LEADERS of Upper Wharfedale School, Threshfield, have welcomed the school’s latest Ofsted inspection which resulted in it retaining a ‘good’ rating.

Previously rated good in 2014, the school,which has 290 pupils, received a short, one day inspection in May by an Ofsted inspector who concluded that the school had shown marked improvement in some areas and recommended a full inspection within two years.

Inspector, Daniel Murray, said the leadership team continued to be good, and had maintained a good quality of education. Leaders were ambitious for their pupils, believing they ‘deserve the best’, while an ‘unrelenting focus on progress’ towards the school being rated outstanding was shared by all staff .

“I am of the opinion that the school has demonstrated strong practice and marked improvement in specific areas. This may indicate that the school has improved significantly overall,” he said.

In his letter to Andrew Taylor, the school’s executive headteacher, Mr Murray praised leaders and governors for a shared ‘passionate commitment to the progress of every child, firmly underpinned by an unrelenting drive to create an inclusive pupil focused community.’

“Your highly motivated and outward looking staff consider themselves to be well supported and guided to focus on each pupil as an individual.”

He said staff knew pupils well, which led to a level of ‘personalisation’ which extended to all aspects of school life, including the curriculum.

Pupils achieved above average progress, parents spoke positively about the school, and valued the care shown to their children, who enjoyed coming to school, said Mr Murray.

The school was praised for being ‘calm, safe and orderly’, pupils behaved well in lessons, when moving between classes and during social times. They made strong progress, because of positive attitudes to learning, and ‘excellent’ rapport with teachers.

Mr Taylor said, “I am delighted that the inspector managed to capture the distinctive nature of the school and acknowledge hard work of students, staff and governors. I am also grateful for the hugely positive responses the inspection team received from parents. The areas for development are fair; we are not complacent and realise that there will always be more to do. Given the recent substantial changes to the inspection process, we have a lot to celebrate and I would like to publicly thank everyone involved. We have a fantastic team of staff who work so hard for our students every single day and I am very proud to be part of that team.”

Sally Sumner, head of school added:“I am pleased that Ofsted have recognised what we see on a daily basis; a school at the heart of its community with staff, students and parents working together to create an environment that ensures strong progress, excellent enrichment opportunities and a truly inclusive educational experience.”

Stuart Bond, chairman of governors, said, “Everyone at Upper Wharfedale is justifiably very proud of this inspection result, and it reflects the progress the school has made over recent years. My thanks go to Mr Taylor and his team for the hard work they put in, always putting every student at the centre of our school. This is a challenging time for all schools – especially small rural schools like Upper Wharfedale, and this inspection is a key stepping stone on our journey.”