Ripon’s Holy Trinity Church of England Junior School has received a ‘requires improvement’ rating by Ofsted.

Government inspectors visited the school for two days in June and published their findings in a report today.

It was the school’s first inspection since it converted to an academy is September 2022 – becoming part of the Leeds Diocesan Learning Trust.

The report said both the quality of education and leadership and management “requires improvement” but found behaviour and attitudes and personal development to be “good”.

It said some aspects of the curriculum are not well designed, adding:

“Some foundation curriculum subjects are not as well-structured or sequenced as others. Leaders sometimes identify too much content to cover in a lesson or across a series of lessons.

“Sometimes teachers do not emphasise the crucial knowledge needed, and pupils do not remember the most important facts.

“This means that pupils’ knowledge is not building securely year on year.”

The report also found “assessment does not sufficiently identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge or identify what pupils can already do”, while some students find “work can be too easy” as it “is not building on what they already know”.

Inspectors also added:

“There is a small proportion of pupils whose behaviour is sometimes a concern for other pupils, parents and staff.

“Pupils feel safe. However, some parents and staff who responded to Ofsted surveys do not agree.”

The 239-pupil school for seven to 11-year-olds is part of The Federation of Holy Trinity Church of England Schools.

Following the academy conversion, the senior leadership team has undergone “extensive change”, the report said, including a new headteacher in January and a deputy headteacher in March this year.

The senior leaders “share an ambitious vision for the school”, according to Ofsted, but the vision “is not fully established”.

To improve, inspectors suggested leaders “should ensure that pupils are securing the right essential knowledge to build on and learn over time”, as well as “ensure that teachers check that the work which is set for all pupils in all subjects is matched appropriately with what pupils need to know or be able to do next”.

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‘Pupils are proud to attend the school’

Despite the overall rating, inspectors praised Holy Trinity Junior School for the “warm and positive relationships between pupils and staff”.

Pupils are polite and considerate, and the school’s Christian ethos and values are woven through everything they do, the report adds.

It said:

“Leaders prioritise learning to read and promote a love of reading across the school. Pupils are keen to talk about their favourite books and authors.

“Teachers choose high-quality texts for their class novel.”

‘Early stages of a new era’

In a letter to parents, executive headteacher Sue Anderson and chair of governors, Adam Kitching, responded to the report. They said:

“We are delighted that the report highlights that pupils are proud to attend Holy Trinity Junior School and the opportunities they have to take on responsibilities throughout the school.

“The warm and positive relationships between pupils and staff were also acknowledged.

“You will share our disappointment in the overall grade; however, the inspection team recognised, when they visited the school, that the federation was in the early stages of a new era with a new leadership team and a new curriculum ready to be introduced in the autumn term.”

A Ripon fire crew rescued two people from a car that got stuck in a ford across the River Skell this afternoon.

Firefighters were summoned to the ford at the end of Firs Avenue at 4.34pm today.

A small Fiat, which was attempting to cross from the Priest Lane side of the river, was towed out.

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North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue’s incident report said crews rescued two people and winched the car out of the river.

Nobody was injured in the incident, which occurred after recent heavy rain saw the Skell running higher than usual.

The high water has led to red and white tape being put in place on both sides of the ford to stop vehicles from crossing.

The ford has been closed to vehicles.

Firefighters at the scene.

A hotel boss and Tory constituency president has been found not guilty of causing the death of a grandmother by careless driving.

Nicholas Ayrton Bannister, 64, president of Skipton and Ripon Conservatives, was driving his Range Rover in his hotel and spa complex when it collided with 66-year-old Judith Wadsworth who was crossing a pedestrian walkway.

Mrs Wadsworth, who was a guest at the hotel and was there to see her daughter get married, is believed to have died at the scene of the accident at the Coniston Hotel Country Estate & Spa in Skipton.

Mr Bannister, the hotel’s managing director, was charged with causing death by careless driving but denied the allegation and, following a trial at Bradford Crown Court which lasted over a week, the prosecution today decided to offer no further evidence.

Judge Jonathan Gibson directed the jury to return a formal not-guilty verdict and Mr Bannister was allowed to walk free from court. 

Prosecuting barrister Michael Smith said that the “evidential test” had not been met and that there was no longer a “realistic prospect of conviction”.

He said the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) would therefore be offering no further evidence against Mr Bannister.

He added: 

“In light of all the evidence this jury have heard…the CPS take the view there is no longer a realistic prospect of conviction in this case.”

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Defence barrister Lisa Judge said there had been “flagrant failings” by the CPS in its prosecution of the case, both evidentially and in terms of disclosure. 

She said the defence would be seeking costs for Mr Bannister following the prosecution’s decision to drop the case and the not-guilty verdict. 

Judge Mr Gibson said he thought the prosecution’s decision to drop the case was “entirely appropriate”.   

During the trial, the jury heard that Mr Bannister had turned right out of a junction near the hotel reception and didn’t see Mrs Wadsworth.

The prosecution said that Mrs Wadsworth, who was walking from the car park back to the reception after collecting items from her vehicle, fell under the vehicle but it was not until Mr Bannister got out of his vehicle 20 metres down the road that he realised he had struck someone.

Mrs Wadsworth, who was staying at the country hotel in Coniston Cold to see her daughter Rebecca Blacka get married, suffered fatal injuries. 

Ms Blacka was in the hotel reception at the time of the fatal collision at about 5.20pm on Feb 7, 2020.

