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22
Nov 2023
Moorside Primary School in Ripon rated ‘good’ by Ofsted
Moorside Primary School and Nursery, in Ripon, has been rated ‘good’ by Ofsted.
The findings were published in a report yesterday following a two-day inspection in September.
Government inspectors rated the school and nursery, which has 168 pupils, ‘good’ in all four categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development and leadership and management.
It was the first assessment since Moorside Primary School and Moorside Infant School amalgamated in 2019.
Inspectors said the school “lies at the very heart of its community” and found “pupils enjoy attending school”. They added:
The report praised the wide range of opportunities given to children, including various clubs and the on-site forest school, as well as trips out into the local area – citing a recent trip to Fountains Abbey.
The school has high expectations of pupils’ behaviour, the report added, and said “pupils enjoy the praise they receive for their good behaviour”. It said:
Read more:
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The report said staff are “well trained” and they have a good understanding of the subjects they teach, while leaders and governors have a “shared ambition for the school and its pupils”.
Inspectors also found the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are “carefully considered” and adjustments are made to enable these pupils “to successfully access the same curriculum as their peers”.
It added:
The environment of the “warm and welcoming” early years department was found to be “bright and inviting”.
Areas of improvement
Despite the “ambitious” curriculum, inspectors found the school had not "defined precisely the important knowledge that they want pupils to learn”, adding:
It also said, although the school “prioritises” reading, some pupils are given books to read that are “too difficult” and “not well-matched to their phonic ability”, meaning they “struggle to practise” what they have learned.
‘A fantastic milestone’
In response to the report, Claire Rowett, headteacher of Moorside Primary School and Nursery, said:
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