JDeamer

Hempland Primary School is celebrating its latest Ofsted inspection outcome which recognised the school’s high achievement, exemplary behaviour and inclusive culture.

Following a two-day visit by inspectors in February, the school was judged to be delivering a ‘strong standard’ of education across six of the seven assessment areas, which includes achievement; attendance and behaviour; curriculum and teaching; inclusion; leadership and governance, and personal development and wellbeing.

The school’s early years provision was judged to be at the ‘expected standard’ and safeguarding was found as fully meeting requirements.

Headteacher, Abbie Innes, said: “This report captures what makes Hempland such a special place to learn and grow. We are incredibly proud that Ofsted has recognised not only the high standards our pupils achieve, but also the nurturing, inclusive environment we have built together as a school community.

The acknowledgement that pupils feel part of a ‘special, caring school community’ where they are safe, valued and supported means a great deal to us.

It is particularly pleasing to see recognition of the strength of our curriculum, the consistency of teaching and the positive attitudes our pupils bring to their learning every day. Our staff work tirelessly to ensure that every child is known, supported and challenged to succeed, and this report reflects that shared commitment.

We are also proud that the report recognises that we are ambitious for all our pupils from the very start of their journey with us, and we will continue to refine and improve our practice so that every child gets the very best possible foundation.”

Inspectors praised the school’s curriculum as a particular strength, noting it is carefully sequenced to build knowledge over time. Teachers have strong subject knowledge and deliver lessons that engage pupils and deepen understanding across all areas.

Behaviour was described as impeccable, with a calm and orderly atmosphere throughout the school. Inspectors also noted that pupils are “studious and diligent” and fully engaged in lessons.

Leadership and governance were also commended, with inspectors noting leaders have a clear and accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and make decisions focused on pupils’ achievement, care and development. Governors and trustees provide both strong support and effective challenge, underpinned by a clear commitment to pupils.

The school’s Chair of Governors, Susanna Dale-Simmonds, said: “This report is a testament to the strength of leadership at all levels and the unwavering focus on doing what is best for every child. Governors are proud to support a school where there is such a clear purpose and commitment to inclusion, wellbeing and high standards.”

Inspectors also highlighted the school’s inclusive approach, noting that pupils’ individual needs are identified early and supported effectively, ensuring all pupils can access the full curriculum and make secure progress.

The school’s wider personal development offer was described as “impressive”, with pupils leaving Hempland extremely well prepared for later life.

Hempland Primary School is part of Pathfinder Multi Academy Trust, a partnership of 19 schools across York and North Yorkshire serving more than 6,600 children and young people.

Pathfinder’s CEO, Andrew Daly, said: “Hempland exemplifies the values and ambition we hold across our trust. This report highlights the impact of strong leadership, a well-designed curriculum and a strong inclusive culture.

We are especially pleased to see recognition of the collaborative approach between school leaders, governors and the trust, ensuring that decisions are always made in the best interests of students.”

Hensall Community Primary School has joined Pathfinder Multi Academy Trust, marking an exciting new chapter for the school, its pupils, and the wider community.

The move reflects a shared commitment to providing a high-quality education, strengthening collaboration and ensuring long-term sustainability. By joining Pathfinder Multi Academy Trust, Hensall will benefit from being part of a well-established and highly regarded trust, with access to a strong network of expertise, shared resources and proven systems that support school improvement.

Pathfinder was formed in August 2016, initially between just four schools based in the east side of York. Nearly ten years later, the trust has grown to 19 schools, serving more than 6,600 children and young people in schools across York and North Yorkshire.

Since autumn 2023, Hensall has worked closely with the White Rose Federation, alongside Barlow CE Primary School, Burton Salmon Community Primary School and Chapel Haddlesey CE Primary School. These three schools previously joined Pathfinder in November 2024. Hensall now completes this group as the fourth school to join the Federation under the Pathfinder family of schools.

Suzanne Keeler, Executive Headteacher of Hensall and the White Rose Federation, said: “We are incredibly proud of the work we have achieved alongside our colleagues in the White Rose Federation. Joining Pathfinder is a natural next step in our journey.

It allows us to build on our strong foundations while benefiting from the wider opportunities and support that come with being part of a well-established trust. Most importantly, it ensures that we can continue to provide the very best education for our children and community.”

Pathfinder has a strong track record of supporting its schools to achieve positive inspection outcomes, improve performance and secure crucial capital investment. This expertise has already helped Hensall secure a school-based nursery capital funding grant to enhance its early years provision, which will open next academic year.

