A Ripon Grammar School student is planning to jump out of a plane at 10,000ft to raise money for a teenage suicide prevention charity.

Robyn Munday, who will complete the skydive on July 10, said:

“This is not something I would do without good reason.

“I have struggled with my mental health in my teenage years but have family and friends around me who are patient, compassionate, understanding, and loving – which has been just what I needed.

“However, not every young person is so lucky.”

The 17-year-old has set a fundraising target of £750 and is already more than half way there. She is covering the cost of the skydive herself.

The money will go to Papyrus, which is a national charity dedicated to the prevention of young suicide.

It provides confidential support and advice to young people through its helpline – Hopeline UK – and runs training programmes to teach suicide prevention skills to staff at schools, healthcare providers and local councils.

In 2017, more than 338,000 young people were referred to CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services), but fewer than a third received treatment within a year, according to the Local Government Association.

Robyn is a sixth-form student at Ripon Grammar School

Robyn added:

“This can leave young people feeling despondent and lonely, and ultimately let down and not cared about. That’s why I would like to do something to help those young people who don’t get the help they need.

“I’ve chosen to support the charity Papyrus, and so I’m doing this crazy skydive to help raise much-needed funds for them.

“I want to help ensure that more young people are able to talk and receive the help they deserve.”

To donate, visit Robyn’s JustGiving page and for more information about the charity visit papyrus-uk.org.

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Pupils across the Harrogate district will be returning to classrooms this week after online learning since the start of term.

While teachers have remained on site to support children of key workers and provide virtual lessons, for many families it is the first time children have been in school since before Christmas.

As well as readjusting to classroom life, including wearing masks, secondary school students will be expected to begin a covid testing regime as the government aims to reduce the number of cases in schools. However, schools are keen to make the return to classroom teaching as normal and positive as possible.

For Harrogate Grammar School, one of the key aims over the remaining weeks of the school year is to ensure students do not become “the covid generation”. Headteacher Neil Renton said they had shown their resilience through all the challenges of the last 12 months:

“They have gone through so much in the last year, they have been used to adapting and changing. They have been at home, then brought back, then had periods of isolation – there have been lots of different scenarios.

“That’s why we should call them ‘generation remarkable’ because they’re more independent and they’re more resilient.”

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Mr Renton said the government’s announcement about the way exam grades will be awarded this summer had given reassurance to students, and the school had organised online sessions to give more information about how teacher assessments will be completed.

With all the grammar school’s students having access to an iPad for home learning, and now being back in the classroom, he said teachers had had regular contact throughout the year to inform their assessments. However, any further lockdown before the summer could pose new challenges.

“Year 11 and year 13 have got three weeks when they get back, then seven weeks after Easter, and in that time we have got to do some assessments so we can come up with teacher-assessed grades.

“If we have to close again, it means doing assessments remotely and that’s much more difficult to achieve. It’s a critical period for schools.”

At Ripon Grammar School, students will return to in-person lessons from Thursday. Sixth form student Hannah Burfield said she and her fellow pupils were nervous but excited about returning to the classroom.

“Despite my positive attitude throughout this lockdown, I admit there have been moments when my motivation has wavered.

“To help cope with stress I made a promise to myself that I would go outside at least once every day, and I feel that this has really helped to keep me grounded and improved my mental health.”

She said many students have enjoyed the additional time with their families, as well as having enough time to complete extra projects or begin planning their university applications. However, they know a more normal routine has to return and hope to adjust quickly to life in school again.

Ripon Grammar School sixth form student Hannah Burfield

Hannah added:

“Despite my initial anxiety about returning back to school I recognise that it is time for things to finally move back to normality and I hope our routines won’t be disrupted by any more lockdowns.

“It will be challenging for all students to return to school and many will find it difficult to motivate themselves and may feel overwhelmed by their work at first. That’s why it is so important, now more than ever, to check in with your friends and to make sure you speak up if you ever need any help.”

It is not only the students preparing for an adjustment this week. Jonathan Webb, headmaster of Ripon Grammar School, said the return to classrooms is important for everyone in schools:

“One thing is clear – that there is no substitute for school when it comes to the social and emotional benefits we all get from interacting and learning together. This applies, I am sure, as much for staff as it does for students.

