Hot Seat: ‘We are a proud school, independent-minded’

As an opening bowler for Ouseburn Cricket Club, Jonathan Webb has sent down a fair few short pitched deliveries over the years.

But as headteacher of Ripon Grammar School, he must sometimes feel he spends his entire professional life dodging bouncers.

Ripon Grammar is one of 163 UK grammar schools, and Yorkshire’s only state only state boarding school.

Founded in 1555, it is a unique and successful institution but even it is feeling the winds of change.

Covid, mental health, energy bills, pastoral care, academisation, Ofsted — all these issues weigh on leaders’ minds, never mind teaching.

Mr Webb says the last academic year, which ended on Friday, was “less disrupted” by covid than the previous one but the ongoing aftermath is, in some ways, even more damaging. He says:

“Academically our students did relatively well during covid although some did struggle. Where things have been more challenging is the socialising and, dare I say it, the civilising aspect of school.

“By not having that daily interaction with their peers they have got out of that rhythm.”

Many young people were struggling with the corrosive impact of social media and mobile phones even before covid increased their sense of isolation. Mr Webb says:

“A lot of things young people have to deal with, we never had to deal with. Even mobile phones have changed the way students interact with each other and they extend the school day.

“Mental health is a huge issue. But children are much more willing to talk about it. When I was at school the phrase ‘mental health’ wasn’t even coined.”

Jonathan Webb Ripon Grammar

With students at Ripon Grammar School.

Are schools being asked to fill gaps caused by under-funded services?

“It feels like that. There is a big pressure on schools now. Increasingly we can’t just be establishments of education in the old fashioned sense of the world. We have an increasing and growing responsibility in terms of mental health practical support and safeguarding as well.”

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Improving Ripon

Mr Webb was educated at Batley Grammar School and has a history degree from Cambridge. Friendly and approachable, he was deputy head at Durham School for five years before moving to Ripon in 2017.

When he joined, he talked about there always being room for improvement. What does he think has been achieved?

He cites pastoral support. The school now has a pastoral management team with five heads of year, a pastoral support officer, a student welfare officer and a counsellor comes into school three days a week.

Looking ahead, he says pastoral care will remain a priority but there’s plenty else to ponder over summer, such as updating the school’s “pretty antiquated” heating system at a time of soaring energy bills and preparing for a visit from Ofsted.

Ripon Grammar hasn’t had an Ofsted inspection since 2012 when it was rated ‘outstanding’ although its boarding school was assessed to be ‘good’ this year.

Mr Webb says:

“We’ve been ready or aware since January that an inspection is imminent.”

Becoming an academy

There’s also the looming prospect of being forced to join an academy, as part of government’s plans for all schools to go down this route by 2030.

For a school that has excelled in splendid isolation for 450 years, this isn’t an entirely welcome prospect. Heavily oversubscribed at 11+, in 2021, 72 per cent of pupils achieved 9-7 at GCSE and 60 per cent achieved A*/A at A level. At least 85 per cent of students stay on for the sixth form and the over 60 per cent go to Russell Group universities.

There doesn’t seem to be a great reason to change but Mr Webb acknowledges  “academies are the direction of travel”, adding:

“We are a proud school, independent-minded. Inevitably joining a trust involves joining with other schools. However we have to accept it’s going to happen and embrace the benefits.”

Jonathan Webb Ripon Grammar

Boarding fees

Ripon Grammar, which moved to its present 23-acre site in 1874, is free for day pupils. Boarding costs about £11,000 to £12,000 a year, which is about a third the price of independent alternatives.

Former pupils include fashion designer Bruce Oldfield, former Conservative Party leader William Hague MP, Guardian editor Katharine Viner, TV presenter Richard Hammond and Olympic gold medallist diver Jack Laugher.

Mr Webb says there is a renewed focus on high quality teaching and learning. He’s particularly keen on oracy or, as he puts it, “developing the way students speak in an erudite and informed manner”, adding:

“It’s a life skill that never leaves somebody.”

The school is also embedding new subjects such as GCSE PE and A-level politics into the curriculum.

Mr Webb, who lives with his wife Helen and two sons near Ripon, has now spent as long at Ripon as he did at Durham but intends to continue. He says:

“I love this school and I love the job. I live very locally and both of my boys are here. They are doing well and enjoying it so I don’t see any need to move on at this stage.”

 

 

 

 

Harrogate hospital records increase in heat-related illnesses

Harrogate District Hospital recorded an increase in heat-related illnesses during this week’s record-breaking temperatures as it also warned of extra pressures from a further rise in covid patients.