Andrew Daly, CEO of Pathfinder Multi Academy Trust, said: “We are delighted that Hensall Community Primary School has joined Pathfinder. The school has a strong track record of collaboration through its existing links with the White Rose Federation.

We are looking forward to building on these successes to provide even greater opportunities for pupils, staff, and the wider community.”

As part of Pathfinder, Hensall Community Primary School will continue to retain its unique identity and strong community ethos, while benefiting from enhanced professional development opportunities for staff, improved curriculum expertise and access to wider networks of collaboration and support.

This partnership represents a positive and forward-looking step, ensuring that the school remains well-positioned to thrive and deliver the best possible education for many years to come.

We are delighted to announce that the works to complete the construction of Hempland Primary School’s new building are due to get underway in the next few weeks.

The project was paused in September 2024 when the previous contractor, ISG Construction, entered into administration, bringing all work on site to a halt. At that stage, significant progress had been made, including the completion of the concrete foundations and steel structure of the new two-storey building.

The Department for Education (DfE), which is funding and managing the project, has since appointed Morgan Sindall Construction to complete the works in line with the approved plans and specifications.

We have been working closely with the teams at the DfE and Morgan Sindall to ensure work at Hempland can resume as quickly as possible.

We are pleased to confirm that the main construction phase is scheduled to begin on 27 April and will focus on essential groundworks, including drainage installation, alongside preparatory works for the next stages of the build.

The completed building will provide modern, high-quality facilities designed to benefit children and the local community for many years to come. It is currently anticipated that the new school will be ready for occupation in the Autumn term 2027.

Once the new building is operational, the existing school will be demolished to make way for the construction of a new sports pitch. The final phase of the project, including landscaping and completion of the car park, is expected by summer 2028.

Morgan Sindall Construction is committed to minimising disruption to the school and local community and will implement appropriate measures to reduce noise, traffic and other potential impacts wherever possible. The school will remain fully operational throughout the construction period.

The school’s headteacher, Abbie Innes, said: “We are incredibly excited for work on our new school to be moving forward and the many benefits the new facilities will bring for our children.

I would like to thank our pupils, families and neighbours for their continued patience, understanding and support over the past 18 months. We are very much looking forward to seeing our new school take shape and becoming a space the whole community can be proud of.”

Archbishop Holgate’s School is celebrating a highly positive inspection outcome following its latest Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS), which recognised the school as a place where students and staff are able to flourish within a deeply inclusive and aspirational culture.

The inspection highlighted that the school is “living up to its foundation as a Church school and is enabling pupils and adults to flourish”, inspired by the words in John 10:10 – ‘I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full’.

Headteacher, Lucie Pond, said: “We are absolutely delighted that the SIAMS inspection has recognised Archbishop Holgate’s as a place where people flourish. Our vision is about enabling every young person to ‘have life in all its fullness’, and I’m proud that the report reflects the care, ambition and dedication shown by our staff and students every day.

The inspector recognised the inclusive culture we have built together and the strength of relationships across our school community. I would like to thank our staff, governors, families and the wider trust for their continued support.”

The inspector praised the way the school’s Christian vision “drives leaders’ actions creating an aspirational and deeply inclusive culture,” ensuring students and staff experience “a sense of a fullness of life.”

The inspection also recognised the strength of partnerships with the Diocese of York and Pathfinder Multi Academy Trust, noting these relationships help create a stimulating learning environment where students can thrive.

Students benefit from an ambitious and enriching curriculum which the inspector said “inspires and motivates students including those considered disadvantaged” enabling them to discover their talents and achieve personal goals.

The school’s commitment to inclusion was particularly praised. Staff were described as “relentless in their drive to understand the needs of individual students,” ensuring support is carefully targeted so that every young person can feel a strong sense of belonging.

Religious Education was also singled out as a major strength, with the inspector commending “exceptional leadership” and a curriculum that enables students to develop a deep understanding of different beliefs and worldviews.

The school’s chair of governors, David Taylor, said: “The SIAMS inspection report is a powerful reflection of the ambition and culture of our school. The report acknowledges leaders and staff who are passionate and committed to aspire for the best for our students and our community.”

The positive SIAMS outcome builds on the school’s strong track record of external recognition, which includes a previous outstanding SIAMS rating in 2017 and an outstanding in all areas judgement from Ofsted in 2021.

More recently, Archbishop Holgate’s underwent an Ofsted inspection in January, under their new assessment framework, which praised the school for its excellent and consistent work which is making a real difference to children and young people.