“We all miss being be able to read on our students’ faces those expressions of joy and confusion, enlightenment and frustration, grumpiness and happiness; in essence, all the things that make us human.”

At St Aidan’s High School in Harrogate, staff are also looking forward to seeing all pupils in school again. A spokesperson said:

“Over the past few months we have been delighted with the way that students have adapted to learning at home and over the last year have been hugely impressed by their resilience and ability to manage the challenges that have been put in front of them.

“We very much look forward to the corridors being filled with happiness and laughter once again and, crucially, face to face personal interactions becoming an integral part of students’ everyday lives again.”

The first pupils across the Harrogate district have been receiving covid tests as schools prepare for a return to classroom-only teaching.

Harrogate Grammar, Harrogate High, St John Fisher and St Aidan’s schools in Harrogate, as well as Outwood Academy in Ripon, have all begun offering tests to their students this week.

Each will complete the first round of testing of all pupils by the middle of next week, after which the second and third rounds will be offered.

Harrogate Grammar School began its testing programme with its 600 sixth formers today, before working its way down the year groups in the first half of next week. Headteacher Neil Renton said:

“The testing today is going really well. We’ve got 10 testing bays in action and we’re testing 100 students every hour.

“We’re starting with year 12 and 13 students because our sixth form is so large – about 600 students. We wanted to make sure things were working, because if we didn’t get this right we would have to re-think our testing for next week.”

Fortunately, Mr Renton said, the trial had run smoothly, with a high percentage of parents giving consent for testing to take place. He praised the efforts of 30 members of staff who had been trained up to help students to follow the right procedures, led by business operations manager Tom Stephens.

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Asked about the impact of testing on schools’ ability to keep students in classrooms, Mr Renton said:

“The way I’m seeing it is it’s an additional measure we didn’t have before. I know there’s a huge debate about the efficacy of testing, but it’s what we’ve been asked to do and if it finds and breaks transmission of a couple of asymptomatic cases, it has been worth doing.”

At St Aidan’s, years 7, 11 and 13 have been tested yesterday and today, before returning to in-person lessons on Monday. Years 10 and 12 will be tested on Monday, year 8 on Tuesday and year 9 on Wednesday, each then coming back to the classroom the following day.

Like most of the district’s schools, St Aidan’s is also repurposing existing facilities to accommodate a temporary testing centre. A spokesperson for the school said:

“The 16 bay testing facility is situated in Constance Green Hall, usually the home to assemblies, theatrical productions, proms and fantastic musical performances all year round.

“The in-school arrangements for the return of students will be similar to the measures we had in place in the autumn term, with year group bubbles, staggered lesson times, lunches, arrival and departure times, but with the addition of further control measures including the wearing of face coverings in lessons.”

To ease any anxiety about the testing process, both St Aidan’s and Harrogate Grammar School have created virtual tours of their facilities for students.

Ripon Grammar School’s sports hall set up ready for covid testing from Monday

Meanwhile, St John Fisher tested its year 11 and 13 pupils yesterday ready for them to return to school on Monday, when years 10 and 12 will be tested, followed by lower year groups through the week.

Harrogate High School has offered tests to years 10 and 11 today, with the remaining students being tested on Monday.

At both Boroughbridge High School and Outwood Academy Ripon, testing is being carried out before students return to the classroom by the middle of next week. Similarly, Ripon Grammar School begins testing on Monday and all year groups will be back in school by the end of the week.

After three rounds of tests, students across the country will be given home tests to use twice a week. The aim is to identify asymptomatic cases of covid before it can be spread to more pupils, helping to reduce the need for isolating and to keep more students in schools.

Schools across the Harrogate district are preparing to begin a major covid testing programme as they plan to reopen their doors to all pupils next week.

At Ripon Grammar School, testing begins next Monday, with small groups of students brought in to carry out their tests before going home again.

They will continue with home learning for the first two days until everyone has had one test, before returning to classrooms on Wednesday.

Each pupil will receive a second test in school that week, followed by a third the following week. They will then carry out their own tests at home twice a week.

Deputy headteacher Helen Keelan-Edwards said:

“The staff tests will be delivered before they come back and they’ll be able to do those at home. Students are doing them in school to begin with so they know how to do it properly at home.”

In-school testing has been recommended by the government for all secondary age pupils, followed by home testing. It has also advised students and staff to wear masks in all areas of buildings where social distancing is not possible.

