Five fire crews tackle barn blaze near Boroughbridge

Firefighters from five stations were called to a blaze in a large barn near Boroughbridge this afternoon.

Crews from Boroughbridge, Ripon, Knaresborough, Harrogate and Thirsk were summoned to a farm at Aldborough at 12.55pm.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s incident report said a farm building measuring 50 metres by 20 metres was on fire.

It added:

“Crews used two hose reel jets, two main jets, and the aeriel ladder platform to deal with the incident.

“The cause of the incident is undetermined, and currently under investigation.”


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Harrogate youngsters shine but competitive festival faces uncertain future 

For nearly 90 years, the Harrogate Competitive Festival for Music, Speech and Drama has been showcasing the diverse talents of up-and-coming performers from across the district. 

The festival, which attracted more than 1,000 entries this year, opened on Friday, March 1 with the promise of a varied programme over three weekends. It will end with a flourish on Sunday, March 17th, when the winning musicians and performers give a final concert.   

For many young musicians and drama students in the area, the festival is a much-loved fixture on their calendar. It offers an invaluable opportunity to perform in front of an audience of peers and receive feedback from professional adjudicators.

Former entrants have gone on to distinguished careers in music and the performing arts, with some of them featured in this year’s programme sharing their fond festival memories. 

Treasurer and secretary Alan Connell is one of them. He vividly remembers taking to the stage as a young violinist 63 years ago when the festival was held at the Royal Hall. He said it was a great experience and can help young performers push themselves and make progress – with some discovering how much they love it. He said: 

“We’ve got quite a lot of teenagers who have been coming since they were little. We get children whose parents performed as youngsters at the festival. Some of the performing arts participants come every year because they intend to pursue it as a profession.” 

Harrogate Competitive Festival winners

Winners Beatrice Adeleke and Sophia Coe with drama teacher Denyse Smith, all from the Knaresborough School of Speech and Drama, and adjudicator Paul Trigg.

An uncertain future 

This year’s opening weekend went very well, said Alan, with more than 60 classes mainly in piano, strings and woodwind, plus some speech and drama. But despite the fantastic start and the healthy number of entries, the festival faces an uncertain future. 

It has struggled to return to its pre-pandemic numbers after being forced to cancel in 2020 and 2021. Since then, the committee has been working to attract more competitors and last year introduced additional classes to appeal to a wider demographic. Alan said this had helped to some extent:  

“This year has been a lot better for numbers, and for the first time in about five years we’ve had enough entries to warrant classes on Friday evenings as well as the weekend. But we’ve noticed that some of the festival’s music classes are not as well attended as they used to be. Schools are no longer encouraged to provide music lessons and it can be expensive for parents to pay for tuition for their children.

“Speech and drama, however, is doing better and overall we are quite confident that if we can keep going for a few more years we can get the numbers back up to pre-pandemic levels.” 

Whether there’s time to do this remains in doubt, however. The festival was founded in 1936 and is run entirely by volunteers as a registered charity.

It costs around £20,000 a year to produce the event, and this is covered through operating income and donations. Grants and funding that were previously available have been cut, as they have for other similar festivals and the arts and music nationally. Entry fees for all classes were increased this year, but the festival is reliant on reserves built up through the generosity of benefactors and donors.

Alan said:

“We don’t consider making a profit but we do think in terms of shortfalls. We need financial support. We’ve been lucky over the last 10 years to have had a couple of nice legacies from a small number of supporters, but it’s very difficult to break even. The festival’s future over the next couple of years is uncertain.”

He added that the volunteers are ‘all getting older’ and they were also in need of new people to help them organise and run the event.

The final concert takes place at Harrogate High School on Sunday March 17, at 2pm. Tickets cost £6 and are available from Alan Connell on 01423 527 586. Contact Alan if you would also like to make a donation to support the festival.

Min pic: Some of the festival competitors and adjudicators


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Yemi’s Food Stories: Brunch at The Hideaway in Boroughbridge

Yemi Adelekan is a food writer and blogger who was a semi-finalist in the 2022 series of BBC TV’s Masterchef competition.

Every Saturday Yemi writes on the Stray Ferret about her love of the district’s food and shares 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.

