St Peter’s Church of England Primary School in the centre of Harrogate has completed one of the most substantial refurbishments in its history.

The school, which has 267 pupils, has spent £280,000 removing external fire escapes, creating additional classrooms and a new outside play area which includes parkour equipment.

Built in 1883, St Peter’s was Harrogate’s first purpose-built hospital. The hospital was closed in 1932 and then bought a few years later and turned into a school.

Today it is part of the multi-academy Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust which includes St Aidan’s Church of England High School and a number of other Church of England and community schools in the district.

The refurbishment work meant multiple projects at the same time — all crammed into the summer holidays to avoid disrupting the children’s education during term time.

Headteacher Mr Paul Griffiths said:

“We are delighted to have completed this ambitious schedule over the summer holiday to enhance our facilities for the benefit of children, families and our dedicated and talented staff team.

“With fantastic support from Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust we been able to achieve such a huge amount in a short space of time.

“We love the deep history and period features of our Victorian building with its lovely high ceilings and great picture windows and are delighted to be modernising this historic building for the benefit of children and families.”

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The school’s business manager Amanda Foster told the Stray Ferret that there was still more to be done at St Peter’s but for this round of work they’d thought hard about their priorities:

“We had to balance what needed to be done in terms of structural work versus what would directly benefit the children – such as the improved play area.

“With a building this old there are still major restoration needs so we are applying for more grants to get that work done.

“The work we’ve achieved this summer will make a massive difference to our pupils”

Part of the new playground area at St Peter’s

A Harrogate junior school has achieved a ‘good’ rating from Ofsted less than four years after inspectors said it required improvement.

Saltergate Junior School in the Jennyfields area was praised for the “warm and respectful” relationship between teachers and pupils, with “high expectations” for their achievements.

The latest inspection took place in June, with the report published last week. It said:

“Many pupils say there is nothing they would change about their ‘amazing’ school. They thoroughly enjoy the wide range of rich and exciting experiences provided for them.

“School leaders make sure all pupils get lots of opportunities to develop their talents and interests.”

Inspectors praised the school’s leaders and governors for the “significant improvements” made since the last inspection, with changes to the curriculum and teaching continuing throughout the pandemic.

They said some areas of the curriculum which have more recently been introduced still needed further monitoring to ensure they were implemented effectively.

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While three of the four areas of assessment were rated ‘good’, the school was awarded an ‘outstanding’ rating for personal development. Chair of governors Mark Walker said he was “particularly thrilled” with this.

The inspectors added:

“Governors know the school well and provide effective support and challenge. Staff say that leaders are always ready to provide professional and personal support.

“They are rightly proud to work at this school.”

The inspection was carried out under previous headteacher Linda Mortimer, who retired in the summer. New head Joanne Hall said:

“I feel very lucky to be leading such a special school community and to be able to build upon the work achieved so far by Mrs Mortimer and the staff team.

“This successful inspection is thanks to all of our staff at Saltergate in both the infant and the junior schools as we all work closely together for the benefit of our children.

“Our infant school will be inspected at some point in the near future and we hope that Ofsted will be equally impressed.”

Richard Taylor Primary School in Bilton has received a ‘good’ rating by Ofsted.

The government schools inspector, which visited Richard Taylor in June, praised the quality of learning as well as how much children enjoy attending.

The report said pupils work hard to meet the high expectations set by teachers and that children with special educational needs were particularly well supported by a “broad and ambitious” curriculum.

The report said:

“Pupils say that they love school and their friends at Richard Taylor primary.

“Pupils feel safe, and are safe, because staff look after them well and help them with any problems they may have.

“Teachers help them to do their best. They are well supported by school staff.”

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The report praised the “calm and orderly environment” and said child welfare and safeguarding were well catered for. It said:

“Pupils say that bullying does not happen, but if it did, they trust that adults would deal with it quickly.”

Richard Taylor school

Staff, it added, “are proud to work at the school” and “say that leaders support them well”.

Most parents say the school is a “great community to be part of” and feel supported by staff.

