Ofsted has rated Ripley Endowed C of E Primary School as ‘inadequate’ for the first time in the school’s history.
The 49-pupil school had a ‘good’ rating in 2011 but subsequently received ‘requires improvement’ ratings in 2015, 2017 and 2019.
The latest report, published yesterday, says pupils feel safe, safeguarding arrangements are effective and parents value the school. It also says pupils are polite and well mannered and there is no bullying in school.
But it is highly critical of the quality of education, leadership and early years provision. It is also critical of behaviour and attitudes and personal development.
Pupils, says Ofsted, are often distracted because work is too easy or too hard and “achieve far less than they should”.
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‘Inadequate’ is the lowest of four possible ratings. The report says:
“Ripley Endowed Church of England School is a warm and caring school. Pupils feel safe here. They support, help and care for each other.
“Parents value the school and the staff that work here. The quality of education that pupils receive is inadequate.
“Despite the teachers wanting the pupils to achieve, the curriculum is not designed or planned well enough to support them to do this.”
Ofsted inspectors visited the school over two days in November 2021 when they observed lessons, spoke to pupils informally and met parents at the start of the day.
Here is how the inspectors came to the overall ‘inadequate’ rating:
- Quality of education: Inadequate
- Behaviour and attitudes: Requires improvement
- Personal development: Requires improvement
- Leadership and management: Inadequate
- Early years provision: Inadequate
The Stray Ferret approached Ripley Endowed C of E Primary School for its response to the Ofsted rating. We were directed to North Yorkshire County Council, the local education authority, but it did not respond by the time of publication.
Ripley is part of a federation of three schools. The other two schools are Kettlesing Felliscliffe Community Primary School and Beckwithshaw Community Primary School.
