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08
Jul
Harrogate Grammar School gets first Ofsted report for four years
Harrogate Grammar School meets the expected standard in all areas and achieves strong standards for pupil achievement and its sixth form, according to Ofsted.
Government inspectors visited the 2,070-pupil school in April for what was its first inspection since 2022, when the school was rated ‘outstanding’ in all areas.
Ofsted inspections have been radically overhauled since them.
The five options now are: ‘exceptional’, ‘strong standard’, ‘expected standard’, ‘needs attention’ and ‘urgent improvement’.
The newly published report reveals the school, which belongs to Red Kite Learning Trust, meets the ‘expected standard’ in five areas — attendance and behaviour, curriculum and teaching, inclusion, leadership and governance and personal development and wellbeing, and ‘strong standard’ in two areas — achievement and post-16 provision.
The report, which you can read here, says pupils “achieve highly over time” and are “exceptionally well prepared for national tests and examinations”.
It adds:
In the most recent published outcomes, gaps between disadvantaged pupils and their peers have narrowed notably. Students in the sixth form have highly developed knowledge and skills. They skilfully use subject-specific terminology to explain complex concepts. Many achieve high outcomes from lower starting points. Students who join the large sixth form from other secondary schools also achieve well.
Harrogate Grammar School students
'Consistently above national averages'
Achievement in the sixth form, it says, is “consistently above national averages”. Leaders are praised for “ambitious study programmes that exceed national expectations” and “students progress to ambitious destinations with confidence”.
Attendance, the inspectors said, was “in line with national figures” but leaders “recognise that persistent absence rates for some pupils, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who receive free school meals, are too high”.
The curriculum is described as “well sequenced and ambitious”, overseen by teachers with “strong subject knowledge” while leaders “have placed a sharper focus on inclusion”
Pupils learn how to stay safe and develop their understanding of relationships, citizenship and future careers through the school’s ‘big picture’ and ‘progression’ lessons.
The school is urged to “refine how they evaluate impact” and to continue to work on strategies to improve attendance.
The percentage of pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE was 68% in 2024/25, compared with a national average of 45%.
Headteacher Neil Renton said:
We are delighted that this report recognises both the academic success of our pupils and the caring culture that underpins everything we do. We are particularly proud that inspectors recognised the ambitious next steps our students progress to because they achieve highly, the quality of our sixth form and the very high standards of behaviour across the school.
The new Ofsted framework rightly sets a high bar for schools, and we are pleased that inspectors found we are meeting those expectations while recognising areas of particular strength. We also know that great schools never stand still. We will continue to build on this success, with a particular focus on attendance, inclusion and strengthening the depth of learning within our personal development programme.
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