Founded in 1793

Richard Taylor was founded in 1793 and moved to its current site on Bilton Lane in 1973.

The 275-pupil school, which is a founding member of the Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust, was last inspected in 2017, when it was also rated ‘good’.

The latest report highlighted “some inconsistencies in staff expertise to deliver phonics”, adding:

“As a result, some pupils in the earliest stages of reading are not competent at blending letter sounds to read a word.”

It said leaders were in the process of putting in place “a more systematic approach to the teaching of phonics”.

Headteacher Andrew Symonds and deputy headteacher Emma Crisell

Andrew Symonds, who has been headteacher at Richard Taylor for 13 years, said:

“Everyone at Richard Taylor school is very pleased with the outcome of our most recent report.

“We are delighted that the inspector recognised the strong sense of community where a culture of respect and kindness is in every classroom.

“The report also clearly identified the strong duty of care and united vision for the pupils, based upon our Christian values, which is shared by everyone associated with the school.

“I would like to thank the children, parents, governors and leaders within the Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust for their hard work and support which is reflected in this report.

“As a school we are ready to focus on the agreed targets for development as we prepare to celebrate 230 years as a learning community in Harrogate and our 50th anniversary on our current site.”

North Yorkshire County Council has published a closure notice for Woodfield Community Primary School that proposes to shut the school for good on December 31.

The document, which is available to read here, said governors have “exhausted all options” to keep the school in Bilton open.

It gives reasons that led to the decision, which it says began when the school was rated inadequate by Ofsted in 2020 and placed into special measures.

The rating meant the school had to become a sponsored academy, but it failed to find a backer.

A proposed merger with Grove Road Community Primary School fell through this year.

The notice says there were 36 pupils enrolled at the school as of July 4, as well as 9 children in its nursery.

Just four applicants put Woodfield as their preferred school for reception entry in September.

The notice also proposes that should the school close, the catchment areas of Bilton Grange Primary School and Grove Road Community Primary School would be expanded to include the current Woodfield school catchment area or parts of it.

A consultation will run until October 6 on the closure. Comments can be made to schoolorganisation@northyorks.gov.uk

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St Aidan’s Church of England High School has appointed an interim headteacher who will start in September.

David Thornton, an experienced head who has led five schools, will join the school on a temporary basis until a permanent appointment is made. He will be the school’s third headteacher in the last 12 months.

Mr Thornton will replace Chris Ives, who has been acting head since Chris Burt left in December 2021 due to health reasons.

Mr Ives has been offered a post as head of an international school in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Mr Thornton will spend some time at St Aidan’s before the summer holidays start. A school spokesperson said he does not want to be considered for the role permanently and it will be recruiting for another headteacher.

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Yesterday, St Aidan’s announced it had received a ‘good’ rating from Ofsted after being rated ‘inadequate’ in January.

The previous report was critical of the school’s leadership and management but the latest report said leaders “have acted swiftly to address the concerns raised at the previous inspection”.

St Aidan’s has shared with the Stray Ferret a letter its governors sent to parents about the change in leadership. It says:

“Mr Thornton is a very experienced head and teacher of history who has led five schools in his career. From establishing a new school in County Durham to supporting the development of new school leaders while in interim roles, his expertise and experience shone throughout the process. We have every confidence that he will be an excellent addition to our school community.   

“Alongside his impressive track record, most recently at a school in the south east, Mr Thornton also demonstrated the values that are so important to St Aidan’s. One line from his application really stood out to us, and he evidenced throughout our discussions that he wants to be, ‘Of service to young people and their community and deliver an outstanding inspirational educational experience for all.’

“We remain enormously grateful to Mr Ives for all that he continues to do as acting headteacher. During this extraordinary year he has led the school in a calm and purposeful manner which has undoubtedly been of significant benefit to staff and students alike. While we know Mr Ives will be hugely missed by us all, we are also excited to be welcoming Mr Thornton to St Aidan’s.”

The governors of Woodfield Community Primary School in Bilton put the wheels in motion today for the school to close.