Primary school pupils will not be tested routinely, but staff will be given two tests to take at home each week. Routine testing is being introduced after significant outbreaks of coronavirus in schools when they were open before Christmas.

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To get through enough tests to enable students to return, Ripon Grammar School will have 30 volunteers on site each day to help deliver the programme. While they do not have to be medically trained, they will work throughout the school day and are asked to commit to as many days as possible.

Mrs Keelan-Edwards said the number of volunteers had been higher than expected, adding:

“We have been overwhelmed by parental support. It has been absolutely amazing. – we can’t believe it.

“We’re really lucky with the parents we have and the support they give the school.”

Other secondary schools in the Harrogate district told the Stray Ferret they are still preparing the final details of their testing programmes, which will be announced this week.

Ripon residents have raised safety fears about a section of unmarked road used “like a racetrack” by speeding motorists.

A 300 metre length of Kirkby Road did not have white lines replaced when resurfacing work was completed in August.

Ten nearby residents met the Stray Ferret to discuss their concerns.

Helen Mars, a teacher at Ripon Grammar School who has two young children, said:

“With the speed that some drivers come along this stretch, it’s like a racetrack – particularly at the weekends.

“As this is a road that it also used by very large lorries, we believe that it is dangerous without the white lines and an accident waiting to happen.”

Part of the 300-metre section of Kirkby Road that has no white lines. Many of the concerned residents live in homes on the left.

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Residents are particularly concerned about the lack of a crossing patrol for Ripon Grammar School students, who use a path alongside the Kirkby Road allotments on their way to school.

Barbara Brodigan said:

“At least 100 children cross the road in the mornings and evenings on their way to and from school.

“Our previous requests for localised speed restrictions, a crossing and other traffic calming measures have fallen on deaf ears at North Yorkshire County Council.

“We’ve been told that a crossing can’t be introduced because the path alongside the allotments is not an officially recognised route to the grammar school.

“In effect, that means the students cross at their own peril – which is clearly unacceptable.”

Christina Thomson Jones added:

“I have lived on Kirkby Road for 29 years and the traffic issues appear to get worse and worse.

“One of my neighbours was killed while crossing the road in 1996 and nobody wants to see another fatality.”

County Councillor Mike Chambers, who represents Ripon North, said he was aware of the issues and sympathetic to calls for safety measures. He said:

“I have spoken with the county council’s traffic department about the need for a crossing, introduction of a 20 mph speed limit and even the possibility of having a one way system.

“I have another meeting with the department on January 6 and will raise these issues again and ask about replacement of the white lines, but at the end of the day, it’s down to budget availability.

“Installing a lights-controlled crossing costs up to £50,000.”

Although that money may not currently be available, Cllr Chambers is hopeful that safety measures could be funded as part of highway works to accommodate the Ripon Barracks housing development.

He said:

“The developer will have to make payments through a Section 106 agreement for works associated with the scheme and we may be able to get some of that money to address the safety issues on Kirkby Road.”

Ripon Grammar School is bringing festive cheer to elderly residents in the city’s care homes.

Hundreds of pupils from Year 7 and Year 8 are aiming to spread joy and laughter by creating hand-made cards and sharing poems, drawings, jokes, riddles and stories about their festive celebrations.

Arnav Kasireddy, 12, from Ripon, said he would be thinking of the elderly when he opened his Christmas presents:

“They may not be able to see family and may be lonely. I hope my letter brings someone some happiness.”

Head of Year 7, Arwen Hoskins, said the pupils had been inspired by The TES Classroom to Care Home campaign.

The campaign urges schools to send messages to local care homes, in the hope that this will forge connections not just for Christmas but beyond.

Twelve-year-old Annabelle Crossland, from Ripon, whose Christmas card is pictured above said:

“It’s important they feel loved and happy and that someone will reach out and be a good friend to them.”

Ethan Kendrick, also 12, from Ripon, added:

“It’s a good thing to do because Christmas will be a lonely time for many elderly people.”

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Teacher Miss Hoskins said:

“Given the restrictions we have faced this year, we are aware many residents in care homes have had very few visits from friends and family members and may be feeling lonely.

“We hope that by writing letters to residents in our local care homes, we can spread a little Christmas joy and cheer by letting them know that our school community cares for them and is thinking about them at this difficult time.”