 


The Hideaway is one of those places that locals would like to keep quiet to ensure they can always get a table – but a good secret is worth sharing. At least that’s what I told some Boroughbridge residents I ran into at the restaurant, after they said I am going to be calling Yorkshire’s attention to their ‘hideaway’.

Head chef Ben Keightley invited me to try the brunch-style menu, which takes inspiration from world cuisines. With options ranging from American-style fried chicken and rarebit, to Asian salads and a Moroccan lamb dish, this was an offer I could not refuse.

There was a definite buzz about the restaurant, and I could tell they have made quite an impression since they opened. The décor is calm, inviting and welcoming and the relaxed atmosphere and layout accommodates everyone.

There is a little corner of the restaurant in which you can buy gifts including handmade soaps, candles, books and scarves. I thought this was a lovely way to end the meal.

Moroccan-inspired lamb

I opted for the Moroccan-style braised lamb, served with garlic flatbread, tzatziki, rocket and pomegranate.

I can’t resist fresh bread, so this was at the top of my list and I wasn’t disappointed! The bread was fluffy and slightly crunchy on the outside. The lamb was tender with the fat well rendered down, flavoursome and fragrant from the spices without having any heat.

Yoghurt-based sauces are sometimes bland, but this was well seasoned and provided the creaminess to the dish that married well with the braised lamb. I also loved the simple yet stylish plating.

The red onion and lamb delivered umami and the rocket brought a touch of bitterness. The sauce provided a necessary creaminess and the pomegranate seeds gave pops of sweet juiciness.

The magic happened when you get a bit of every element on your fork.

This was a dish I couldn’t stop eating and one that I would definitely recommend. It is substantial, filling and reasonably priced at £15.95.

Buttermilk chicken

The second dish I tried was the buttermilk chicken with coleslaw and charred sweetcorn.

There is something about charred sweetcorn that immediately takes me back to my childhood in Nigeria. The smell of corns roasting over hot coals would always draw you in.

I am partial to flavour, temperature, and texture combinations, so the play on sweet, savoury, crunch, creaminess, bitterness and acidity was lovely.

I am not a fan of raw onions, but I loved the touch of acidity that the onion brought to the red coleslaw – which was also delicious. Creamy dressings can often feel and taste heavy, but this one was delicate.

The charred corn was sweet and juicy with pops of crunchiness, and the rocket salad complemented the creamy slaw well.

This dish reminded me of my American holidays; crunchy yet juicy fried chicken, drizzled in sweet maple and mustard dressing.

Next time, I think I’ll try the halloumi or truffle fries on the side of this dish.

I thoroughly enjoyed it. For me, a touch more mustard would help to cut through and restrain the sweetness of the maple syrup.

But, this brunch dish is only £14 and is a great value for money.

With plans to start a Friday and Saturday tasting menu on April 4, this is set to be an exciting hangout for all and certainly worth a trip to Boroughbridge.


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Editor’s Pick of the Week: Gateway, goals galore at Starbeck and a dental nightmare

I’ve typed the words ‘Harrogate Station Gateway’ so often I’m thinking of asking Apple to devise a shortcut.

The subject never fails to get a response — usually negative — so this week’s revelations that the cost has risen again and the scheme has been assessed to be ‘poor value’ generated a raft of comments on our Facebook page.

But even the hellish prospect of an upgraded One Arch foot tunnel pales into insignificance against the thought of having your mouth numbed at the dentist, only for the drill and lights to suddenly go off. It actually happened at one Harrogate dentist practice as part of this week’s business-crippling intermittent town centre power cuts.

If there’s one thing sure to provoke readers more than council spending on consultants’ fees, it’s councils refusing to disclose their spending on consultants’ fees, as North Yorkshire Council did this week in announcing a review into the future use of Harrogate Convention Centre, or ‘soft-market testing’ as they call it.

Life imitated art in Ripon when author Malcolm Hollingdrake, famous for his Harrogate Crime Series of books featuring DCI Cyril Bennett, solved a real life mystery.

Even more improbably, Geoff Brown stepped down as chief executive of Ripon Farm Services. He’s been at the helm since 1981 but even that timeframe is short compared with the 73-year-old billiards career of Pateley Bridge’s Peter Chadwick, which ended this week.

Harrogate Railway

Finally, I made my first trip to Station View in Starbeck this week to watch Harrogate Railway FC vs Ollerton Town. Railway won 8-1 and looked like Barcelona at times going forward. Are they always that good?

