Only one Harrogate district secondary school rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted

The publication of Boroughbridge High School’s Ofsted report this week means all local state schools have now had recent assessments.

The government schools’ inspector’s stricter regime means the ratings for local schools have been mixed since the pandemic.

Only one is rated ‘outstanding’ but four are graded as ‘good’.

Three others received ‘requires improvement’ assessments, which is the third highest score. None are rated ‘inadequate’ – the lowest of the four options.

Here’s how each one fared in its latest inspection.

Boroughbridge High School – requires improvement

This week Boroughbridge High School was rated ‘requires improvement’ in a report published by Ofsted.

The school was previously rated ‘good’.

The inspectors noted:

“Not all teachers have high enough expectations of pupils’ behaviour and do not routinely challenge low-level disruption in classrooms.

“Although many pupils feel safe in school, some do not. Some pupils in lower year groups say they are worried or concerned about the behaviour and conduct of some older pupils.”

The report added school behaviour is “not always calm and orderly”.

Despite this, the school, which is now part of a federation with King James’s School in Knaresborough, was assessed as ‘good’ for its quality of education and personal development.

Harrogate High School – requires improvement

Harrogate High School was also downgraded to a ‘requires improvement’ rating from ‘good’ when it was assessed in June this year.

The school, which is part of the Northern Star Academies Trust, has seen a decline in the quality of education and older pupils in particular do not achieve well in exams, according to an inspector.

The report said some students with bad attitudes were “not challenged quickly enough” and some truant pupils were “disrespectful to staff and cause disruption.”

It added:

“Teachers do not consistently check if pupils know or understand what has been taught. As a result, misconceptions are not always identified and addressed.”

The inspector did note, however, the new school leaders understood the problems and the actions “have secured improvements in the quality of education.”

Headteacher Sukhraj Gill responded to the report:

“This is an exciting time for Harrogate High School. Inspectors have recognised the improvements we have already made and confirmed that we are on the right track to make Harrogate High a great school. We have achieved a great deal at Harrogate High School – with a lot more to do.

“We will continue our relentless drive to make Harrogate High the best school it can be for all the young people that we educate.”

Ripon Grammar School – good

 After 11 years of holding an ‘outstanding’ status, Ripon Grammar School was rated ‘good’ by Ofsted in April.

The personal development and sixth form provision remained ‘outstanding’, according to the report, but “a very small minority of staff do not speak to pupils in an appropriately encouraging manner” – which was a contributing factor to the downgrade.

It added the behaviour policy “is not always consistently applied” and “behaviour is weaker in a small minority of classrooms, particularly where a substitute teaching is leading the lesson.”

Despite this, the inspector said:

“Across the school, and particularly in the sixth form, teachers challenge pupils and students to stretch themselves academically and to take risks in their learning.

“Pupils benefit from the broad range of provision offered by clubs and societies, for example, in science, the arts, humanities and sport. Pupils are eager to seize the extensive opportunities presented to them.”

Pupils and students “achieve very highly in the GCSE and A Level examinations”, it also noted.

A letter to parents signed by headteacher Jonathan Webb and chair of governors Elizabeth Jarvis, said:

“Overall, we are pleased with the headline conclusions that RGS is a school which offers students a culture of high expectations, an ambitious curriculum, high academic achievement, strong teaching, outstanding opportunities for personal development and strong community-based relations, as well as effective and secure safeguarding.

King James’s School – good

King James’s School in Knaresborough retained its ‘good’ rating following an inspection of a good school report by Ofsted.

The report, which was published in March, said the school had a “caring environment where pupils learn well” with a “strong focus on ensuring that everyone feels welcome.”

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

Despite the praise, the report also said King James’s provides “insufficient opportunities for pupils to engage meaningfully with the world of work” and “pupils who struggle with reading do not receive effect interventions routinely”.

Schools graded ‘good’ are usually visited once every four years to confirm its status – a process known as an ungraded inspection.