Pupils will be writing to residents in care homes including Borrage House, Caxton Lodge and the Moors Care Centre

Lesley Carter of the charity Age UK welcomed the initiative:

“Older people have really missed the visits from young people. Every older person would be able to recognise something that has been made by a child and it will bring back memories. Seeing lots of happy festive cheer from their local community will also give staff in care homes a boost.”

Ripon Grammar School has confirmed one of its sixth form students has tested positive coronavirus.

It makes it the sixth school in the district to have reported a case, and the first outside of Harrogate.

Headmaster Jonathan Webb sent a letter to parents today saying a “small” number of pupils would be sent home to self-isolate. The precise figure has not been revealed.

The letter said:

“We know that you may find this concerning but we are continuing to monitor the situation. Please be reassured that for most people, coronavirus will be a mild illness.

“The small number of children who have been in direct, prolonged contact with the confirmed case will be staying at home for 14 days.”

Ripon Grammar School has been named the top grammar school in the north of England.

The school, which was founded in 1555, received the accolade from Corporate Vision magazine’s national awards.

The awards highlight educators who are considered to be leaders in their field.

Chloe Smart, education and training awards coordinator at Corporate Vision, said:

“Skills, personality, outlook, ethos, drive, hobbies and ambition, are all rooted in early life.

“The role of an educator is utterly fundamental to the fabric of our society.”

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The Corporate Vision education and training awards were open to organisations including boarding schools, independent schools, early education organisations, adult education institutions, training centres, vocational schools and grammar schools.

Ms Smart said:

“The education and training awards were launched to spotlight the paragons of education and training and we have endeavoured to showcase those that have truly come to define the sector they work in.”

Students across the Harrogate district have been celebrating their GCSE results after the challenges they faced this year.

Year 11 students received their results by email, marking their achievements in similarly subdued style to the way the year ended.

Having not sat exams, the grades awarded were based on centre assessments. So far, there has been much less controversy over the results than last week, which saw more than a third of centre-assessed results in the Harrogate district downgraded by the government’s algorithm.

The process has since been reversed and assessed grades reinstated – but it has left many students still uncertain over their university places.

GCSE results from each school will be published below when released by schools across the Harrogate district.

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Ashville College

Two students achieved grade 9s across the board at Ashville College, as 25% of all students gained the top grades of 7s, 8s and 9s in all their results.

Three of those pupils were new to Ashville last September and have made significant progress since – despite the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.

The school described the pupils’ engagement with online lessons as ‘remarkable’. Acting head Elspeth Fisher said:

“Our Year 11 pupils have faced a challenging year with lockdown and a lack of opportunity to demonstrate their hard work over the preceding two years.

“We were therefore delighted that centre-assessed grades would be the basis of the grades awarded for GCSE pupils.

“We are very pleased with the commitment our pupils have demonstrated to their GCSE studies and also towards the transition lessons they have recently attended in preparation for A Level and BTEC courses and we look forward to welcoming them back in September.”

Harrogate Grammar School

Harrogate Grammar School has not published details of its students’ grades. Headteacher Neil Renton said:

“We are very pleased with the outcomes our students have achieved this year.  The outcomes reflect the high standards that we typically achieve along with our continued emphasis on providing a broad and balanced curriculum, meeting the differing needs, aspirations and interests of our learners.

“We are very proud of our year 11 students who embraced all the opportunities that the school offered them, not only in a broad curriculum in areas such as science, maths, languages, humanities and the arts, but also the wide range of extra-curricular activities such as sport, music and charities. We admire them for their commitment, sustained effort and for achieving their own excellence.”

Nidderdale High School

Students at Nidderdale High School received their GCSE results this week – though those who studied for BTECs are still awaiting results.

As well as traditional subjects, students were able to gain skills in other areas, including working alongside professional crafters at Number 6 Studio in Pateley Bridge in order to gain a GCSE in art, craft and design.

The school has not released statistics for the grades achieved by this year’s students.

Headteacher Kath Jordan said:

“Our Year 11 students are very much more than the grades they have achieved this year. Many of this talented year group have been involved in student leadership, charity fund raising, sport, music and drama extra curricular activities. They have been excellent role models for our younger students.

