Springwater School in Starbeck has been rated ‘good’ in a newly published report by Ofsted.

Government inspectors visited the school, which has 97 pupils aged two to 19, in June.

Their report rates the school as ‘outstanding’ in four of the five areas assessed but the overall assessment is ‘good’.

It says leaders at the school, which has pupils with severe or profound learning difficulties, “have very high expectations of how well staff look after the pupils in their care” and that “pupils are given highly personalised support by a team of very caring staff”.

Personal development was described as exceptionally strong and arrangements for safeguarding effective.

The report adds:

“Staff ensure that pupils are fully included in all aspects of school life.

“The learning atmosphere in school is positive. Pupils, and students in the sixth form, try hard when in class. They are keen to join in and eager to learn new things.

“Pupils demonstrate how much they appreciate learning by laughing and smiling.”

Inspectors say pupils receive ‘highly personalised support’.

Sixth form ‘excellent’

Sixth form provision is described as “excellent”. The inspectors said:

“The sixth form curriculum is very well planned. It prepares students for adulthood very effectively. The curriculum includes life skills such as shopping and cooking, as well as important knowledge about how society works. Students also take courses that lead to accreditation. Students in the sixth form are incredibly positive about their experiences of school.”

Staff and leaders’ “holistic approach to managing behaviour” is described as “extremely effective”.

Headteacher Sarah Edwards said:

“The governors and I are delighted with the outcome of the two-day inspection which was rigorous and professionally challenging, as I am sure you would expect.

“I am so pleased that they captured what we as a team already identified as the strengths of the school and its pupils.”

Ms Edwards said the school had worked hard on “developing and implementing a suitable curriculum designed to meet the very diverse needs of all of our learners” since its last inspection in 2019, which raised “some concerns that standards may be declining”.

Ms Edwards thanked staff and added:

“I remain extremely proud of what Springwater delivers. There are four out of five of the judgements at an outstanding level, and the inspection team identified that ‘the quality of education has improved’.

“I am confident that the report and inspection experience captured our strengths brilliantly.

“Springwater is a brilliant place where children thrive and in turn the dedicated staff team have an enormous satisfaction in seeing children and young people flourish regardless of the special educational needs.”

Ms Edwards added there was “an extremely high demand for pupil places at this popular and over subscribed special school”, adding:

“As a result, there continue to be vacancies in support roles and the school would love to hear from any member of the community who would be willing to volunteer, to support pupils to access learning activities and community visits.”

Read more:

• Praise for Harrogate school as Ofsted rating improves
• Richard Taylor school in Bilton receives ‘good’ Ofsted rating

Mrs Smith’s Cafe in Jennyfields, which has been closed since April, has gone into liquidation.

The family-friendly community cafe was situated in a unit on Jennyfields Shopping Centre next door to the Co-op.

It offered food and drink and had a play area for children.

However, a post on the cafe’s Facebook page from April 26 said it was closed “until further notice” and it’s remained empty since.

It appears the cafe will not be reopening as Wigan-based Focus Insolvency Group was appointed to liquidate the business last week.

Two of the four units on Jennyfield Drive are now empty. The Rainbow Room library and St Michael’s Hospice charity shop remain open.

Read more:

• Harrogate Hydro set to reopen in May 2023
• Praise for Harrogate school as Ofsted rating improves

Train services between Harrogate and Leeds look set be affected by three days of strikes in the next two weeks.

Both the RMT union and Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen have announced industrial action this Saturday (October 1), Wednesday (October 5) and next Saturday (October 8).

Northern, which operates services between Harrogate and Knaresborough towards Leeds and York, has urged passengers not to travel on days when strike action is being held.

A statement from the company said:

“As a result of ASLEF and RMT strike action, Northern customers are advised not to travel on Saturday 1, Wednesday 5 or Saturday 8 October.

“Services are also expected to be affected on Sunday 2 and Sunday 9 October, especially in the morning, so please check before you travel.”

Read more:

• Northern’s new timetable includes early Harrogate to Leeds trains
• LNER warns of nine days of disruption to Harrogate trains

The strike action comes as rail passengers have also been warned to expect disruption on Harrogate’s LNER services from October 1.

Major engineering works in the Newcastle area by Network Rail will affect many services on the LNER route during this period.

The company operates six daily direct trains from Harrogate to London.

The disruption is set to last until October 9.

