A village primary school near Ripon has been graded ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted in its latest report.
Dishforth Airfield Primary School was praised across the board by inspectors, who described the school community as “safe, happy and highly ambitious”.
In the report, published this week, they said:
“Pupils thrive at this exceptional school. Staff expectations for pupils’ behaviour and achievement are very high. Pupils behave extremely well in lessons and are highly enthusiastic about their learning. They talk confidently about what they know and take pride in their work.
“Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported and make excellent progress. Staff know how to get the best out of every child.”
While visiting the school last month, inspectors noted that many of the pupils had a parent or carer serving in the armed forces.
They found pupils were “extremely well supported” with this, including through a club for them to join while their parents were deployed overseas.
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The early years provision was described as “superb”, while curriculum planning throughout the school was “extremely well thought through”.
Inspectors praised pupils’ behaviour across the school, as well as their understanding of life in modern Britain.
The report added:
“The leadership team is deeply committed to providing pupils with the very best curriculum and pastoral care. Governors are experts in education. They support and challenge leaders to continually develop the school.
“Teachers describe a supportive ethos. Workload is well managed. Leaders ensure that staff access high-quality training and coaching. Subject leaders receive very effective support. They are confident in their roles. There are regular opportunities for collaborative working.”
The school, which has around 100 pupils aged from three to 11, was rated ‘outstanding’ at its last full inspection in 2015. However, Ofsted has since changed the way it grades schools meaning fewer are now achieving the top rating.
Its leaders have welcomed the latest report, saying it puts Dishforth Airfield Primary School among only 17% of previously ‘outstanding’ schools to maintain that rating.
Headteacher Julie Lyon said:
“The inspector’s judgement is testament to the hard work, determination and commitment shown by all the staff at the school as well as the governors which in turn enables the children to flourish.”
Chair of governors Jim Brown added:
Ofsted rates Harrogate pre-school ‘outstanding’ for first time“It is a fantastic result for the whole school. A testimony to the hard work, dedication and teamwork of everyone involved including our excellent pupils over a number of years. Results like this do not happen overnight.
“Let’s hope everybody can look forward to the summer break with a smile on their face and a spring in their step and come back in September refreshed and ready to continue where they left off.”
“Passionate” staff and a “stimulating” environment combine to make Harrogate’s Performatots an ‘outstanding’ pre-school, according to Ofsted.
The latest report by the government’s inspectors praises the way the setting teaches children language and maths, as well as skills including food preparation and hygiene.
Performatots was inspected alongside Northern Performance Academy, a performing arts school that is part of the same business run by Kelly Nevett.
In a report published this week, Ofsted inspector Jo Clark said:
“Children show high levels of curiosity and a sense of wonder in their learning. For example, during a unique birthday walk children sing and celebrate the earth revolving around the sun for each year of a child’s birth.
“They celebrate the life of the child, as children and staff offer words of thanks and best wishes. This helps children to feel safe and secure.
“Children develop their emotional literacy through speech and drama classes in their wonderful theatre. Specialist drama teachers support children to identify feelings using coloured scarves. Children use a red scarf to depict an angry emotion.
“They skilfully use their words to explain their feelings. A child places a calm coloured scarf around the child and says, ‘I’ll protect you.’ Children learn to understand their emotions and develop a positive mental attitude.”
The report said children “showed tremendous levels of independence” such as when taking food for lunch and choosing their seats.
It said this made them “superbly prepared” for the next steps in their education.
Ms Clark’s report also said:
“Management and staff are inspirational in their vision for providing children with exceptional and unique learning experiences. They are dedicated in developing the skills and knowledge of all staff to ensure the best outcomes for children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
“Partnership with parents is exceptional. Staff provide parents with the skills and knowledge to continue and extend their child’s learning and development at home.”
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The report did not give any suggestions for improvement, rating all four areas of education ‘outstanding’.
The new rating – a step up from the previous ‘good’ grading given in 2017 – has been welcomed by Performatots, based on Anchor Road.
Owner and principal Kelly Nevett said:
“We are all absolutely over the moon to receive this recognition for Northern Performance Academy and especially our early years department of exceptionally passionate, talented teachers.
“We are a school that champions the power of the arts in education, shining a spotlight on the incredible way they bring learning to life and help young people to be confident, creative, curious and capable. We are thrilled that our unique, pioneering approach to the early years curriculum, was judged to be outstanding.
“Our glowing report has made many of our parents cry – for all the right reasons! It’s so reassuring for parents to know that their children are receiving the very best level of early education and care available to them. Who wouldn’t want their child to have an outstanding start to their life?”
Ms Nevett said the grading was particularly welcome after Ofsted changed its criteria in 2021, making the top rating harder to achieve.
While the inspection only took place on one day in February, she said it reflected much more than what was seen during that small window.
Nidderdale school celebrates top rating from inspectors“It’s about the years and years prior to that moment of consistently analysing, evaluating and evolving in order to become the very best you can be. It’s a journey and it doesn’t just happen, so it’s about the blood, sweat and tears, the set-backs, the knocks, the sleepless nights, the juggling, the failures and the low points.