Saint John Fisher Catholic Academy – good

Harrogate’s Saint John Fisher Catholic Academy was also rated ‘good’ following a report published in February.

It was the first inspection since it was converted into an academy in 2021.

All areas received a ‘good’ status, and the inspectors praised the “rich set of extra-curricular opportunities”.

The report said:

“[Pupils] leave well-equipped for their next step in education, employment or training.”

However, the inspectors did add “a small but significant minority of parents do not feel that communication between school and home is effective.”

St John Fisher school

Rossett School – requires improvement

Rossett School in Harrogate still ‘requires improvement’ according to the inspectors for the second time in four years.

The report, which was released in January, said high staff turnover, disruptive pupils and extremely high absence rates in disadvantaged students were all among concerns highlighted.

It said:

“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.”

However, the school, which is part of the Red Kite Alliance, was described as “warm, friendly and welcoming.”

The report added:

“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.”

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.

John Hesketh, chair of governors, said the school was “incredibly disappointed” by the report.

St. Aidan’s Church of England High School – good

St. Aidan’s School received a ‘good’ rating from Ofsted in July last year – just six months after being rated ‘inadequate’.

Prior to the ‘inadequate’ grading – the lowest of the four Ofsted grades – the Harrogate school was declared ‘outstanding’.

Usually, an ‘inadequate’ school has to wait up to three years before another full inspection, however after the first routine monitoring visit, inspectors felt the rating was “not a fair reflection of the school”.

As a result, the inspection was revised.

The most recent report found the school to be “a happy school with a positive and nurturing environment where pupils flourish”.

It added the sixth form was ‘outstanding’ and pupils “demonstrate a real love of learning”.

The report said:

“Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They bring their subject to life for pupils with the clarity of their explanations and richness of examples. Pupils are captivated in lessons and are keen to answer the questions that teachers ask.”

Chair of governors, Jo Wicks, said:

“We are truly delighted that we can end the year so positively and hope that we can build on the recent success when Ofsted next visit us to secure an outstanding judgement overall.”

Nidderdale High School – good

 Ofsted said “Nidderdale High School continues to be a good school” in a report published in March.

Like King James’s, it was only a short inspection due to its previous ‘good’ rating, but the inspectors praised the school for its ethos and “high ambitions”.

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.

“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.”

It did also cite areas of improvement and said “where behaviour is not as strong in some lessons, learning activities are not as challenging as they could be”.

Headteacher Kath Jordan responded:

“We were delighted to see the importance of strong relationships highlighted through our emphasis on ready, respectful and safe.

“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.”

The school became part of the Red Kite Alliance in August.

Harrogate Grammar School – outstanding

Harrogate Grammar School is the only Ofsted rated ‘outstanding’ school in the district following a report published in March last year.

It retained the status from its last inspection 15 years prior.

Inspectors described the school, which also a member of the Red Kite Learning Trust, as “an extremely rewarding place to learn” with “an exceptional curriculum”. They added:

“Effective teaching and assessment enable pupils to learn well. This depth of knowledge is sustained from key stage 3 to the sixth form.

“Through sports, outdoor pursuits and performance opportunities, pupils develop their skills and self-confidence. Pupils are articulate and polite. They are keen to engage in discussion and debate. Teachers make sure that pupils’ views are heard.”

The report also said “the headteacher has built a very strong team of leaders at all levels.”

Headteacher Neil Renton responded to the report:

“It makes us very proud to see the exceptional commitment that we experience every day from our community, being recognised in this way.”

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Harrogate hospital defends new parking charges

Harrogate District Hospital has defended its new parking charges and said the ticketless system is reducing congestion.

Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust introduced a new system and charges on September 6.

The old entry barriers have been replaced by automatic number plate recognition.

Visitors are now entitled to 20 minutes of free parking. It then costs £4 for up to two hours, £6.50 for up to four hours, £8.50 for up to six hours and £11 for up to 24 hours.

The new prices have attracted criticism on social media, with some complaining £4 is a lot to pay for a visit that might only last for 25 minutes.