A hugely enjoyable night for a fiver, but I was somewhat bemused by the sight of the smallest media office I’ve ever seen. Sadly it was locked — I was intrigued to see inside, assuming I could have squeezed in.


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Glitter balls, retro cocktails and classic pop: The joy of Harrogate’s daytime disco

‘Party like you used to and still be home for Saturday night TV!’ is the strapline for Disco Dayze, a new monthly daytime clubbing event at Montey’s bar in Harrogate. 

It’s an enticing prospect for those of us whose days of cocktails and nightclubs have long since been replaced by cups of tea and the demands of family life.  

The crowd at Saturday’s launch, largely made up of women in their 30s, 40s and 50s, certainly seemed to have taken Montey’s at their word. From the get-go, they were there to party. Unperturbed by the prospect of ordering rounds of colourful retro cocktails so early in the afternoon, groups of revellers headed straight for the bar as the lights dimmed, the disco balls and neon signs lit up, and the first pop classics blasted out. 

Harrogate daytime disco

Crowds at the bar.

Daytime discos are a fairly new concept, with recent sell-out events in Sheffield and London starting the trend and proving their appeal. But even Jay Smith, Montey’s owner and a veteran of the Harrogate pub scene, has been surprised by the fervour Disco Dayze has induced.

Tickets for the launch event sold out weeks ago, and The Stray Ferret’s story about it on Facebook was met with more than 350 excited comments. The April event is already a sell-out, with the last few tickets snapped up on Saturday by revellers eager to return. And if you’re after tickets for May, you’d better be quick – 60 per cent of them had gone by the time this article was written. 

So, what’s the appeal? 

Home in time for tea

For the largely female crowd at Saturday’s launch event, Disco Dayze offers everything they love about a great night out with friends – a few drinks, great music and non-stop dancing – while still getting home in time for tea, TV and bedtime as normal. It’s particularly appealing for women with young children who wake up through the night or get up ridiculously early in the morning. 

And then there’s the music. Promising club classics – if the club you’re thinking of is Carrington’s or Jimmy’s in their heyday – DJ Trev’s playlist was a pretty good reflection of the best dancefloor fillers from the 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s. From House of Pain to B*Witched, Stevie Nicks to Whitney, Black Box to Faithless, and the Backstreet Boys to Oasis, every tune was greeted with whoops and cheers. There wasn’t a moment when the dancefloor wasn’t heaving and the atmosphere wasn’t joyous. 

DJ at the daytime disco in Harrogate

DJ Trev.

Credit must also go to Jay Smith and the staff of Montey’s, who had clearly put a lot of thought into recreating the classic nightclub of days gone by. With the aim to make Disco Dayze “feel like an event had come to Montey’s”, the venue’s regular rock vibe had been briefly erased. It was replaced with throwback details such as the retro cocktails and disco balls already mentioned through to a TV screen looping Pretty Woman and Baywatch episodes.

Judging by the huge reaction to Disco Dayze, it would seem that Montey’s has brilliantly tapped into an under-explored market in Harrogate. Its early success should perhaps not be surprising, given the town’s demographic and the huge power that nostalgia holds over consumers of everything from sweets to movies. Jay is already planning to expand the event out of Harrogate, with a date just announced at Viva Blackpool in May. For now, that may be the only way that anyone has a chance of getting a ticket.

Bar staff at the Harrogate daytime disco

Montey’s bar staff at Disco Dayze.

Daytime disco: The verdict from those who were there

Daytime disco in Harrogate

Dawn Bradley and Nicole Lambert.

Dawn Bradley and Nicole Lambert loved the idea of a daytime disco because they’ve got children and “can’t survive a night out any more”.

They were enjoying the music and thought the event had exceeded their expectations. They were having a few drinks and intending to go out for food afterwards. 

Harrogate daytime disco

Stephen Lynes and Claire Sander.

Claire Sander and Stephen Lynes were part of a group of men and women from Harrogate. Claire said they’d bought a ticket because there had been nothing on offer like this before in the town, and it was something different.

They also mentioned children and how it was easier to go out during the day. Claire said:

“The music is our kind of thing with the 80s and 90s tunes. It’s well organised, with a good club atmosphere. It feels more like night time – this place has no windows so it works well, but other venues might not be able to capture that.”