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

A Harrogate-based branding agency has created a website and provided digital services for a flagship London apartment scheme.

Impression Studio created the brand for property firm Greystar’s Bloom development at Nine Elms in the city.

As part of the project, Impression created a visual design and focused on devising bold typography, bespoke illustrations and 3D imagery.

The design team was given 10 weeks to deliver the project.

Jordan Donnelly, head of design at Impression Studio, said:

“The visual design was key to the project, focussing on large typography, unconventional grid systems and utilising bespoke illustrations to communicate the energy of the brand with a contemporary aesthetic.

“The creative was brought to life with on page interactions and elegant animations to elevate the brand experience, whilst not neglecting the site performance and taking away from the user experience.”

Running retailer announces heart charity partnership

A Harrogate-based specialist running retailer has announced a three-year partnership with the charity Heart Research UK.

Up & Running, which has a store on Station Parade, is set to launch a fundraising challenge in aid of the charity, which will include a 1,992 mile relay involving staff across its 29 stores.

The retailer will also host 5k training sessions aimed at getting people active.

Gillian Macfarlane, founder of Up & Running, said:

“We’re excited to embark on the partnership with Heart Research UK.  We have a lot of shared values with the charity when it comes to encouraging people of all fitness levels to exercise regularly and enjoy the benefits of an active lifestyle.”

Helen Wilson, head of research at Heart Research UK, said: 

“Sadly, 7.6 million people in the UK are living with cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease is one of the UK’s biggest killers.

“More research is needed to prevent people developing and dying from heart disease, and the partnership with Up & Running will raise vital funds to help us fund more medical research into the prevention, treatment and cure of heart disease.”

Read more:

• Business Breakfast: Free course to boost start-up businesses in Harrogate district
• Business Breakfast: Harrogate law firm facilitates Norwich City FC deal

Police said this evening that a missing Harrogate schoolgirl has been found safe.

North Yorkshire Police issued an appeal for information this afternoon after the girl had failed to return home since Thursday.

But officers said tonight she had been “found safe and well”.

We have consequently updated our coverage by removing details of the girl in order to conceal her identity.

Read more:

• Teens admit zombie knife robbery on Harrogate’s Stray
• Harrogate dogs seek new homes after shocking cruelty

The RSPCA has said that two dogs who were so thin their ribs were protruding when police seized them are now healthy and seeking new homes.

Rocco, a mastiff, and Smudge, a lurcher, were taken from a home in Harrogate when Robbie Nelson refused to sign them over to the animal welfare charity last year.

A vet who examined the dogs concluded both animals were malnourished.

He gave Rocco a one out of nine score on a body condition test, which is classed as a state of emaciation, while Smudge scored two out of nine.

Robbie Nelson, 24, of Woodfield View, was banned from keeping animals for five years when he appeared in court in July.

Read more:

• Harrogate man banned from keeping animals after cruelty case
• Malnourished dogs found in Harrogate flat covered in faeces and urine
• Harrogate man banned from keeping animals for five years

His brother Charlie Nelson, 28, of Woodfield View, Harrogate, was also disqualified from owning pets for five years when he was sentenced this month.

RSPCA inspector Tom Hutton found the dogs underweight and living in accommodation littered with household waste, scrap bikes and dog faeces when he was called out by police to a flat on Starbeck High Street on March 18, 2021.

The flat was covered in dog faeces.

The RSPCA said today that under its care, Rocco and Smudge have returned to a healthy weight and condition and the charity will “now look to find them loving new owners”.

Inspector Hutton said:

“We thank North Yorkshire Police for alerting us to the dreadful situation Rocco and Smudge were in. It meant we were able to rescue them and now we will be able to find them new homes where they are loved and cared for.”

Rocco (left) and Smudge now, looking healthy and seeking new homes.

A new charity shop will open tomorrow on Harrogate’s Oxford Street as part of ambitious expansion plans.

Yorkshire Cancer Research will open the shop in the former Porters clothing shop, after the business moved to James Street two years ago.

Tomorrow’s official opening will be conducted by TV presenter and journalist Christine Talbot, with the Mayor of the Borough of Harrogate, Cllr Victoria Oldham, also attending.

The Harrogate-based charity already has five shops and plans to open a further 15 in the next five years, saying it plans to open units on every high street in Yorkshire.