T”he grades our students have received today are a result of their hard work and commitment, the excellent support of their parents and other family members. They are also the product of the skill, expertise and professionalism of their teachers and other support staff.

“We wish our students all the very best of Team Nidderdale luck and success as they move onto Sixth Forms, Colleges and Apprenticeships.”

Outwood Academy Ripon

The schools is celebrating after 77.3% of students achieved a grade 4 or higher in both English and maths, along with 68% of combined science students achieving two grade 4s or higher.

Student Ryan Chandler was among the high achievers, gaining six grade 9s and two 8s. The school congratulated all those who are now able to move on to the next phase of their education and careers.

A spokesman for Outwood Academy Ripon said:

“It is wonderful to finally congratulate our students for the many fantastic outcomes of their hard work. This year 11 cohort have had to contend with some significant challenges and have done so admirably and without any loss of enthusiasm.

“Although they have missed seminal moments at the end of their final year with us we have no doubt that they will be successful in the next steps they take in education and employment.”

Ripon Grammar School

A total of 97.6% of grades awarded to the 131 students were 9-5s (equivalent to A*-B in the previous ratings system) and 67.7% were 9-7s (A*-A).

Seven students achieved 10 or more grade 9s, Lucy Cox, from Ripon, gained 11 grade 9s and an 8, while Eleanor Chaplin from Boorughbridge, Eloise Hopkings from Ripon and Sophie Pointon from Thirsk all achieved 11 grade 9s.

Chloe Stringwell, from Ripon, and Bertie Wood, from Brafferton, were both awarded ten grade 9s and two grade 8s. Bertie, an aspiring lawyer and keen sportsman, will return to RGS in September to study chemistry, history, maths and economics or business studies.

He will be joined by Henrietta Jarvis, from Roecliffe, whose eight 9s and three 8s have helped her take the first step towards a career as a vet.

Joel Wilson, meanwhile, will study A levels in psychology, history, English literature and chemistry as he pursues a career as a barrister. Already an accomplished fencer, he said his biggest challenge over the last two years has been balancing the sport with his academic studies.

Headmaster Jonathan Webb said:

“Without the opportunity of an examination, our departments worked hard to award grades which we believe were fair, valid and as accurate as possible in the situation.

“Consequently, I am extremely encouraged by our results today and am really looking forward to welcoming our new sixth formers back to school in September.”

Despite the disruption to the academic year caused by the covid 19 pandemic, the future is looking bright for Ripon Grammar School students celebrating outstanding A-level performances.

With 79% of grades awarded at A* to B, and more than half of all grades at A* or A, most students have secured their first or second choice of university on a diverse range of courses, from aeronautical engineering to fashion, medicine and philosophy.

Headmaster Jonathan Webb said:

“Results days are days of joy and celebration as examination results open up new pathways in life and new institutions of learning.

“While today has inevitably been like no other with grades awarded without examinations being sat, the achievements of students at RGS are real, valid and worthy of huge celebration.”

Eight students achieved a clean sweep of A*s with top performers Phoebe Hall and Tabitha Milton awarded four A*s in addition to an A* in their extended project qualifications, worth half an A-level.

Mr Webb emphasised that, while the school’s results had been adjusted down slightly, as they have been nationally, they remain, overall, consistent with previous years:

“I am delighted to say our results are as good as ever and the students, and staff who have supported them, are to be congratulated on another tremendous performance.

“Grades were rigorously assessed and awarded by teachers at RGS and then mathematically adjusted by Ofqual to reflect, it is hoped, the historic trends achieved by the school.”

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While there have been impressive performances across the board, with more than 20% of grades awarded at A*, Mr Webb stressed:

“We must focus on the process of learning as much as the end result, however arrived at. School is about learning, exploring new avenues and making real life choices. I am sure the lessons learnt will mean very bright futures for our leavers of 2020.”

The majority of the school’s 142 A-level students have secured places at Russell Group universities, including Oxford and Cambridge:

He added that the school’s sixth form team was working hard to support those students facing the process of clearing, contemplating gap years or seeking to adjust their offers upward:

“Inevitably amongst the many successes there are some who may be disappointed with how the process has worked for them. We will be guiding and supporting them and wish them all the best in their search.”

The school’s overall pass rate is 99.1%, with a total of 106 grades at A* and 147 at grade A.