They have asked North Yorkshire County Council to begin a consultation on closure after nearby Grove Road Community Primary rejected a merger.

Some parents have been offered places for children to start in September.  The proposal is for the school to shut during the next academic year, although a precise date is not known.

A council spokesperson told the Stray Ferret today places offered in September “still exist” but the full implications of today’s news remain unclear.

The governors said in a statement they had exhausted “every possible avenue” and they were moving towards closure “with a very heavy heart”.

The statement said:

“This has been a very difficult time for the school, parents, pupils, staff and governors and we were all hopeful a solution had finally been found with the proposed amalgamation with Grove Road Primary School. Unfortunately, that could not proceed.

“This has left Woodfield Community Primary School in a very vulnerable position and we have had to look again at what options are available for the school.

“The governors have worked incredibly hard to find a positive solution, exploring every available avenue. Unfortunately, it is our conclusion that we have exhausted all options that are available.

“It is with a very heavy heart that the governors of Woodfield school have had to ask the county council to begin the consultation process for closure.’’ 

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The school received an inadequate Ofsted rating following an inspection in January 2020, which required it to become a sponsored academy.

Woodfield Community Primary School, Harrogate

The Regional Schools Commissioner was unable to secure a multi academy trust to sponsor the school, which led the governors to explore a merger with Grove Road.

Merger talks fail

The move, which would have meant Woodfield School technically closed and became part of Grove Road from September this year, fell through in March when Grove Road pulled out, citing concerns about the level of risk.

Stuart Carlton, North Yorkshire County Council’s director of children and young people services, said in a statement:

“The Directive Academy Order and the absence of a sponsor from the academy sector had left Woodfield Community Primary School in a difficult position.

“The county council hoped that the proposed amalgamation would provide a solution to retain education on the school site, but that was not to be.

“I would like to thank the leadership and governors of Woodfield Community Primary School for their diligence in exploring the issues and I share their sadness that closure must now be considered.

“We will now move at pace to seek approval to consult on a proposal that the school should close during the next academic year.

“We will communicate directly with the school’s parents in the coming days on the many questions they will have at this time.’’

If you have a child at Woodfield school and have a view on what’s happening, email us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Harrogate Olympian Axel Brown has treated children at his former prep school to a special show and tell.

Axel Brown attended Brackenfield School between 1995-2003 and returned recently to talk about competing in the two-man bobsleigh at this year’s winter Olympics in Beijing, representing Trinidad and Tobago, the country of his mother’s birth.

Children had the chance to sit in Mr Brown’s bobsleigh and ask questions about his rise to Olympic fame.

Children try out the bobsleigh.

When he competed in Beijing, the school took time out of the day to watch on the big screen and cheer him on.
Mr Brown, who had seen a video of the children watching him, said:

“Seeing the kids cheering me on and chanting my name still gives me goosebumps. Seeing that was genuinely one of the most fulfilling moments of the whole experience. It’s those moments that make it all worth it.”

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Joe Masterson, headteacher at Brackenfield, said:

“Representing Trinidad and Tobago on the international stage is a huge accolade not only for Axel, but for us too – we couldn’t be more proud of the heights Axel has reached so far and we’re certain there is more to come from our super-fast and super-agile ex-pupil!”

Mr Brown, who also attended Harrogate Grammar School, played American football for Division 1 NCAA team the Colorado State Rams before taking up bobsleigh in 2014.

He said:

“I have always preferred sports with short fast efforts like sprinting, which is why I played American football in place of rugby. I also like the idea of taking one aspect of a skill and trying to do it really well, so bobsleigh has allowed me to focus and really find a niche.”

Founded in 1977, Brackenfield, is an independent school for boys and girls aged two to 11.

St Aidan’s Church of England High School’s new floodlit artificial sports pitch is set to open from 6pm to 8pm for community clubs to use.

The school has launched a consultation on when the FIFA-approved pitch can be hired, as well as the type of floodlights that will be built.

Last January councillors gave the school permission to build the pitch, despite the council’s own report recommending refusal.

Some nearby residents had complained that the 15-metre high floodlights would cause light pollution to their homes and the Stray.

