Ripon Grammar School‘s boarding school has been rated ‘good’ by Ofsted.

A report published on Saturday said children “enjoy boarding at this school”, safeguarding arrangements are “effective” and “the school is very well supported by a skilled, experienced governing body”.

Government inspectors rated the boarding provision ‘good’ in all areas assessed. It was rated ‘outstanding’ at its previous Ofsted inspection in 2017.

Ripon Grammar has 929 boys and girls aged 11 to 18 years, of which 94 are boarders. Yearly fees for years seven to 11 are £11,719.

Accommodation is provided in two houses: School House for boys and Johnson House for girls.

School House

The latest Ofsted visit took place from February 8 to 18 this year.

The report said:

“Children enjoy boarding at this school. They make new friends and enjoy socialising with children of all ages. Older children help the younger children, or those new to boarding, to feel at home.

“Children feel they are fortunate to board at this school. They believe that the experience helps
their overall development.

“Children are helped to settle as boarders. There is a well-established routine of visits
to the school before children begin boarding.”

Headteacher Jonathan Webb

Boarders told inspectors their boarding houses were like ‘big families’. The report said:

“Everyone has someone they can talk to, which means that children feel reassured
about being away from family members.”

Areas to improve

Ofsted recommended improvements in three areas. It described the arrangements for auditing medication as “mixed”, adding:

“This reduces the effectiveness of the oversight of medication that is stored in the boarding houses. The head of boarding accepts this shortfall and plans to improve these processes.”

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Inspectors also said that although most areas are well maintained “the physical condition of the boarding houses varies” and that “some bathrooms need improving and one of the houses lacks homely touches” .

“Given that some children stay in the boarding houses for long periods, this is detrimental to their experiences.”

Ofsted also said there was a potential risk to children, recognised by leaders, due to the siting of the artificial playing field and their were plans “to improve screening to enhance the protection afforded to children”.

Headteacher ‘extremely pleased’

Mr Webb said:

“Overall we are extremely pleased with the outcome of this report given the increased rigour, now evident from Ofsted, which is being applied to the inspection framework.

“Since our last inspection in 2017, boarding at RGS has most definitely moved on with some essential, possibly less eye-catching, initiatives such as the considerable amount of investment we have made to site and fire security in both houses, extensive upgrades to staff accommodation to ensure we recruit and retain highly qualified and committed staff, and improvements in some of the social spaces such as communal kitchens and common rooms.

“Last year we also added a further 10 new bedrooms in School House to accommodate boarders. In addition, a huge amount of work has been done to standardise routines across both houses and promote boarders’ independence.”

Cundall Manor School has appointed a new headmaster to replace Amanda Kirby, who has been at the school for 20 years.

Christopher James-Roll will take over leadership at the school, where Stephen Fry briefly taught English, in September.

Amanda Kirby has taught at Cundall Manor since 2003 and was appointed headteacher in 2019.

The independent school, set in 28 acres at Cundall between Ripon and Thirsk, caters for boys and girls between the ages of 2 and 16. Many are from the Harrogate district.

Mr James-Roll, who has a BSc (Hons) in science and IT, began his early career in financial services before qualifying as a teacher in 2010.

Since then, he has gained a Masters in educational leadership and held a number of senior positions in co-educational independent school settings. He moved to Sherfield School in Hampshire in 2017. He said:

“I have long admired Cundall’s reputation for creating happy, well-rounded children, where academic excellence can sit alongside an individual learning experience and my family and I are very much looking forward to moving to this idyllic setting in North Yorkshire and working with its excellent team.”

Outgoing head Amanda Kirby.

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• Beckwithshaw primary school rated ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted
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Outgoing head Mrs Kirby said:

“It has been an incredible 20 years for me and all my family, during which time the school has transformed from a small independent prep school in North Yorkshire into a nationally recognised school and a destination of choice.

“I am extremely proud of our happy, thriving community, highlighted by a parent’s recent comment that ’if you could have designed a school for your children, Cundall would be it!’. I am confident that, with Christopher’s leadership, it is very well placed to face the challenges of the years ahead.”

