is based in Malton.

How to reduce food waste

I left with some fantastic tips on reducing food waste. These include always writing a shopping list; never go shopping when hungry; avoid going shopping too frequently; do a weekly fridge raid; get creative to use what you have at home and store your ingredients in the right way to extend their shelf lives.

9.5 million tonnes of food are wasted annually in the UK alone – despite 8.4 million people being in food poverty.

We all need to try and grow some of our own food, have an appreciation for ingredients and reduce waste as much as possible.

Next week, I will be visiting Baltzersens Café and Coffee shop.

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Masham cashmere business unveils new store

A second-hand cashmere business in Masham opened its new shop this week.

Nearly New Cashmere Co. spent four years trading on Leyburn Road but has now opened a bigger site on Common Head Lane.

The company, which launched in 2015, said it was “in desperate need for new premises” following a successful year of trade.

It has become the UK’s largest selection of second-hand cashmere products and has reworked 20,000 cashmere items in 2023.

The brand sells a range of restored cashmere jumpers, accessories, and vintage silk scarves too.

It also offers a care service where customers can take their cashmere to be repaired or washed.

Founder, Ali Orr, began selling cashmere at stalls and fairs before establishing a retail and online presence. She said:

“It’s important to me that Nearly New Cashmere Co. is an advocate for rural enterprise and growth.

“A significant part of our growth so far can be attributed to our investment in local people. We’re excited to celebrate the next step with our immediate team and our community.”

Nearly New Cashmere Co. is open Wednesday – Saturday, from 10am – 4.30pm.

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Another collision on A61 Ripon Road at South Stainley

North Yorkshire Police has released a traffic alert following a collision on the A61 at South Stainley this afternoon.

The force said in a social media post just before 4pm the road was blocked and traffic was heavy.

It added:

“Motorists who are travelling between Harrogate and Ripon are advised to find an alternative route.”

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue incident log said crews attended the two-vehicle crash.

The summary reported one person was trapped in a vehicle and suffered a broken arm.

Crews released the person into the care of paramedics.

The incident follows two fatal collisions on the same road in the past month — all have been in the South Stainley area.

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Vintage clothing store to open in Harrogate

A vintage clothing store is set to open on Harrogate’s Cold Bath Road.

Karma Co. Vintage has put posters in the window of the unit previously occupied by children’s shop Tiger Fifty 7,  which announced it was closing and looking for another site in May.

The retailer will stock popular brands, vintage street wear and some of its own clothing designs.

Co-founder Victoria Webster said:

“We are a new family business that believes in good vibes and good karma.

“That means doing good for the environment by providing a more sustainable way to shop fashion and, in turn, giving customers the opportunity to find those amazing vintage pieces that make you feel like you’ve found something so special.

“When you shop vintage pretty much everything is limited edition – which we love.”

The shop will join Harrogate’s thriving vintage shopping scene alongside the likes of Catherine Smith Vintage Fashion and SPACE.

Ms Webster added:

“We’re a very creative family, and my husband Anton, who is co-founder of Karma Co., has worked in vintage for many years. Some people will recognise him from his days managing Bluerinse in Leeds, or running stalls at Leeds Festival.

“We can’t wait to show you what we have in store.”

Karma and Co. Vintage hopes to open mid-October.

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Rough sleepers evicted from Harrogate’s Crescent Gardens

A group of rough sleepers in Harrogate‘s Crescent Gardens has been evicted this morning after occupying the pavilion for two weeks.

Representatives from North Yorkshire Council‘s property services division and North Yorkshire Police began the move-on operation just before 9am this morning.

The council also brought a van to gather the rough sleepers’ belongings.

One nearby resident, who asked not to be named, said some people started arguing with the council after they were told to disperse but there was no violence.

He added:

“One or two sleepers appeared frustrated and declined to cooperate, but they eventually started packing and leaving from 9.15am.

“The police were present to ensure the operation was non-violent.”

The operation ended at approximately 9.40am.

Larger items, such as mattresses, were removed by the council.

The Stray Ferret first reported the encampment after nearby residents raised concerns about anti-social behaviour last week.

One of those residents, Eileen Dockray, said after today’s developments:

“I’m now concerned that the police and the council, who both tried to pass this problem back and forth between each other, should now come together and work out who’s responsible for dealing with this sort of problem in the future.

“We, the public, also need to know who we can go to for help when a situation like this arises again, as it surely will.”

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Choir members wanted for Harrogate Christmas Fayre

A Harrogate company that set up a Christmas choir last year is looking to recruit members for this year.

Entertainment company Enchantica’s is looking for 18 members to take centre stage at the third Harrogate Christmas Fayre in the town centre.

Enchantica’s is managing the festive entertainment programme on behalf of North Yorkshire Council.

Create a Choir is an opportunity to come together enjoy the benefits of performing, the company says. No experience is needed.

It added:

“Following on from the success of last year’s debut event, both the fayre and the entertainment are set to return, with the search for singers and performers already underway.”

The choir will be led by professional singer Emma Carrington.

Members will attend three rehearsals and give three performances at the fayre, which has been extended to 18 days this year.

Suzanne Vaughan, director at Enchantica’s, said:

“Community is at the heart of the town. People contributing and showing off their talents helps the town to shine bright for all.

“Performers will enjoy the buzz of playing to a festive audience, while their friends and their family will also come along to support them and get to enjoy the festivities in the town.”

Last year’s Christmas celebrations also included performances from local primary schools, dance schools and bands.

Amy Moseley, co-chair of Harrogate Choral Society, said:

“To be part this fantastic event was a real joy for us as a local organisation which has been present in Harrogate for over 75 years and now has 140 members.

“There’s nothing more festive than a choir singing carols and it was so well received by the local community and visitors to Harrogate that we can’t wait to take part again this year.”

Create a Choir is open to adults of all abilities.

Rehearsals will take place on November 5, 12, 26 from 5.30pm to 6.30pm at Enchantica’s eorkshop.

Performances will be on December 3, 10 and 17.

Those wanting to join the choir – or perform at the fayre in another capacity – can click here or email events@enchanticas.co.uk to sign up.

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