The hospital saw a 10% increase in visitors with conditions such as heat exhaustion or heat stroke, while covid patient numbers have tripled to 33 since the end of June.

Dr Matt Shepherd, deputy chief operating officer at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, said demand on services was “higher than we would typically expect” for summer and that there is “no doubt” much of this was due to the pandemic.

He added: 

“Extreme weather, such as heatwaves, also adds additional pressure on hospital services.

“We need to ensure that the people in our care and our staff are not unduly affected by increasing temperatures and we have severe weather plans in place to address any issues.

“Waiting times to be seen during these times can also be longer than usual due to demand.”

Temperatures are easing today after approaching 40 degrees in the district yesterday when North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service declared a ‘major incident’ on the hottest day ever recorded in the county. It said today it had ‘stood down’ this status.

Gosh it was a hot one yesterday! ☀️ As you know we, like most other fire services around the country, declared a major incident due to the level of demand. The good news is we have now stood down this status and have returned to expected levels of demand.

— North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service (@NorthYorksFire) July 20, 2022

As well as causing a surge in demand for emergency services, the heatwave also led to cancellations for train services and forced some schools to shut.

The forecast for today is still warm, but cooler on Thursday and Friday with highs of 19C in Harrogate.

Covid pressures

Covid infections and hospital admissions have been creeping up since the end of spring and after the emergence of the BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants of Omicron.

Dr Shepherd said while most patients are not falling seriously ill with the virus, it was still causing pressure for the hospital which is battling long backlogs.

He said: 

“Since we emerged from lockdown, our priority has been to reduce the backlog for operations and treatment.

“The increased number of planned operations being performed has added to the pressures, but it has meant we have been able to reduce our waiting lists and no longer have any patients who have been waiting over two years for treatment.”

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The Harrogate district’s weekly infection rate has been climbing steadily over the last few months and currently stands at 288 cases per 100,000 people.

The latest figure is up from 52 in May, but well below the previous peak of 1,007 in March.

The increase comes as the government has announced that everyone aged 50 and over will be offered a booster vaccine this autumn to top up their immunity.

Younger people at high risk from covid, as well as health and social care staff, will also get the booster.

Dr Shepherd added: 

“Covid vaccinations have been extremely successful in reducing the severity of the virus, however, the highly infectious nature of the new variants is having an impact at our hospital.

“Thankfully, most patients who have tested positive are here for other medical issues or surgical procedures rather than having acute covid symptoms.

“However, in most cases it does mean that their treatment cannot be progressed until they test negative, which increases the time they need to stay in hospital and reduces the number of beds we have available.

“Whilst we are much better prepared at treating covid than we were two years ago, this virus has not gone away and it still has a significant impact on the hospital and is still a threat to people’s health – particularly vulnerable or unvaccinated patients.”

Positive covid patients at Harrogate hospital doubles in three weeks

The number of patients at Harrogate District Hospital who tested positive for covid has more than doubled in three weeks.

Latest figures supplied by Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust show 35 covid-positive patients are currently in hospital — a rise from 14 on June 25.

Of that number, six are primarily receiving treatment for covid.

The figure peaked at 42 positive patients on July 5, but has since declined.

Harrogate hospital officials have put the rise in cases down to the spread of the more transmissible Omicron variant.

Health officials have warned that hospitals are under extreme pressure due to a rise in cases.

West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts, which includes Harrogate hospital, said that the increase in cases has meant the availability of beds has been impacted.

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This combined with covid-related staff sickness means patients are also facing delays for planned treatment, officials said.

Dr Phil Wood, chief medical officer at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: 

“The significant upsurge in covid-19 cases in West Yorkshire and Harrogate means that our hospitals are facing extreme pressures. Our teams are doing everything they can to make sure that services are safe and, in some cases, planned treatment may need to be postponed.

“We are aware that some people have been waiting for planned operations for a very long time and, wherever possible, we will ensure these go ahead as planned.

“Thankfully, the number of very seriously ill people needing treatment in intensive care for covid-19 is very small and accounts for less than two per cent of total inpatient cases. 

“The covid-19 vaccine is very effective at preventing severe disease in those who have been immunised and I’d encourage anyone who has not yet had their vaccine to book an appointment through the NHS.uk website.”

Starbeck cafe tackling the cost of living crisis

A cafe in Starbeck has become a hub for the local community, which is rallying together in the face of the cost of living crisis.

The Living Room Café is run by Sarah Khanye and inside the Life Destiny Church at 93b High Street.