Visitors previously received 30 minutes free parking and were then charged £2.60 for up to 90 minutes, £3.80 for up to two-and-a-half hours and £6.10 for up to four-and-a-half hours.

A trust spokesperson said:

“Increasing parking charges is never an easy decision to make, but we have to ensure that our car parks are well maintained and safe for patients, visitors and staff.

“All funds gathered from parking charges are invested back into the delivery of patient care and maintaining facilities, such as car parks across the trust.

“Over the next five years we anticipate that we will need to invest significant sums in our car parks and security, and the revenue raised through car parking charges will help us to fund this work.

Hospital car park barrier

The old barrier has been removed.

The spokesperson added the trust chose to keep free parking or concessionary rates for certain patients and visitors including blue badge holders, patients receiving cancer treatment, parents visiting the paediatric ward or special care baby unit, and those in receipt of benefits.

They added:

“Parking is also free for the first 20 minutes allowing for patients to be dropped off and collected without the driver needing to pay for parking. It also encourages drivers from waiting in the car park after dropping someone off, ensuring that other people who require our services can find a parking space.”

The spokesperson said car park management firm Parkingeye had not issued any parking charge notices to date because the hospital was operating a grace period.

He did not say how long this would last.

Asked how the new system was working, the spokesman said:

“The new ANPR parking system is helping eliminate congestion on Lancaster Park Road through the removal of barriers which has improved flow into the hospital grounds.

“We welcome feedback from users so that we can further improve on their experience of our new car parking system.”

The ANPR system will be expanded into the trust’s staff car parks in October, where staff will be charged a monthly fee to use the car parking facilities calculated on their vehicle’s emissions, their pay band and their contracted hours.

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Yemi’s Food Stories: the Yorkshire distillery that makes vodka from apples

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.  

Walking in to Ellers Farm Distillery immediately brought up memories of growing up in Nigeria, as the smell of fermentation reminded me of the Palm wine my grandfather tapped on his farm. It was a happy memory and a great way to start my educational journey into the craft of vodka, gin and liqueur making.

It is one of ten distilleries that make their own alcohol out of 450 distilleries in the UK. The state-of-the-art distillery purposely built near York to be carbon neutral, is one of the largest in the country and its vision is to create incredible drinks with a positive impact on people and the planet.

This ethos shines through as Tabitha, the head of sustainability, was keen to show me the natural habitat they are creating to support nature in and around their orchard.

Yemi and Tabitha (R)

Ellers Farm’s ingredient of choice is apple, and they were the first to make vodka from the fruit –  rather than the traditional potatoes or grains.

Despite the UK being home to 2,600 variations of apple, our country is at risk of losing them as orchards are being re-purposed. For this reason, the distillery is on a mission to preserve the UK’s apple heritage by planting over 28 types of apple in their orchard – with plans for even more.

It is clear the team has given the end products a lot of thought, driven by the farm’s powerful and clear vision to make the world’s best spirits in the most sustainable way.

Great quality produce, copper-finished equipment for a smoother finish and the most-awarded distiller in the world, Jamie Baggott, have all contributed to Ellers Farm’s success so far.

The exceptional front of house team are just as passionate about educating customers on how to use distillery’s products, while creating cocktails with flair and pizzaz.

Fun facts from Jamie included ‘Dutch courage’ coming from British soldiers being given a pint of 60% alcohol to help them fight in the war, and London dry gin is a way of distilling gin – not a brand name.

In addition, he explained that whisky is aged for 3 years, with the 3% lost to evaporation described as the ‘angel’s share’, and the proportion absorbed by the cask is the ‘devil’s benefits’. The rest is for us mortals to enjoy.

I also learnt triple distillation is a minimum requirement, but Ellers Farm distillery don’t do minimum requirements – they go above and beyond with the distillation process…

I was very pleased to discover Jamie uses Rounton’s coffee in the coffee liqueur, as well rare spices, including Vietnamese wild forest or lai chau pepper, herbs and botanicals used in their flavoured gins.