Cocktails at a Harrogate bar

From left, Sarah Fishburn, Kirsty Voce, Kirsteen Dixon, Claire Ward and Donna Sloan with their retro cocktails.

Sarah, Kirsty, Kirsteen, Claire and Donna are work colleagues and friends from Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon who had already had lunch in town before heading to Montey’s.

Most of them are mums to young children and were enjoying being able to go out knowing they’d be back home and in bed at a reasonable time, ready to get up early the next morning. Sarah said:

“We’re loving the 80s and 90s music. It’s a great girls’ afternoon out; a good alternative to a bottomless brunch.”

A group of friends from Harrogate said they were enjoying the atmosphere and the music.

A group of friends from Harrogate said they were enjoying the atmosphere and the music.


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Review: Macbeth reimagined at Leeds Playhouse

Lauren Crisp is a book editor, writer and keen follower of arts and culture. Born and raised in Harrogate, Lauren recently moved back to North Yorkshire after a stint in London, where she regularly reviewed theatre – everything from big West End shows to small fringe productions. She is now eager to explore the culture on offer in and around her home town.  You can contact Lauren on laurencrispwriter@gmail.com

Following a previous run in 2022, Leeds Playhouse’s deputy artistic director Amy Leach returns with her dark and edgy directorial vision of the Bard’s Scottish play.

As the performance opens, the stage is stark; an enormous wooden drawbridge stands in the centre, surrounded by a forest of scaffolding towers, each one throwing a searchlight into the air. Hard-edged, cold and inhospitable, the scene is set for the treachery to come.

This central drawbridge rises and descends as the action unfolds, revealing a myriad of imaginary settings, from foggy, desolate moorland, to the interior, intimate spaces of the story, charged with secrecy, whispers and lies. The set, designed by Hayley Grindle, is distinctive and, for me, the play’s crux. Intense, dramatic sound and lighting heighten the atmosphere.

Striking, too, is the cast and creative team’s accessible vision. With its diverse company, the production is created to be accessible to all, with a dedication to audio, amplification and the integration of sign language.

Deaf actor Adam Bassett’s Macduff’s words are relayed out loud by other characters; at times, the transition between language styles is a little tricky to follow, yet more often the approach makes the dialogue even more impactful.

The cast, with their familiar regional accents and their own twists on the delivery of the Bard’s words, make this relatively straightforward to grasp (good news for the Shakespeare-shy among us). Macbeth, played by Ash Hunter of West End Hamilton fame, delivers a convincing portrayal of the eponymous lead.

Yet, the interpretation and addition of certain scenes featuring the male characters are overplayed. I found the joviality and machismo a little wearing, with an excess of fist-pumping and some exaggerated drunken behaviour. An early fight scene is less rousing than it is jarring, oddly choreographed into something that came across as a Game-of-Thrones-style dance battle, setting a strange tone.

Elkanah Wilder, Karina Jones and Charlotte Arrowsmith (witches) with Ash Hunter (Macbeth). Pic Kirsten McTernan

Another effect of this over-egged manhood is to detract some attention from the fundamental female element of this play. Here, Lady Macbeth comes second to her husband, and the witches, so often the most enthralling, outlandish characters, do not garner the attention they deserve.

Characterisation, as a whole, is not mined as deeply as I would like or expect. For a play that, once stripped back, is so very human at its core, we lose a sense of humanity amid all the action. This production takes a great deal on, but it might be a case of ‘less is more’.

There is, though, much to be valued in the addition of a new, accessible edition of a play seen by centuries’-worth of theatregoers, but never seen like this; one that seeks to appeal to audiences in novel ways, and to draw new crowds.

Macbeth is at Leeds Playhouse until Saturday 23 March.


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Developers revive plans to build in Harrogate’s Crimple Valley

Developers have revived plans to build 17 homes in Harrogate’s Crimple Valley.

North Yorkshire Council refused an application by Harrogate firm Square Feet Ltd and Leeds-based Antela Developments Ltd to build 17 homes at Almsford Bank Stables in September.

It was the third attempt to build on land off Leeds Road, south of properties on Fulwith Road and Fulwith Grove.

The plans were opposed by the campaign group Save Crimple Valley and received 360 objections and no letters of support.