The school is holding open mornings on Saturday and on May 21.

This article is sponsored by Barnard Castle School.

As a parent, choosing the right school for your child can be one of the most challenging and important decisions you will make.

It is also a major milestone for your child, therefore their happiness is paramount.

Tony Jackson, headmaster at Barnard Castle School, recognises this and has moved to reassure parents that “enormous emphasis” has been placed on ensuring every pupil feels a sense of belonging at the school.

He said:

“Only then will they come close to maximising their potential.”

His comments come ahead of a series of open mornings being held at the co-educational independent day and boarding school in County Durham, which has a history that stretches back to the 19th century.

The events, which are being held in February and March, are aimed at giving parents and pupils an opportunity to get a feel for the school, inspect the facilities and chat with peers and staff.

Mr Jackson, who has been headmaster at the school, known affectionately as ‘Barney’, since 2018, said:

“It is important your child flourishes whilst at school, which are the most important and formative years of their lives.

“At Barney, our students exceed their academic potential as a result of inspiring teaching, delivered in an easy, open and respectful environment at the heart of which are the caring relationships that exist between the teachers and students.”

Mr Jackson said the school’s recent achievements are a result of the teachers and wider ancillary staff, who spend every day “inspiring, supporting and guiding” pupils.

He said:

“Barney has always possessed a wonderful environment, with happy children and staff at its heart.

“Whilst we are extremely proud of what our students achieve academically, we also recognise the vital importance of preparing the next generation for an ever-changing and increasingly competitive and global marketplace.

“We expect our pupils to work as hard as they can, and do as well as they can.

“However, we tell them that academic success will only open a door; it is what they do when they walk through that door that counts.”

The school has a history that stretches back to the 19th century.

The headteacher said that as a result of this ethos, the school prides itself on its co-curricular activities.

He added:

“It is in these environments that most life lessons are learned. We want our young people to problem-solve, work in a team, demonstrate leadership and have emotional intelligence.

“Resilience and humility must also be at the very heart of our young people. All these attributes are delivered most effectively through extra-curricular activities.

“Be it missing out on a part in a play, or performing on stage, or standing with teammates to defend a goal or a try line; winning and losing.

“All these experiences help develop in our children the attributes they will need, and the more exposure they can get, the better, which is why our activity programme is so varied.”

Beyond the more traditional spheres of music, drama and sport, Barnard Castle School currently offers more than 100 activities to students, which include a bespoke ‘Mind, Body and Soul’ programme for Year 7 and 8s.

Mr Jackson said:

“We often find that a number of our pupils create and lead their own activities as well, demonstrating leadership and innovation.

“We want Barnardians to be the types of people who light up a room when they enter it. This requires confidence, resilience and compassion, all built up over a period of time, and in a variety of ways, both within and beyond the classroom. No leader can achieve anything major without the influence of the staff who make it happen. This is especially the case in our school.

“We tell our parents that our collective role, as parents and teachers, is to arm our children with the tools with which to clear the path ahead of them, not to clear the path for them. This means we have to allow them to fail at times, in a supportive environment.

“If we do that together, we are doing our best to prepare our young people for the challenges ahead.”

Situated on the outskirts of historic market town of Barnard Castle, an extensive transport service is operated from across the North East and North Yorkshire to the school.

Full or flexible boarding options in the school’s friendly, welcoming boarding houses are also provided.

To find out more about what makes education at Barnard Castle School so special, contact a member of the admissions team on 01833 696030 or email admissions@barneyschool.org.uk

• A Prep School open morning is taking place on Saturday, March 19 from 9.30am until 11.30am.
• Senior School open mornings – by appointment only – are being held on Saturday, February 26 and Saturday, March 19.
• Following the success of the school’s recent, oversubscribed Sixth Form information evening, Barnard Castle is delighted to offer personal, private visits for prospective Sixth Form students and their families.