The distillery has created a range of sublime products – which it is extremely proud of –  backed by world-class craftsmanship and minimal footprint and waste thanks to the sustainable practices.

More importantly, its award-winning products are delicious and easy to drink.

Their Dutch Barn Orchard Vodka and Espresso Vodka tasted amazing, and the wide range of liqueurs including Elderflower & Elderberry and Pineapple and Grapefruit, were all fantastic.

I was drawn to the labelling of their Sloe Gin which tasted beautiful, with a jammy sweetness that gives way to complex flavours of piney juniper, cardamom, and a warming ginger – finished with luscious notes of plums, raisins, and a moreish acidic tang.

You can also find their products in Morrisons, ASDA and on Amazon, and can even sign up to be one of the first to own a cask of their whisky.

The company is open to collaboration with chefs, as they have a versatile space, which is perfect for pop up events, where food can be paired with their drinks.

Here is a deliciously beautiful recipe for you to try – please drink responsibly.

Hero Serve

2 shots of Dutch Barn Orchard Vodka

2 dashes of orange bitters

Loads of ice

Slice of red grapefruit

Sprig of rosemary

Next week, I will bring you some highlights and recipes from the RHS Festival of flavours.

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Local streetlights could be switched off at night to save money

Streetlights on footways in North Yorkshire could be switched off between midnight and 5am as part of a new policy.

North Yorkshire County Council reduced the hours its roadway lighting was switched on between 2012 and 2016.

Now its successor authority, North Yorkshire Council, is looking to do the same with footway lights.

The Conservative council, which could be forced to use £105 million of reserves to cover deficits over the next three years, is expected to approve the measure on Tuesday when its ruling executive meets.

It is also expected to approve spending £2.5m on replacing thousands of footway lights before they fail.

The executive will consider a three-step plan to replace 900 decrepit concrete street lighting columns, introduce 4,000 energy efficient LED lanterns on existing steel columns and change sensors on about 2,000 existing LED lanterns to part-night photocells.

An officer’s report to the meeting states residents, parish and town councils will be consulted over the proposed part-night lighting.

The report adds much of the existing footway lighting, which transferred from the former district and borough councils to North Yorkshire Council in April, will be beyond repair within the next five years due to changes in EU legislation that made numerous lamp types obsolete.

The report states it had been estimated some 5,000 of the former district and borough councils’ footway and amenity lights used obsolete light sources such as high-pressure mercury and low-pressure sodium.

It states:

“Within the next three to five years these lanterns will fail, and we will be unable to repair them.

“If we replace the lanterns on an ad-hoc basis, as and when they fail, the process will be less efficient, more expensive and would place a strain on future revenue budgets as opposed to this capital Invest to Save proposal.”

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Switching footway lighting off between midnight and 5am will further reduce energy consumption and contribute towards the council’s carbon reduction targets, the meeting will hear.

Executive members will be told upgrading the lighting to LED would produce an energy saving of 1.3 million kw/h, cutting 340 tonnes of carbon dioxide and £440,000 in annual energy costs.

The meeting will hear the obsolete concrete columns are “most prone to structural failure” and their replacement will offer the opportunity to
provide multi-purpose lighting columns.

The new lighting columns could be used to support attachments such as sensors, CCTV cameras, ANPR cameras, flower baskets, Christmas displays and next generation BT mobile phone transmitters.

The council’s finance boss, Councillor Gareth Dadd, said concerns had been raised over community safety when the council first reduced the street lighting hours, but increased incidences of crime had not transpired.

He said:

”It was a success. We led the way where many other local authorities are now following.”

The authority’s Green Party spokesman and Ouseburn councillor Arnold Warneken said as the proposed programme was set to cut the council’s carbon footprint and save money it appeared to be a “win-win scenario”.

He said:

“It is just scratching the surface of the sort of things we should be doing. There is a definite relationship between trying to reduce carbon footprint and the economy.