The school was also recently recognised by the Education Secretary for the excellent progress and outcomes achieved by disadvantaged pupils, placing it among the strongest schools nationally for disadvantaged performance.

Archbishop Holgate’s is a founding member of Pathfinder Multi Academy Trust, a partnership of 18 church and community schools serving more than 6,800 children and young people across York and North Yorkshire.

The report highlighted the positive impact of the trust, noting that staff value the compassionate way that the trust ‘wraps its arms around the school.’

CEO of Pathfinder Multi Academy Trust, Andrew Daly, said: “This is a fantastic report for Archbishop Holgate’s and a testament to the commitment and expertise of staff across the school.

The inspection rightly highlights the powerful partnerships between the school, the trust and the Diocese, and reflects the shared ambition we have across Pathfinder to ensure every child flourishes and succeeds.”

Education professionals from across the region are set to come together for the annual school leaders’ conference, hosted by Pathfinder Education Partnership and proudly sponsored by Yorkshire Education.

The conference will provide a vital platform for headteachers, trust CEOs and governors to collaborate on the pressing challenges and opportunities currently facing the education sector.

The conference will welcome one hundred delegates on the day, featuring a curated programme of keynote speakers and interactive workshops. The conference centres on the theme – Stronger Together: Inclusive communities for collective success.

It is an invitation to listen, reflect, and engage with research-led strategies that can be translated into meaningful action, enhancing the life chances of the region’s young people and wider communities.

Andrew Young, Co-Director of Pathfinder Education Partnership, emphasised the importance of the event: “We are delighted to bring together one hundred dedicated and values-driven school leaders at Malmaison.

This conference is a vital opportunity for colleagues to step away from the daily demands of school life to think strategically, share best practices, and strengthen the networks that support our schools.

Our children deserve the best of us, and that can only happen when we are supported through high-quality professional development and community-based collaboration.”

Joe Butcher, Managing Director at Yorkshire Education, added: “As a local organisation, we are thrilled to be the headline sponsor for this event.

Supporting the professional development of school leaders is essential for a thriving educational landscape in our region, and we look forward to meeting the delegates on the day.”

The day’s agenda includes high-profile sessions from national experts, including best-selling author Katriona O’Sullivan of Maynooth University, who will share her powerful personal story of education as a tool for transformation; Professor John Jerrim of University College London (UCL), who will discuss the latest research in pupil engagement; Dr Kaitlyn Regehr and Dr Katharine Smales of UCL, who will lead a workshop on the harmful nature of social media and how to promote digital nutrition, and Mohamed Abdallah of Reach Foundation, who will share strategies and insights for strengthening the way local communities nurture a sense of belonging so everyone feels seen, significant, and empowered.

Based at Archbishop Holgate’s School in York, Pathfinder Education Partnership works with more than two hundred education providers across Yorkshire and the Humber to deliver high-quality training and professional development for teachers and support staff at every stage of their career.

Staff and pupils at Archbishop Holgate’s School have been celebrating the successful outcome of the school’s most recent Ofsted inspection.

Following a two-day inspection in January, inspectors found that pupils achieve highly across all areas of the curriculum; enjoy and actively participate in their learning; benefit from excellent behaviour in lessons, and are extremely ambitious for their future.

The school, previously judged outstanding in all areas, is among some of the first in the country to be inspected under Ofsted’s new framework which has replaced the previous one-word judgements of outstanding, good, requires improvement and inadequate with a new five-point scale applied across seven key areas.

Due to its different approach to inspections and reporting to parents, Ofsted has stated that the old grades cannot be compared with the outcomes awarded under their new framework.

The midpoint on the new scale, called the ‘expected standard’, is a high benchmark to achieve and recognises that pupils are receiving everything they need and deserve in that area. The strong standard judgement is even harder to gain and marks out where excellent and consistent work is making a real difference to children and young people.

Following their inspection, Ofsted praised the school’s high aspirations, ambitious curriculum and inclusive ethos, finding the school to have achieved a strong standard judgement in six of the seven assessment areas with attendance and behaviour meeting the expected standard.

Archbishop Holgate’s Headteacher, Lucie Pond, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Ofsted has recognised the strengths of our school across so many areas. This report reflects the dedication, expertise and care shown every day by our staff, and the ambition and character of our pupils.

A strong standard grade means that excellent and consistent work is making a real difference to students and we are proud that this has been recognised in so many different areas of school life, from achievement, the curriculum and inclusion, through to leadership, personal development and post-16 provision.

We are delighted that Ofsted’s information about what life is like at our school starts by highlighting that the school values of justice, compassion, forgiveness and trust are lived out by staff and pupils on a daily basis.