Mr Bannister, of Mark House Lane, Bell Busk, near Skipton, had driven the vehicle around a turning circle outside reception and turned right when the Range Rover ran over Mrs Wadsworth on the walkway between the car park and reception area. 

A family statement following Mrs Wadsworth’s death described her as “a devoted wife, mother and grandmother”.

“Judith was a beautiful, selfless person and no words can express our sense of loss and devastation right now,” the statement said.

High demand for flu and covid vaccinations led to traffic tailbacks and long queues in Ripon at the weekend.

The Park Street GP practice of Dr Ingram and Partners and Ripon Spa Surgery, which are across the road from each other, both held clinics on Saturday.

In an area of the city with only limited parking, people arriving by car experienced difficulty finding a space to park, leading to tailbacks from Park Street to Westgate and Blossomgate.

Cars outside Ripon Spa Surgery on Saturday.

There were also hold-ups for people who managed to find a parking space, or who arrived on foot, as the queue for the Park Street surgery stretched back to the Westgate and Blossomgate junction.

The number of people making appointments for vaccination may have increased following a Facebook post on Thursday (September 14) by Ripon and Masham Primary Care Network, which covers the two Park Street practices, along with the North House Surgery in North Street and Dr Akester & Partners in Masham and Kirkby Malzeard.

It said:

“At short notice we have secured some covid vaccine to co-administer alongside flu jabs at our GP practice flu clinics.”

“If you are eligible for covid vaccination, subject to supplies, this will be offered to you at your GP flu appointment at your surgery.

“We strongly encourage patients to consider having both on the same day, in order to help us to deliver this protection to as many patients as possible,

“If you wish to have your covid vaccine at your appointment you do not need to let us know in advance.”

The Stray Ferret  approached both Park Street practices regarding Saturday’s traffic issues and to ask if further flu and covid clinics are planned.

There had been no response at the time of publication from Ripon Spa Surgery, but a member of staff at Dr Ingram & Partners said a further clinic is scheduled for Saturday.

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A section of one of the main roads in Ripon closed this afternoon due to a crash.

Bondgate Green was blocked between Farmison & Co and the Ripon bypass after a black Toyota car collided with a tree.

No other vehicles were involved.

North Yorkshire Police said the incident happened at about 11.50am.

A spokesperson added:

“A black Toyota Yaris car ended up crashing into a tree. The driver was taken to hospital by ambulance for treatment. Her dog was also checked over by a vet.

“The driver reported a small dark car, possibly a Fiat, had caused her to take evasive action. The driver did not stop as they headed to Ripon city centre. They are urged to contact the police as soon as possible to assist the investigation.

“There was only limited traffic disruption while the ambulance was in attendance. The car was recovered at 1.10pm.

“If you are the driver of the small dark car, you possibly witnessed the incident or have dash-cam footage, please email Adam.Deacon2@northyorkshire.police.uk quoting reference number 12230175042.”

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Could a park and ride scheme be the answer to Ripon’s parking problems as it bids to attract more visitors?

That was one of the suggestions made at Monday’s full city council meeting, where Councillor Jackie Crozier called for a feasibility study focused on Ripon’s parking issues to be carried out.

She said:

“With more new housing coming on stream and an increase in visitors, we need to start to move forward by looking at all options that are open to us.”

“On a recent market day, some people who came to the city found it impossible to find a parking space and Ripon lost out because of this as they headed elsewhere.”

Councillor Andrew Williams, said:

“One of the things that we need to look at is how we could link Ripon’s new bus service into a park and ride scheme so that tourists and other visitors can park on the outskirts of the city and be brought in by bus.

“At the same time, to ease the pressure on parking spaces, we should encourage more residents to leave their cars at home and come into the city by public transport.”

As a first step in looking to find a solution to the city’s parking problems, it was agreed that North Yorkshire Council officers be invited to meet with Ripon City Council’s transport group and for preliminary discussions to be held.

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A Harrogate fire crew rescued a child after it became accidentally locked inside a vehicle today.

The incident took place on Starbeck High Street just before 4pm today, according to North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s incident report.

The incident log added:

“The crew used small tools and the child was recovered without injury.”

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No further details were revealed.

It follows a similar incident last week in which a baby was rescued from a locked vehicle outside M&S in Ripon.

A new Trespass store looks set to open in the former Barclays bank in Ripon.

The bank closed its doors on Market Place in August last year.

Barclays made decision despite the number of counter transactions at the branch increasing in the two years to March 2020.

Now, Jacob and Turner Ltd, which trades under the name Trespass, has applied to North Yorkshire Council for advertising consent at the site.

It would see two signs implemented at the former bank site.

North Yorkshire Council will make a decision on the plan at a later date.

The Stray Ferret approached Trespass to ask why it had chosen the site in Ripon and if it had further details on an opening date, but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

The outdoor clothing specialist currently has a store on Harrogate’s James Street.

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The McColl’s convenience store in Bondgate in Ripon, will close at midday today (Wednesday) and reopen on September 22 as a Morrisons Daily.

The Post Office counter within the shop closed yesterday and will also reopen on September 22.

The closure will enable changes to the internal layout of the shop and rebranding to take place as part of a national rolling programme of conversion works, following Morrisons’ acquisition of the retailer last year. 

McColl’s had 1,164 shops when it was bought out of administration in May 2022. Of these, Morrisons said it would sell off 132 which were loss-making, while profitable outlets would be retained and rebranded as Morrisons Daily stores.

In a second-quarter trading update issued in June, Morrisons said the 400 stores it has converted so far had seen increased sales.

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