The family-friendly space opens from Tuesday to Friday from 9am until 3pm and hosts a variety of events that aim to bring the community together with homemade food, drinks and treats available.

Ms Khanye, 31, has worked in catering all her life. When the Stray Ferret visited yesterday, she looked at home with a spoon in a bowl as she made a cake.

She set up the cafe over two years ago, before covid and before the cost of living crisis.

Both have unquestionably increased stress, isolation and anxiety for people living in Starbeck.

The cafe aims to be not just a place to fill up your belly, but also somewhere where local families and friends can get together in a welcoming space.

Ms Khayne said:

“One cup of tea can last all day. The cafe helps people feel safe, combats loneliness and improves mental health.”

Affordability

The cafe is volunteer-run, with prices kept affordable.

It also includes a pantry and community fridge that includes donated food from places like the Co-op, which people are able to pay for with whatever they can afford.

The cafe also hosts events including community running clubs, craft and coffee mornings and get-togethers for mums, among other activities.

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Cost of living

Starbeck is one of the least affluent areas in the Harrogate district with many residents more vulnerable to increasing prices.

Life Destiny Church also runs a food bank, which has seen demand increase sharply.

Ms Khanye says in the last two months alone, the number of people coming to the food bank has gone up by a “massive, massive” amount as the cost of living crisis continues to bite.

She said:

“People in Starbeck are worried about the cost of living. A lot of people have limited income so numbers are growing.”

But with difficult times ahead, Ms Khanye believes Starbeck will stick together through choppy waters.

She added:

“I just like to see people enjoy the community where they live.

“Seeing families being able to support each other is massive. It would be a sad thing not to work here!”

Some of the events the cafe puts on.

Harrogate hospital urges visitors to wear masks amid covid case rise

Harrogate District Hospital has urged visitors to wear a mask on inpatient wards following rising covid cases.

The district has seen a spike in cases of the virus this past month due to the spread of the more transmissible Omicron variant.

At the end of May, the district’s rate of infection was 55 people per 100,000. It is now 218.

Now, officials at the hospital have urged visitors to inpatient wards to wear a mask when coming to the hospital.

A statement from Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust said:

“Due to rising covid-19 rates in the community, please can visitors wear a mask on our inpatient wards to protect our patients and staff, and prevent the spread of the virus.”

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Harrogate hospital is also treating 11 patients who tested positive for covid. However, none of those patients are in hospital primarily for treatment for the virus.

Last week, public health officials in North Yorkshire urged people to take measures to avoid covid after the rate surged.

Dr Victoria Turner, public health consultant at North Yorkshire County Council, said:

“Cases of covid are once again rising across the UK, including in North Yorkshire.

“The latest increase is being driven by the BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants of Omicron, which has also caused high rates in other countries across the world.

“There is evidence that BA.4 and BA.5 are more transmissible than previous variants, and there is limited protection from infection with previous variants against BA.4 and BA.5.”

Harrogate District Hospital sees rise in covid cases

Harrogate District Hospital has seen a rise in covid case this past month due to the spread of new variants.

The hospital currently has 11 patients who have tested positive for covid.

However, none of those patients are primarily in hospital for treatment for the virus.

It comes as the Harrogate district has seen a rise in cases due to the spread of the more transmissible Omicron variant.

At the end of May, the district’s rate of infection was 55 people per 100,000. It is now 172.

A spokesperson for Harrogate District Hospital said:

“There has been a rise in covid cases at Harrogate District Hospital over the last month as numbers rise in the community due to the new covid variants. This is a trend which is being seen across the country.

“We currently have 11 patients at Harrogate District Hospital who have tested positive for covid and none of these are primarily in hospital for treatment for covid.

“The trust continues to manage covid patients in line with national guidance. Patients with covid are cared for in specific areas of the hospital to minimise transmission and in these areas more strict PPE is in use.”

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Last week, public health officials in North Yorkshire urged people to take measures to avoid covid after the rate surged.

Dr Victoria Turner, public health consultant at North Yorkshire County Council, said:

“Cases of covid are once again rising across the UK, including in North Yorkshire.

“The latest increase is being driven by the BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants of Omicron, which has also caused high rates in other countries across the world.

“There is evidence that BA.4 and BA.5 are more transmissible than previous variants, and there is limited protection from infection with previous variants against BA.4 and BA.5.”

Dr Turner added that getting vaccinated, meeting outdoors or in well-ventilated areas indoors, wearing face coverings in enclosed spaces, and good hand and respiratory hygiene would reduce the risk of transmission.

