Staff and pupils at two North Yorkshire primary schools are celebrating after they were rated as good by education inspectors following a concerted effort to improve teaching and ensure students achieve their full potential.
Osmotherley Primary School and Aiskew, Leeming Bar Church of England Primary School, previously received Ofsted ratings for years stating they required improvement.
However, following recent inspections last month (June), Ofsted inspectors praised the schools in all categories, which include the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management as well as early years provision.
One of the major developments at Aiskew, Leeming Bar C of E Primary School has been the introduction of an inspirational scheme to build young people’s learning by helping them to succeed and encouraging them to be more adventurous, curious, more imaginative, creative, thoughtful, ready, willing and able to learn with and through others.
Inspectors gave top marks to the school’s curriculum where each subject is linked by “golden threads” that connect knowledge.
Meanwhile, at Osmotherley Primary, Ofsted chiefs noted pupils were thriving at the “caring and nurturing” school and that children feel safe, secure and listened to. Inspectors reserved particular praise for all areas of the school’s broad and effective curriculum. The report also noted the hard work of the school’s dedicated governing board and teaching staff in improving standards.
Executive member for education, learning and skills, Cllr Annabel Wilkinson, said: “I am thrilled with the latest good rating for both schools. We are constantly striving to provide the best education for our pupils.
“I am so proud to see that the staff and governors’ relentless hard work to improve standards has resulted in this good Ofsted rating. Their diligence ensures the schools will continue to flourish. Well done and thank you to everyone.”
Headteacher of Aiskew, Leeming Bar C of E Primary School, Mrs Bethany Stanley, said the good grading was due to the “relentless” work of staff and pupils over the past five years.
She said: “The building learning power (BPL) programme has enabled our pupils to be engaged and invested in their learning. Through this, they have developed lifelong learning skills which fits with the school motto of ‘Rooted in love and growing together to become lifelong learners’. The initiative has had a positive impact on their behaviour, too.
“Governors are delighted and immensely proud that the school has achieved this well-deserved outcome.”
The headteacher of Osmotherley Primary School, Mrs Jane Bamber, added: “We were delighted that Ofsted described our lovely school as a happy, caring and nurturing school, where pupils enjoy learning and behave very well.
“Since our last inspection, we have focused on developing our curriculum, so we were also thrilled to read the very positive comments about our curriculum design, and how quickly our pupils learn to read and how well they can recall their learning.
“I am proud and grateful that the tremendous efforts of our whole school family, and everyone who has supported us, have resulted in this good judgment and glowing report.”