“However, from a true green perspective, we should be waiting for these lights to fail because they have an energy inside them that has cost to create them in the first place.”

Review: The House with Chicken Legs is magic on stage

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 

Based on Sophie Anderson’s children’s novel, The House with Chicken Legs has been enchantingly adapted for stage by award-winning theatre company Les Enfants Terribles. The production, currently at Leeds Playhouse as part of a tour across the country, brings the author’s imaginative, dreamy tale to dazzling life and is a resplendent feast for the eyes.

The story, rooted in Slavic folklore, follows 12-year-old Marinka, whose house has legs (specifically, chicken legs) and a mind of its own, taking off to far-flung corners of the universe at a moment’s notice. Marinka’s grandmother is a spirit guide who ushers the dead from this world to the next so that they may sit amongst the stars, and is teaching her granddaughter to one day do the same. The only problem is that Marinka, young and full of life, wants to forge her own destiny in the world of the living.

The production’s fast-paced narrative is at once energetic and emotionally charged, alive with the wonders of storytelling, seamlessly transporting its audience to other worlds entirely, with a compelling blend of stage action, set changes, music, puppetry and mesmerising animation. Creative and beautiful, this is true escapism.

Image © Rah Petherbridge

The play’s music is spellbinding, with a captivating score by Alexander Wolfe that journeys from New Orleans to Eastern Europe, to the stars and beyond. Every song serves a purpose (often not the case in a musical adaptation), all accompanied by instruments played by the actors themselves – everything from flute to accordion, saxophone to electric guitar – proving themselves truly multi-talented.

Ultimately, this is a tale of life and death, but one which deals with matters of the afterlife with wisdom and warmth. Anderson notes that in her novel she was eager to “help children see death in a more positive way, as the circle of life”. The stage version delivers on this brief, transforming the narrative of grief into a bright, happy and moving celebration of life.

It is worth stressing that this is not just a play for youngsters; whilst the piece treads delicately on the macabre and the darker questions, audience members of all ages will fall under its spell.  This is magic on stage; and yes, chicken legs do feature. You’ll have to see it to believe it.

The House with Chicken Legs is on at the Leeds Playhouse until September 16. 

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Harrogate Autumn Flower Show starts tomorrow at Newby Hall

Up to 30,000 visitors ate expected at Newby Hall over the next three days for the Harrogate Autumn Flower Show.

The spring and autumn shows, organised by the North of England Horticultural Society, are among the most highly anticipated events on the gardening calendar.

Visitors to Newby, which is between Ripon and Boroughbridge, will see Britain’s biggest display of autumnal blooms and fresh produce.

This year sees the return of the National Vegetable Society’s national championships, which includes a giant vegetable contest.

There will also be talks and demonstrations across three live stages

Show director Nick Smith said:

“We love having the autumn flower show here at Newby Hall, it truly is an inspiring and beautiful location to celebrate and promote the very best in horticulture.

“This year we have such an incredible line-up of exhibitors, installations, and an exciting programme of live stage action, that we can’t wait to get things underway.”

The first day of the show coincides with what would have been Agatha Christie’s 132nd birthday and to mark the occasion, floral displays inspired by the Queen of Crime have been created.

Talented florists including celebrity floral designer Jonathan Moseley and award-winning Harrogate florist Helen James have created floral installations depicting book titles inspired by crime writing greats as part of the Blooms of Deception display.

Admission to the show includes access to Newby’s gardens and children’s adventure playground.

For further details, and to buy tickets, click here.

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Business Breakfast: Goldsborough Hall appoints new Head Chef

Goldsborough Hall hotel in Knaresborough has appointed Daniel Ife as the hotel’s new Head Chef.

He joined the team over six years ago and helped the previous head chefs achieve a 3AA rosette and a feature in the Michelin guide.

Owner of Goldsborough Hall, Mark Oglesby said:

“Behind the scenes, Daniel has been running the kitchens at Goldsborough Hall now for many years, so we are very proud that he has finally agreed to take on the role of Head Chef.