Now the developers have appealed against the decision to the government’s Planning Inspectorate, which will adjudicate.

The council’s reasons for refusal included that the scheme would “urbanise and erode the distinctive rural character of the Crimple Valley landscape”, cause harm to the setting of the grade two listed Crimple Valley Viaduct and result in the loss of a “relatively large number of mature trees, including trees protected by a tree preservation order”.

The 4.4 hectare-site, which has historically been used for equestrian purposes, would see seven affordable build and 10 self and custom build homes.

Loss of 48 trees

A statement of case by the developers said the appeal “is made in the context of the government’s requirement to meet the need for self and custom build housing and seeks to assist in addressing the significant and sustained unmet need in Harrogate for self and custom housing plots”. It then details why it believes the council’s reasons were flawed.

It says the Harrogate District Local Plan 2014-35, which outlines where development can take place, supports windfall sites for self and custom build housing on the edge of settlements.

It argues views of the viaduct “have been carefully considered and protected” and “extended areas of native planting will reinforce the green nature of the corridor”. The document adds:

“The proposal does not therefore urbanise or erode the rural character of this part of Harrogate but has been sympathetically designed to respect the edge of settlement location and the setting of the Crimple Valley Viaduct.

“The proposed replacement and mitigation planting results in a net increase in tree cover.

“On the basis of the evidence set out, the development as proposed is both suitable and sustainable and there is a justification to grant planning permission.”

A tree report submitted in documents to the council says 48 trees “together with a short stretch of hedge requires removal for the access road”.

It adds:

“The trees to be removed are generally poor quality, mostly small in stature and easily replaceable, the retained trees and woodland can be robustly protected.”

In 2021, plans for 65 homes at the site were withdrawn. In 2022, a smaller application for 35 homes was refused by Harrogate Borough Council.


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Geoff Brown steps down as chief executive of Ripon Farm Services

Ripon Farm Services has appointed Richard Simpson to succeed Geoff Brown as chief executive.

Mr Brown, who will transition to chairman, has enjoyed one of the longest-serving and most successful leadership careers in the district.

He was one of five men who founded the business in 1982 and has been at the helm ever since, overseeing huge growth.

In a statement today, the company said Mr Simpson will have “full responsibility for the strategic development of Ripon Farm Services and the day-to-day running of the business”.

It added Mr Simpson, who is from a farming background, became commercial director three years ago and has “extensive experience in transforming companies large and small” and would bring “a fresh perspective to Ripon Farm Services”.

Mr Simpson said:

“Ripon Farm Services is a truly great business and following Geoff to lead the company is the most challenging thing I have ever done. What an incredible legacy he has built.

“We must all work together to ensure that the values on which the company is built are preserved and enhanced in the years to come.”

The statement said Mr Brown, who was awarded an MBE last year, “will continue to be ever-present in the company and advise on strategic direction to ensure the seamless transfer of knowledge and expertise”.

It added:

“He will also be able to dedicate more time and energy to his upcoming charitable endeavours in his role as president of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society.”


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Mr Brown said:

“I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all employees, customers and the folks at John Deere who have been instrumental in our journey over the past 40 years. The unwavering commitment, hard work, and passion have been invaluable in shaping the company into what it is today.

“That said we must keep moving forwards. There is a lot to do, and we must continue to improve, embrace innovation, and always strive to surpass customer expectations.”

Mr Brown at the Great Yorkshire Show.

Mr Brown said his successor “has been instrumental in driving the changes we needed to make in the last three years” and had “a proven track record of driving growth, fostering innovation and nurturing talent”.

Joedy Ibbotson, division business manager at John Deere UK, paid tribute to Mr Brown:

“Under his leadership the business has grown to become one of the largest and leading John Deere dealers in the UK.

“Geoff should be immensely proud of what he has built, for over 40 years his unrelenting commitment to serving farming and rural communities has been foundational to Ripon Farm Services success.”

Ripon Farm Services, which was established in 1982, employs more than 300 people.

It is one of the largest John Deere dealers in the UK with 14 sites in Yorkshire, Teesside, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.

It is responsible for the sale and aftersales support of agricultural machinery, ground care equipment and professional turf equipment by John Deere and other major manufacturers.