“We are where we are through sheer hard work, determination and a relentless pursuit of excellence. Despite receiving no recommendations for improvement from Ofsted, we have fostered a fantastic company culture and a vision to always be improving. I know we will continue to reflect, enhance and develop the amazing opportunities available here.”
A school in Nidderdale has been praised by inspectors for its education – including an ‘outstanding’ rating for its nursery.
Belmont Grosvenor School in Birstwith, which caters for children up to 11 years old, was visited by the Independent Schools Inspectorate, which regulates private schools across England.
It was found to meet all eight requirements in its preparatory school, including pupil welfare, quality of education, and its leadership and management. The ISI does not give a rating to schools it inspects in this way.
Meanwhile, its Magic Tree Nursery was given a full inspection and rated ‘outstanding’. In their report, inspectors said:
“Staff demonstrate a deep knowledge of how children of this age learn and develop. All children under the age of three make at least good and often rapid progress from their starting points and are well prepared for the next stage in their education.
“Children’s personal and emotional development is clearly well supported, and the children consistently demonstrate that they feel safe, secure and happy, willing to engage not only with familiar staff but also with visitors.
“Staff have an excellent understanding of safeguarding and welfare requirements, and they fulfil their responsibility for protecting children diligently. Leaders and managers demonstrate strong commitment to continuous improvement through detailed cohesive self-evaluation and a clear vision for future developments.
“This ensures that all children receive the best possible support and care.”
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The report also praised the clear direction given to staff by the leadership, strong links with parents, and the opportunities offered to children at the nursery.
The inspectors added:
“Extremely effective care practices support children’s emotional security and the development of their character.
“The exceptional relationships that children have with the adults around them are built on strong, secure attachments. Each key person’s excellent knowledge of their children’s unique needs ensure they know how to respond effectively.”
The report said there could be more use of natural resources to enhance children’s play, and that the governors could be more involved in providing vision and oversight to the nursery to ensure it continued to perform well.
Headmaster Mr Nathan Sadler, who joined Belmont Grosvenor School at the start of the academic year, said”
‘Ambitious’ Ripon school praised by Ofsted for transformation“Our school community is very pleased with the outcome of the inspection. Most pleasingly, the inspection team could not sing the praises of our pupils enough, describing them as an absolute delight.
“The inspection process is a great validation tool and will also help us determine what will come next at BGS.”
A Ripon primary school has received a ‘good’ rating from Ofsted five years after it was branded failing.
Outwood Primary Academy Greystone joined the Outwood Grange Academies Trust after it was rated ‘inadequate’ in 2017.
Now, in its first inspection since joining the trust, the school has been praised for the way it has turned around its standards.
Inspectors said:
“School and trust leaders have a clear vision and ambition for the school. Their relentless focus on ‘raising standards and transforming lives’ has secured rapid improvement.
“This transformation is a result of their swift action and hard work to improve the quality of education for all.”
The school’s early years provision was rated ‘outstanding’, with inspectors highlighting the “well-resourced” indoor and outdoor classrooms and “ambitious” curriculum designed to offer the best start to their education.
Inspectors also praised the way to school created “confident and fluent” readers through an effective phonics programme, as well as supporting those pupils who needed more help.
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The report said teachers were thorough in delivering the curriculum and checking children’s knowledge. However, it said some subject leaders were newer to their roles and there were still some gaps in pupils’ knowledge which had not been recognised.
Inspectors also said the assessment process in some subjects could be more rigorous to ensure teachers were getting an accurate picture of pupils’ knowledge compared to what they expected.
The school was also advised to ensure any concerns raised by pupils were acted upon and systems for dealing with them were followed, to give children the confidence to report their worries.
The inspectors added:
“Leaders have systems in place to ensure that all pupils regularly attend school. Their mission is that every pupil develops as a well-rounded and responsible citizen.
“All pupils work towards the ‘Outwood Primary Diploma’. Pupils complete activities such as how to be a good British and international citizen. These activities are helping to prepare pupils for their adult lives ahead.
“Staff feel that leaders genuinely care about their well-being and workload. They feel supported. Staff appreciate the training and coaching they receive from school and trust leaders.”
Outwood Primary Academy Greystone principal Emma Abbott said:
St Aidan’s school in Harrogate receives ‘good’ Ofsted rating“We are delighted that the hard work of the school community has been recognised by Ofsted and we are now officially a ‘good’ school with an ‘outstanding’ early years foundation stage.
“Since joining the Outwood family, the academy has gone from strength to strength, raising standards and transforming lives. We are proud that the report acknowledges that ‘Pupils love to learn at Greystone’ and that they are ‘happy and feel safe’.”
St. Aidan’s Church of England High School has received a ‘good’ rating from Ofsted, six months after being rated ‘inadequate’.
The inadequate rating came as a shock to many staff and parents, as the school had previously been graded ‘outstanding’.