“Over the many years he has been with us he has demonstrated passion and creativity which has helped to win us many prestigious awards.

“With his wealth of experience and innovative approach, we are confident that Daniel will continue to lead our dining experience to new heights.’

Mr Ife added:

“My style is seasonally driven, using modern techniques and styles with a classic French undertone.

“It is a real privilege to create dishes that befit the majesty of the hall’s historic dining room, where former Kings and Queens have dined.”

Masham brewery secures listings in 100 M&S stores across UK

 T&R Theakston, in Masham, has secured a listing to supply Theakston Old Peculier ale to 100 M&S stores across the UK.

The brewery has seen a value growth of 4.5% in the Off Trade market versus a bottle ale market decline of 6%.

Following the deal with M&S, the ale is now stocked in all UK major supermarket chains.

Simon Theakston, joint managing director, said:

“Theakston Old Peculier is a flagship beer for us and for the town of Masham, with its name a tribute to the unique ecclesiastical status of the town as a ‘Court of the Peculier’, first established in medieval times.

“It’s great to see the continued growth in popularity Old Peculier underpinning its status as one of the country’s most well-known and loved ales.

“As a result of this new M&S listing, it’s fantastic to be able say this beautiful brew is now listed in all UK major supermarkets, meaning that fans have the opportunity to enjoy the taste of Old Peculier from both their local pub and within the comfort of their own home.”

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Andrew Jones MP urges Prime Minister to ease ‘strain’ on access to Harrogate NHS dentists

Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservative MP Andrew Jones today urged the Prime Minister to tackle the “immediate strain” facing local people trying to access NHS dentists.

Concerns about a shortage of NHS dentists in Harrogate were heightened last week when Chatsworth House Dental Clinic, on King’s Road, said it will stop treating NHS patients at the end of the year.

Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions today, Mr Jones said he and fellow North Yorkshire MPs met with the local integrated care board last week to discuss ways of improving dentistry provision. He added:

“But when surgeries suddenly close to NHS patients without notice as one in Harrogate did very recently, an immediate strain is put on local provision.

“Will the Prime Minister look at what can be done in these circumstances to ensure that no one is left without access to an NHS dentist?”

Mr Sunak pledged to “look into this issue” and said Mr Jones would be “reassured” to know the government was investing £3 billion a year into dentistry. He added there were no geographical restrictions on which dentists people could attend.

‘Sitting on the sidelines’

Daisy Cooper, deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, discussing healthcare issues with Tom Gordon, the party's parliamentary candidate for Harrogate and Knaresborough.

Tom Gordon with Daisy Cooper, the Liberal Democrats’ health spokesperson.

The man who hopes to succeed Mr Jones as Harrogate and Knaresborough MP at the next election accused his rival of “sitting on the sidelines” over dentistry.

Tom Gordon, the Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate, said he was “pleased that after 13 years Andrew Jones has finally bowed to pressure and asked a question in Parliament about the dentist crisis affecting local residents”, adding:

“In the last six months, the Lib Dems have been increasing the pressure on him to do this. We have set up a dentists survey, arranged a meeting with the Lib Dem shadow health minister and made sure that questions were asked in Parliament about this issue.

“We’ve heard awful stories about how local people have been putting up with pain as they can’t afford to see a dentist. It shouldn’t have required a concerted campaign to make our MP act.”

“We’re determined to keep on fighting for the cash that will re-establish NHS dentistry in our area. We hope Andrew Jones will join us in this fight rather than sitting on the sidelines as he has done over this and many other issues for the last 13 years.”

Following his meeting with Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board last week, Mr Jones said:

“Dental services have been recovering but there is much more progress to be made.

“It is important that action is taken swiftly to expand the NHS dental provision in our area.”

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Ofsted says Boroughbridge High School ‘requires improvement’

Boroughbridge High School requires improvement, according to a report published by Ofsted today.