Each shop is expected to raise £100,000 a year for the charity, which funds research into cancer. YCR is the largest regional cancer charity, funding 62 research programmes and allowing 250,000 people to participate in pioneering research and treatment.

The former Porters shop on Oxford Street.

A spokesperson for YCR said:

“As well as raising funds to help prevent, diagnose and treat cancer, the shops are the ‘greenest on the high street’, allowing people to recycle pre-loved items and buy sustainably sourced products.

“They also provide opportunities for people to learn new skills, meet new people and play a role in helping those with cancer in Yorkshire through volunteering.”

Read more:

• Louis Vuitton shoes donated to Harrogate charity shop feature in national campaign
• Harrogate district autism charity celebrates 10th anniversary

Two teenagers carrying zombie knives robbed a youngster in broad daylight after he was told to empty his pockets or get “shanked”.

Dillan Bahia and Jamie Richardson, both 18, were loitering on the Stray when they spotted the 17-year-old victim sat on a bench “minding his own business” and waiting to set off for work, York Crown Court heard.

Prosecutor Brooke Morrison said the victim, who is from Harrogate but cannot be named for legal reasons, noticed “three males repeatedly looking at him while looking at their phones”. She added:

“(The victim) got up and started to walk to work (and) the three males followed him.”

Richardson was shouting over at the victim to get his attention and when the youth turned around, they were stood right beside him.

Richardson then lifted his jacket to reveal a zombie knife in his waistband and told the petrified victim: “Empty your pockets or I’ll shank you.”

The victim, who thought it was a steak knife, was “very frightened” and handed over his phone, wallet and e-cigarette.

Richardson demanded the PIN number for his phone while a third robber, a youth from Sheffield who was named in court, searched the victim’s pockets.

Bahia then appeared behind Richardson as all three robbers surrounded the youngster, who was “shaking” with fear.

Richardson then punched the victim in the face, causing his nose to bleed and glasses to smash, before the robbers walked off with his belongings including an iPhone, bank and loyalty cards, and £5 in cash. The incident occurred near Knaresborough Road on the 200-acre parkland.

Read more:

• Man sentenced to life in prison for Harrogate Mayfield Grove murder
• No bonfire on the Stray in Harrogate this year

The victim went to his workplace and told colleagues what had happened. The matter was reported to police who scanned CCTV footage of the area to identify the robbers, who were found in Harrogate town centre the following day.

They ran off in different directions through the town centre but were caught following a pursuit. They were hauled into Harrogate Police Station where Richardson handed over a zombie knife and sheath to officers.

Bahia was “physically obstructive and verbally aggressive” to police and pushed one officer into a wall.

Officers frisked him for weapons and found a large, red-and-black zombie knife in his waistband and a homemade cosh which he had also been carrying in the town centre. The cosh was a “glass ball in a sock”.

The third male, who can’t be named for legal reasons, was also found to be carrying a zombie knife – a blade with a serrated edge which has gained notoriety in recent years and is also known as a ‘zombie killer’ or ‘zombie slayer’ knife.

All three teenagers admitted robbery and possessing a bladed article in public. Bahia also admitted carrying an offensive weapon, namely the homemade cosh.

Always ‘looking over my shoulder’

In a statement read out in court, the victim said:

“I honestly thought I was going to be stabbed if I didn’t give them my property. I was working hard and saving for a new phone.”

He had suffered from anxiety ever since the incident which occurred at about 3pm on July 23.

He said he was now always “looking over my shoulder” for fear of a similar attack and no longer walked to work from the town centre, relying instead on others to take him. He added:

“I now think twice about where I walk and where I go, and I stay away from the Stray and wooded areas.

“I will never forget what happened to me.”

He said he had a nose bleed and bruising for several days after the attack and had to pay for a new pair of glasses.

The 17-year-old victim now avoids the Stray

Richardson and Bahia, both from Leeds, appeared for sentence today after being remanded in custody.

The court heard that Richardson, of Grange View, Chapeltown, had previous convictions for serious violence, public disorder and criminal damage.

Bahia, of Mexborough Avenue, Chapeltown, had one previous conviction for fraud which resulted in a three-month youth-referral order in June.

‘Difficult early life’

Defence barrister Andrew Stranex, for Richardson, said the teenager had had an “unsettled and difficult early life” and was remorseful for his actions.

Ismael Uddin, for Bahia, said his unemployed client was “less involved” in the robbery and didn’t produce a knife during the incident.