She also advised people with covid symptoms to try to stay at home for five days following the day of their positive result.

Calls for action over ‘overwhelmed’ North Yorkshire children’s mental health services

Children’s community mental health services need a root and branch review, officials in North Yorkshire have said.

North Yorkshire County Council’s director of children and young people’s services Stuart Carlton, said ongoing concerns over a lack of available support had been highlighted to the Department for Education.

It comes amid concerns the strategy to deal with a post-pandemic surge in youngsters requiring support is grossly inadequate.

Mr Carlton said increasing the amount of help for children with mental health issues ranked alongside child exploitation and online safety as the most significant challenges his colleagues were facing.

He was speaking at a meeting of the authority’s children and young people’s scrutiny committee a year after the NHS announced it was rapidly expanding children’s mental health services to offer support teams in schools to almost three million pupils by 2023.

At the time, the NHS said by intervening in mental health issues early it was hoped to prevent problems escalating into serious concerns.

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Earlier this year the committee heard mental health services for children in the county and elsewhere were struggling to cope with an “exponential growth in demand” due to the isolation and upheaval of the pandemic, compounded by factors like pressure experienced by children on social media platforms.

In February, Tees Esk and Wear Valley NHS Trust bosses told the scrutiny meeting its community-based mental health team (CAMHS) was treating more than 2,500 children across the county.

They said referrals to its services for issues such as eating disorders had risen from about 100 a month at start of pandemic to more than 300 a month during 2021.

18-month waiting list

Four months on, a youth support worker told the committee the waiting list for CAMHS had risen to 18 months, which was not a sufficiently timely reaction to what children needed.

She said: 

“The biggest challenge we face on the ground is mental health. I cannot overestimate how challenging it is. Pretty much all the young people we work with have some element of mental ill health.”

When asked about a timeframe for getting mental health support teams into schools, Mr Carlton said the authority had told government officials the scheme was too being implemented too slowly and the ambition needed to be to get mental health teams available for all schools.

He added: 

“I just don’t see how that’s going to happen. I have called nationally for a fundamental CAMHS review because it is not working. It needs significant funding and significant review and enacting clearly across the whole of the country.”

Mr Carlton said the authority was providing support to schools through mental heath training while working with North Yorkshire NHS bosses to reassess what was needed from the service and how it could be modernised.

He said there had been promising collaborative work with the NHS, but financing extra support for children would be “very challenging”.

Mr Carlton said:

“We can see through the pandemic increased demand. The services are probably feeling a bit overwhelmed and overstretched and it’s an area of absolute focus.

“Any interaction with a child from a professional is a mental health opportunity. However, we need enough capacity for specialist support when it is required.”

New covid advice after Harrogate district rate triples in June

People are being urged to take measures to avoid covid after the rate of infection tripled in the Harrogate district this month.

The covid rate had been decreasing across North Yorkshire since the end of March. But the trend has reversed in recent weeks due to a more transmissible variant of Omicron.

At the end of May, the district’s rate of infection was 55 people per 100,000. It is now 172.

Dr Victoria Turner, public health consultant at North Yorkshire County Council, said:

“Cases of covid are once again rising across the UK, including in North Yorkshire.

“The latest increase is being driven by the BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants of Omicron, which has also caused high rates in other countries across the world.

“There is evidence that BA.4 and BA.5 are more transmissible than previous variants, and there is limited protection from infection with previous variants against BA.4 and BA.5.”

Dr Turner said getting vaccinated, meeting outdoors or in well-ventilated areas indoors, wearing face coverings in enclosed spaces, and good hand and respiratory hygiene would reduce the risk of transmission.

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She also advised people with covid symptoms to try to stay at home for five days following the day of their positive result.

Free covid testing is no longer available for most people, but tests can be bought from pharmacies. Dr Turner said:

“It is still best to try to avoid covid infection wherever possible, or minimise the number of times you have it.

“Even if you do not develop severe symptoms from the initial infection you are still at risk of developing long covid, which can be debilitating.

“You are also at increased risk from cardiovascular problems such as heart attacks and strokes in the days and weeks following covid infection.”

Sue Peckitt, NHS North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group chief nurse and director of nursing and quality, added:

“There are still a significant number of people in our hospitals who have covid and it’s a stark reminder that coronavirus hasn’t gone away. This virus is still causing some people to become very unwell.”