Government inspectors visited the school, which was previously rated ‘good’, on May 4 and 5 this year.

The 440-pupil school was assessed as ‘good’ for quality of education and personal development. But it received ‘required improvement’ ratings for behaviour and attitudes and leadership and management, as well as for its overall grading.

The report praises the “positive relationships between pupils and staff” and says most pupils enjoy attending.

It says “teachers have secure subject knowledge and apply this well in lessons” and the majority of staff are happy and proud to work at the school.

But it says some pupils are disruptive, some do not attend regularly enough and some teachers do not ensure all pupils are actively involved in lessons.

The report says:

“Not all teachers have high enough expectations of pupils’ behaviour and do not routinely challenge low-level disruption in classrooms.

“Although many pupils feel safe in school, some do not. Some pupils in lower year groups say they are worried or concerned about the behaviour and conduct of some older pupils.”

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Inspectors also said some teachers “accept pupils shouting out answers” and therefore “too few pupils have their subject knowledge routinely checked”.

School behaviour is described as “not always calm and orderly” and inspectors said “a small proportion of staff do not feel well supported to manage behaviour”.

Headteacher Kathryn Stephenson said:

“We are pleased that inspectors recognised many strengths within our school including the positive relationships between staff and students, effective safeguarding and the high quality of education for all students.

“We are determined to ensure that all aspects of our school are of the highest standard and we look forward to working with our students and their families to achieve this.”

Boroughbridge High School is part of a federation with King James’s School in Knaresborough. The two schools have the same governing body.

The sixth form is currently suspended and a small number of students in Year 13, who are still on roll at Boroughbridge High School, travel to King James’s School for Year 13 lessons.

 

Harrogate district motorists could face new fines

Motorists who drive in cycle lanes, fail to obey no entry signs and misuse box junctions in North Yorkshire could face tougher action.

Currently, moving traffic offences in the county are only enforceable by police.

But North Yorkshire Council is considering securing new powers available to local authorities to enforce moving traffic offences on the county’s roads.

It follows a 2019 survey by the Local Government Association, which revealed 67% of local authorities said the police did not actively enforce any moving traffic offences in their area.

A total of 90% said that they would use civil enforcement powers if they were available, primarily to ease congestion and improve road safety.

The Conservative council has now asked people to share their views on a proposal to introduce traffic enforcement at a yellow box junction on the A19 in Selby.

This would be the first location in North Yorkshire where the council would use new powers to crackdown on driving offences — but others could follow.

Cllr Keane Duncan, the council’s executive member for highways and transport and the Conservative candidate to be mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said:

“We are seeking to take tougher action to tackle dangerous driving on North Yorkshire’s roads.

“Using new powers, we have the chance to enforce offences such as driving in cycle lanes, failing to adhere to one-way systems and no entry signs, entering yellow box junctions and failing to give priority to ongoing traffic.

“By adopting these enforcement powers proportionately in problem areas, we hope to improve road safety for all road users, reduce congestion, emissions and journey times, and allow North Yorkshire Police to focus resources elsewhere.”

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Cllr Duncan said the Selby consultation would help it decide whether to apply to the Department for Transport for new powers.

The Traffic Management Act in 2004 introduced civil enforcement of traffic offences in England and Wales.

The act was laid before Parliament in 2022, granting local authorities’ powers to enforce minor traffic offences.

For local authorities to be granted these powers, they must apply to the DfT by October 25, highlighting at least one area that needs to be consulted on and submitted as a pilot scheme.

The Gowthorpe junction in Selby.

The Gowthorpe / Scott Road junction in Selby has been identified following concerns about vehicles entering the box junction on the A19.

If the application for the pilot is approved, traffic enforcement on the junction would be enforced from early next year. Similar enforcement action could then be introduced in other North Yorkshire locations.

The council said in a statement any income generated through traffic offences would be ring-fenced to pay for road improvement projects, public transport schemes or environmental campaigns.

You can take part in the consultation, which closes on October 23, here.