He said that Bahia and his two cohorts had gone to Harrogate “out of boredom” but there was “no specific reason” for them being there.

Judge Stephen Ashurst said the “fearsome” knife that Richardson had in the waistband of his trousers must have been a terrifying sight for the young victim. The judge added:

“He was outnumbered three-to-one.

“(The victim) was left very distressed by the incident and it took him a little while to compose himself and contact police.”

Richardson was sentenced to two years and four months in a young offenders’ institution for his “leading role” in the robbery. Bahia was sentenced to two years in a young offenders’ institution.

The teenager from Sheffield was given a 12-month referral order at the youth court earlier this month.

Bargain lovers in Bilton are to set to take part in the Harrogate district’s first jumble trail.

Jumble trails are a relatively new idea in which residents sell items from their drives and garages. They are similar to American yard sales.

Car boot sale fanatic Dave Matthews, a former taxi driver and property developer, has set up a Facebook group for the first jumble trail, which already has 300 members.

He hopes the event, on October 23 from 11am to 4pm, will foster community spirit and give people the chance to clear out their homes in the run-up to Christmas. Mr Matthews said:

“I love car boot sales, hunting for bargains and watching YouTube channels of yard sales and I thought it would be a great idea to do a huge community car boot sale out of people’s front gardens, yards, drives or on the street.

“Jumble trails have been done down south but I believe it’s the first time there’s ever been one in Harrogate.”

Mr Matthews, who has lived in Bilton since 2019, will create an online and physical map showing the homes taking part in the days leading up to the jumble trail.

He said one person taking part had indicated they would be selling a Lambretta scooter.

Mr Matthews said 40 to 50 homes having stalls would be “a good turnout”, adding:

“I hope to do it again next year and make it a regular event.”

People can either join the Bilton Jumble Trail Facebook group, or email biltonjumbletrail@hotmail.com to book a stall or for more information on the event.

Read more:

• Richard Taylor school in Bilton receives ‘good’ Ofsted rating
• Harrogate Hydro set to reopen in May 2023

Harrogate Hydro looks set to reopen in May next year following an £11 million refurbishment.

Construction is earmarked to finish in April, but Harrogate Borough Council has set an opening for May — a month after when the authority will be abolished.

The council provided an update today on the Hydro as well as progress on the new leisure centre in Knaresborough.

Work on the Hydro, which is being led by Bristol-based Alliance Leisure, is ongoing to create a 400 square metre fitness suite, a sauna and steam suite, improved reception and café.

There will also be new diving board equipment, a new fitness suite and the changing areas will be upgraded.

Meanwhile, the existing gas boilers have been replaced with air source heat pumps and 250 solar panels, as well as new metering and energy monitoring and control systems.

Representatives from Axiom, Alliance Leisure and ISG with Councillor Stanley Lumley and Mark Tweedie.

However, the strip out at the facilities has revealed some remedial work is required, such as the fire protection of the steel frame, the addition of wall restraints, replacement of corroded steelwork, re-securing of soffit boarding and resolving air leakage and heat loss between the roof and the external walls.

Cllr Stan Lumley, cabinet member for culture, tourism and sport at the council, said: 

“Refurbishment projects often discover things that need to be resolved to adhere to current building regulations.

“By carrying out the work now, the building can conform to the latest legislation and be as energy-efficient as possible, which will allow people across the Harrogate district to keep fit and active for many years to come.”

Knaresborough Leisure Centre

Work being carried out on Knaresborough leisure centre.

The new leisure centre in Knaresborough is due to open in August 2023.

Construction is continuing on the project which will see a six-lane 25metre pool, activity pool with flume, sauna and steam room, fitness suite and studio, spin studio, café, electric car charging points and bicycle storage created.

Read more:

• Harrogate Hydro renovations a long-term gain, says diving club
• Hot Seat: Leading the Harrogate district’s leisure revolution

Both facilities are due to be managed by the council-controlled Brimhams Active once complete, although its future is unclear due to the impending abolition of Harrogate Borough Council.

Mark Tweedie, managing director of Brimhams Active, said: 

“This unprecedented level of investment from Harrogate Borough Council will allow Brimhams Active to further transform from a conventional leisure provider to a comprehensive health and wellbeing company and truly maximise its offer to residents across the Harrogate district.

“And by doing so we can ensure people of all ages, from all walks of life, will be able to live a healthy lifestyle and stay active for longer.”