However, the application attracted a huge amount of support from Harrogate residents, with some hailing “people power” for helping to influence councillors’ decisions.

Hours of use

The consultation document proposes the pitch will be available from 6pm to 8pm from Monday to Friday.

On Saturdays, it would be available for hire from 9am to 5pm and on Sundays from 10am to 2pm.

During school holidays, the pitch would be available to be booked from 9am to 4pm.

It says prices will be similar to other council-run facilities in the Harrogate area.

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The school will employ its own staff to manage and operate the facility and a committee will review its hours of use every year.

There has been a lack of 3G pitches available in Harrogate since Harrogate Town were forced to remove theirs following promotion to the English Football League two years ago.

Harrogate Grammar School has been rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted.

The Harrogate district’s largest school announced last night it had retained its outstanding verdict in its first full assessment for 15 years.

Ofsted has yet to publish the report but the school said in a statement that government inspectors had judged the school to be outstanding overall and in all five areas assessed: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management and sixth form provision.

Inspectors described the school as “an extremely rewarding place to learn” with “an exceptional curriculum”. They added:

“Effective teaching and assessment enable pupils to learn well. This depth of knowledge is sustained from key stage 3 to the sixth form.

“Through sports, outdoor pursuits and performance opportunities, pupils develop their skills and self-confidence. Pupils are articulate and polite. They are keen to engage in discussion and debate. Teachers make sure that pupils’ views are heard.”

Ofsted described the sixth form curriculum as “exceptional”, offering students “an extensive range of subjects”. It added:

“The headteacher has built a very strong team of leaders at all levels. Leaders demonstrate clear moral purpose in their actions.

“Leaders maintain a constant focus on the safety and well-being of pupils. Pupils feel safe because of the supportive environment built by staff.”

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Headteacher ‘very proud’

Neil Renton

Headteacher Neil Renton praised students, parents, staff, governors and colleagues at Red Kite Learning Trust, which the school is a member of, for the outcome. He added:

“It makes us very proud to see the exceptional commitment that we experience every day from our community, being recognised in this way.”

Six inspectors visited Harrogate Grammar over two days last month.

Tougher regime

Ofsted’s assessment regime has become tougher since inspections resumed after covid in September 2021. Only 50% per cent of schools have maintained their outstanding judgement since then.

In January, Harrogate’s St Aidan’s Church of England High School, which was previously rated ‘outstanding’, was assessed as ‘inadequate’.

Christopher Russell, Ofsted’s national director of education, said:

“There’s no doubt that under the current education inspection framework, outstanding is a challenging and exacting judgement to achieve.”

Paul Cotton, chair of governors at Harrogate Grammar, said,

“The Ofsted report captures so clearly what takes place each and every day at the school. Harrogate Grammar School is indeed an extremely rewarding place to learn.”

Richard Sheriff, chief executive of Red Kite Learning Trust, said:

“Students benefit from an exceptional curriculum at Harrogate Grammar School.”

More than 200 children from a Harrogate primary school took part in a peace walk for Ukraine this morning.

Pupils from St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, on Coppice Rise, walked from the school to St John’s Church on Bilton Lane to raise money and awareness for those fleeing the conflict.

Children were encouraged to come to school dressed in yellow and blue, the colours of the Ukraine flag, for the walk and to make a donation to the UNICEF campaign to support children in the country.

Beforehand, they took part in a liturgy led by pupils from years three and five.

Pupils at St Joseph’s with their banners which they created for the Ukraine walk.

Children sang peace hymns for Ukraine, held prayers and read from passages in the Bible.

Rachel Rouse, headteacher at St Joseph’s, said:

“We do a lot of fundraising for other things.

“We felt as a whole school that we needed to do something for Ukraine.”

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On the walk, pupils were given blue and yellow ribbons and waved banners at passing drivers on Skipton Road.

Once at St John’s, the whole school gathered to sing a hymn to show they were united for Ukraine before returning to finish with further prayers and singing.

You can donate to Unicef’s campaign for children here.