North Yorkshire Council faces £50m black hole, says finance boss

North Yorkshire County Council’s finance boss has said the new unitary local authority is facing a possible black hole of close to £50 million a year.

Cllr Gareth Dadd, executive member for finance at the county council, said the situation was largely due to deficits it will inherit from district councils and high inflation.

Cllr Dadd said it was far too early for the authority, which will come into existence on April 1 next year, to be considering service cutbacks.

Due to the range of uncertainties facing the authority including the ongoing impact of covid, he likened setting the council’s budgets to “trying to juggle two bowls of jelly”.

He was speaking at a meeting of the Conservative-led authority’s executive where a move to top up a fund to cover the costs of local government reorganisation to £38 million was approved.

Although he did not estimate the total structural deficits that the seven second tier authorities, including Harrogate Borough Council, would have accumulated by the time the new council is launched in April, he said it was believed it would be “substantial”.

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However, it has been estimated the combined ongoing deficits of the district and borough councils could be in the region of £10 million.

In addition, ahead of the recent increasing inflation rate the county authority had been prepared to cover a deficit of up to £20 million.

With inflationary pressures, which include the council’s gas and electricity bill rising by some £3m, it is believed the total deficit could nearly reach £50 million.

Cllr Dadd told today’s meeting: 

“That is a frightening figure, but nonetheless, I think we are right to raise that at this stage.”

‘Higher uncertainty and risk’

An officer’s report to the meeting said: 

“As further savings are required the schemes to achieve these will become more challenging and inevitably contain a higher level of uncertainty and risk. Therefore, it is imperative that delivery of each saving is closely monitored.

“As well as direct costs, higher inflation will feed into increased charges from suppliers and put pressure on wage levels for our own workforce and the wider supply chain. 

“Effective budgetary control will remain critically important in the coming year but this alone is unlikely to be able to stave off unanticipated price increases in delivering the range of council services. 

“This is, of course, at the same time as undertaking key work in transitioning to the new unitary council.”

Cllr Dadd said while the authority had been successful in cutting costs during austerity, it would never be complacent about sound financial management.

The meeting heard the county council’s business case for local government reorganisation had provided for a £252 million saving over a five-year period after £38 million in costs were taken off.

Cllr Dadd said he would be astounded if all of the £38 million was needed for the reorganisation.

Online meetings during covid saved council £4m

The introduction of online meetings due to covid saved North Yorkshire County Council £4 million.

An officer’s report to a meeting of the authority’s executive tomorrow reveals the huge amount of money saved as well as environmental benefits.

The staff mileage bill fell by more than £1.7 million In the year to April 2021 compared with the previous 12 months.

Staff drove 4,117,062 fewer miles to meetings than in 2019/20.

The introduction of online meetings by the authority, which employs 15,000 staff, saw a total saving of almost £4 million, the equivalent to more than 2,700 average annual council tax bills.

The report estimates over the two years it saved 369,500 hours, or 49,200 working days, the equivalent to some 233 full-time staff.
It states:

“Over 2,000 employees had moved quickly to work from home at the start of the pandemic and the way in which teams can work remotely and virtually has been transformational.

“There has been a carefully considered approach to developing future ways of working post-covid following whole organisation engagement in 2021.

“Hybrid working has been welcomed by council staff. This new approach provides great flexibility for many roles.”

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The authority, which aims to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030, reduced carbon emissions by 2,710 tonnes over the two years because of the reduced mileage.

The council aims to generate further post-pandemic savings by rationalising its extensive property portfolio as more work is completed virtually and demand for physical meeting spaces has been reduced.

The officer’s report states:

“It should also be noted these savings are just in terms of travelling to and from meetings.

“The savings to individual members of staff working from home, fuel cost and time, and to the environment, will be significantly bigger.

“Although some of these figures will start to increase again as staff return to the office on a more frequent basis, there will be many other benefits that new ways of working have brought us that can be retained.”

7m fewer documents printed

The report highlights other benefits of changed working practices, including improved attendance at multi-agency meetings, the ability to attend more meetings and arrange meetings sooner than if relying on getting people together at the same place.

With many staff working from home and attending meetings online, there has been a sharp reduction in the number of documents being printed.

In the year before the pandemic the council’s staff printed some 14.5 million sheets of paper compared to 7.6 million last year. Over the last two years the reduction in printing has saved the equivalent of 1,800 trees.

The authority’s deputy leader, Councillor Gareth Dadd, said while it remained unclear as to the level of savings that the work practice changes would produce in the coming years, how technology could be used to cut travel would “feature very heavily in our thinking moving forward”.