Cedar Court Harrogate to open £500,000 restaurant

A new restaurant called Amber’s is to open at the Cedar Court hotel in Harrogate.

The hotel, which has been undergoing an extensive refurbishment over the last 12 months, is investing £500,000 into the venture.

It is hoped the restaurant, which will seat 75 people, will open next month.

The hotel said in a press release today it would be a “high-quality dining experience through its menu, service and décor” serving traditional British dishes.

A private dining and entertaining venue, the Imaginarium, is also being launched alongside the restaurant with capacity for up to 28 people.

The Cedar Court also announced a refreshed banqueting space for dinners, events, and weddings with a capacity of 250 covers, known as the Queen’s Suite, will also open.

The venue has undergone ground floor renovations, including updating the lounge, bar and other public areas over the last year.

Cedar Court Hotel

Hotel group managing director Wayne Topley said:

“Since I joined Cedar Court five years ago, I wanted to put a special dining concept into Cedar Court Harrogate.

“The significant investment underlies our belief in Harrogate as a real Yorkshire gem, a first-choice dining destination for visitors and local residents alike.

“Amber’s will be a very elegant dining experience, with stylish and traditional design features giving this part of the hotel a new lease of life and energy and new offering this part of Harrogate.”

They name Amber’s was inspired by the pioneering scientist Lady Amber Fitzwilliam, who was a long-time resident at Cedar Court, formerly known as The Queens Hotel in the 1900s.

Cedar Court has been working on the design and planning for the restaurant since last summer with Yorkshire-based, Studio Two Interiors, which has worked on hospitality projects including Lucia’s Wine Bar & Grill, Cut & Craft and Six by Nico.


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Rossett School making ‘significant improvements’ after poor Ofsted

Ofsted has said Rossett School in Harrogate still requires improvement but progress is being made.

A previous visit by the government schools’ inspector in November 2022 concluded Rossett ‘requires improvement’ amid concerns about high staff turnover, disruptive pupils and extremely high absence rates among disadvantaged students.

This poor grading led to a government inspector returning on January 23 this year for a monitoring inspection.

Monitoring inspections do not grade the school’s overall effectiveness, but identify and report on progress.

The new report, which has just been uploaded on Ofsted’s website, said in its judgement:

“Leaders have made progress to improve the school, but more work is necessary for the school to become good.”

Its main findings said “significant improvements” had taken place since former Harrogate Grammar School deputy headteacher Tim Milburn was appointed headteacher in September last year.

The Red Kite Learning Trust, which the school joined at about the time of Mr Milburn’s arrival, created an interim executive board to strengthen governance and support school leaders.

The Ofsted report said:

“The school has secured improvements in pupils’ behaviour. Leaders have raised everyone’s expectations of pupils’ conduct. A new lesson structure has had a positive impact.

“Disruption to learning has reduced, and pupils engage well in lessons. Incidents of internal truancy have reduced significantly since the previous inspection.”

But it added the number of suspensions has increased this year and “a minority of pupils continue to demonstrate challenging behaviour”.

‘Sharper focus’ on attention

The report said leaders “have a sharper focus on attendance than was previously the case” but “some pupils do not attend school often enough”.

It added:

“The number of disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities who are persistently absent from school, although improved, is still too high.”

The inspector concluded:

“The lessons I visited on this visit were purposeful and pupils were focused. Pupils are now benefiting from a curriculum that is helping them to know and remember more of what they have been taught. The school has clear improvement plans to address the next steps identified at the previous inspection.

“School and trust leaders have ensured that the school is improving quickly. You are aware that there is more work to do to improve published outcomes, particularly of disadvantaged pupils, and to increase pupils’ attendance.

‘High expectations’

Rossett said in a statement the 2022 report had been a “catalyst for significant change” and there had been a “sharpened focus on ‘attitudes and behaviour’.

Mr Milburn (pictured above) said:

“We will continue to have high expectations for all students, whether it be about attendance, punctuality, uniform, or behaviour.

“These high expectations, which are rooted in our shared values, allow the individual and the whole community to work and learn in a safe, productive, and happy environment. Where students challenge those expectations, we will continue to take appropriate action that minimises the effect on those who are routinely choosing to do the right thing.

“This is an area where parental support is so powerful, and we will continue to work together to improve in this area.”


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