We are also proud that the report highlights the excellent behaviour of students, how they enjoy learning and play an active part in lessons, and that our school is calm and orderly. Whilst our attendance is at the expected standard, we welcome the clear direction in this area and will continue to build on the improvements already underway. We know that as a city, improving attendance of disadvantaged and SEN students at secondary school is a key priority.”

As part of their new framework, Ofsted has also changed how they share inspection outcomes, introducing new online report cards. Alongside the grades a school achieves in each area, the report card also contains detailed descriptions of what inspectors found during their inspection as well as a section on what it’s like to be a pupil at the school. Key national data in terms of examination outcomes and destinations is also included for different groups of learners, showing how a school has performed compared to others nationally.

In the school’s report card, inspectors noted that pupils “achieve highly across all areas of the curriculum” and that outcomes at both key stage 4 and post-16 are consistently above national averages.

Results at Archbishop Holgate’s remain some of the strongest both regionally and nationally, with the school having celebrated some of its strongest ever GCSE and post-16 outcomes last summer which ranked it as the highest performing comprehensive school in North Yorkshire.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged were also highlighted as achieving particularly well.

Archbishop Holgate’s was recently recognised by the Education Secretary for the excellent outcomes achieved by disadvantaged pupils. In a letter sent to the school, Education Secretary, The Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson, praised the dedication and hard work of staff and pupils, noting that the school is among the very best nationally for disadvantaged performance.

Safeguarding was confirmed as fully meeting requirements, with inspectors highlighting the school’s open and positive culture where safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and pupils feel safe.

The school’s curriculum was described as “expertly crafted” and “highly ambitious”, and equally accessible for pupils with SEND and those who are disadvantaged. Inspectors observed that teachers ensure lessons are enjoyable and challenging for pupils, with staff benefiting from high-quality professional development, ensuring strong subject knowledge and effective teaching strategies.

The report praises pupils’ high-quality work and their “thorough understanding of current and prior learning”, noting that sixth form students articulate complex knowledge “with clarity and precision”. A large proportion of students progress to highly selective universities, reflecting the school’s culture of aspiration.
The school’s inclusive approach was also highlighted as a particular strength with its bespoke provisions found to enable vulnerable pupils to flourish both academically and personally. Leaders were praised for their careful monitoring of support strategies and for working in close partnership with parents and carers.

Leadership and governance were judged to be strong. Inspectors noted that leaders and governors have a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development, and that decisions are consistently made in the best interests of pupils. Leaders were recognised as role models with high expectations and a deeply embedded inclusive ethos.

The school’s Chair of Governors, David Taylor, said: “This outcome is a testament to the clarity of vision and unwavering commitment shown by leaders and staff. Governors are proud to both support and challenge the school in equal measure, always with pupils’ best interests at heart. It is particularly pleasing to see the impact of the school’s inclusive ethos and the strong outcomes achieved by disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND.”

Inspectors recognised the opportunities available through the school’s comprehensive personal development programme. Rooted in the school’s values of justice, compassion, forgiveness and trust, the programme enables pupils to engage thoughtfully with ethical issues, understand fundamental British values and grow into active, responsible citizens.

The wide range of extra-curricular activities, leadership opportunities and residential experiences, alongside a well-planned careers education programme, was noted for equipping pupils with the confidence, resilience and ambition, to ensure they are well prepared for life beyond school.

Post-16 provision was identified as a strength of the school, where students benefit from high-quality teaching in all areas and achieve excellent outcomes, including those with SEND and who are disadvantaged. Inspectors found the standard of students’ work and their knowledge of the curriculum to be impressive and highly detailed.

Archbishop Holgate’s School is part of Pathfinder Multi Academy Trust, an inclusive partnership of 18 church and community schools serving more than 6,000 children and young people across York and North Yorkshire. The school was designated as a regional Teaching School Hub in 2021, responsible for delivering teacher training and development to over 200 schools across Ryedale, Scarborough and York.

Andrew Daly, CEO of Pathfinder Multi Academy Trust, said: “Archbishop Holgate’s School exemplifies what can be achieved when high expectations, expert teaching and strong values come together.

This most recent report builds on the two previous outstanding Ofsted inspections and we are extremely proud that for almost 20 years, dating back to the Headship of Mr Harris, the school has consistently provided an excellent education for families across our community.

We are proud of the school’s leadership, including the work as a National Teaching School Hub and remain committed to ensuring that Archbishops, as well as all the other schools in the Pathfinder family, continue to thrive in the years ahead.”