When a school is rated inadequate it has to wait up to three years before another full inspection and is subject to regular monitoring visits to check on progress.
But after the first monitoring visit at St Aidan’s in May, inspectors felt the rating “was not a fair reflection of the school” and returned two days later for a full three-day inspection.
In the previous report, published in January, the school was rated ‘good’ in all areas except leadership and management, which was rated ‘inadequate’ and meant it automatically achieved the same overall outcome.
It was highly critical of the school’s safeguarding policies and said pupils were “at risk of harm”. However, the new report said the school has “robust systems in place” for safeguarding.
It praised leaders for “swiftly” addressing the concerns raised in the prior report.
The report added:
“Staff know the signs that suggest a pupil may be at risk of harm. Adults promptly report any concerns they have. Leaders take swift action to ensure that pupils are safe.
“Where necessary, leaders refer concerns to appropriate external agencies.”
Nurturing environment
The secondary school has over 2,500 pupils, which includes those in a shared sixth form with St John Fisher Catholic High School.
The report said the sixth form provision was ‘outstanding’ and pupils “demonstrate a real love of learning”.
The new Ofsted report also gave an ‘outstanding’ rating to behaviour and attitudes at St Aidan’s, calling it a “happy school with a positive and nurturing environment where pupils flourish.”
It added:
“Pupils enjoy their lessons and value teachers’ knowledge and enthusiasm for their subject. Leaders have established clear routines that result in calm lessons. This enables pupils to focus on their work. They are keen to succeed.”
Quality of education and personal development were rated ‘good’.
The report said:
“Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They bring their subject to life for pupils with the clarity of their explanations and richness of examples. Pupils are captivated in lessons and are keen to answer the questions that teachers ask.”
The school’s response
Chris Ives, the school’s acting headteacher, said:
“This is an outcome that we think is a much fairer reflection of our school. In saying that, it is important to stress that changes have been made since the initial inspection outcome. We have collectively worked tirelessly to ensure that our approaches mirror what is required under the Ofsted framework.
“We have always believed in what we do and how we do it, and the process we have been through ensures that is fully in line with every expectation that is placed on us.”
Jo Wicks, chair of governors, said:
Harrogate Grammar School rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted“After a period where we hadn’t been inspected in 15 years, to have three inspections in the matter of months has been challenging.
“There have, however, been real positives through this journey. The support we have had from our immediate community has been heartening, and the impact it has had on our school is immeasurable. Our staff have been unbelievably focused and determined to do their very best to ensure our school got the grading it deserved. The Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust has given their unwavering and constructive support.
“Most importantly, our students have not let this distract them from achieving their own goals and thriving as individuals. They continue to impress with their generosity of spirit and sharpness of their aspiration.
“We are truly delighted that we can end the year so positively and hope that we can build on the recent success when Ofsted next visit us to secure an outstanding judgement overall.”
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:
Bilton playgroup rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted“Students benefit from an exceptional curriculum at Harrogate Grammar School.”
Ofsted has rated Acorns Playgroup in Bilton ‘outstanding’ following a recent inspection.
The education inspectors visited the setting, which operates at Bilton Grange Community Primary School on Bilton Lane, in February.
It has 30 children registered between the ages of 2 and 4.
Ofsted found that children “excitedly enter the safe and vibrant pre-school” and are “deeply engrossed in a limitless range of first-class activities and experiences”.
The report said:
“Children’s interests and ideas are at the heart of staff’s thinking when they implement the curriculum.”
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The inspector praised the playgroup for its safeguarding procedures and said staff give the “utmost priority” to keeping children safe.
It said staff have “very high aspirations” for all children and swiftly identify any possible developmental delays to help any child catch up. It said staff at Acorns have an “admiral passion and dedication” to their jobs.
The report added:
“Children demonstrate exemplary behaviour and play extremely well together. They solve problems while building impressive constructions, excitedly dig for ‘treasure’ in the large sand pit and make ‘Chinese noodles’ in the exploratory kitchen. Older children play a mathematical card game skilfully and ensure everyone plays fairly and follows the rules.”
Catherine Kaiser, director of Acorns, thanked staff following the report
She said:
“The staff here are fantastic, we’ve all worked really hard and the report reflects that. It’s our fourth ‘outstanding’ rating in a row. It really has been a team effort.”
Woodlands Kids Club
Earlier this month Woodlands Kids Club, at Willow Tree Primary School on Wetherby Road, received a ‘good’ rating from Ofsted.
Inspectors visited the setting on February 1 and praised staff for offering a welcoming and encouraging environment for young learners.
The report said:
“Staff know the children well and respond to their interests. They extend their learning as they play together. Children greet staff with huge smiles as they arrive at the end of the school day. They show a good sense of belonging as they excitedly talk about their day.
“They form meaningful relationships with the staff and follow instructions well. Staff use their knowledge and experience effectively to support those children who need additional help and encouragement. The strategies they use are highly effective.”