Upper Wharfedale School

Inspection of a school judged outstanding for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Upper Wharfedale School Wharfeside Avenue, Threshfield, Skipton, North Yorkshire BD23 5BS

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Outcome

Upper Wharfedale School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Upper Wharfedale School is an enjoyable place to learn. Staff and pupils alike care for each other. Pupils are happy to be in school. They feel safe too. Pupils want to learn so they make every effort to do so. The school has very high expectations of all pupils. Pupils respond well to these expectations and take pride in meeting them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is a strength of the school. In lessons, pupils work together to help each other with their learning. Around the school, pupils are respectful of each other, of staff and other adults, including visitors. Pupils say that bullying is rare but if it does occur, the school deals with it.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school knows the pupils very well. Pupils get the support they need to help them reach learning goals. They produce high-quality work because of this. The standard of the presentation of pupils’ work is high. Pupils explain their learning and knowledge with confidence.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides lots of activities, which pupils enjoy. Pupils who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) take full advantage of these opportunities.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The curriculum meets pupils’ needs. Teachers make learning interesting for pupils by providing different ways to learn. More pupils now study a language at GCSE level. This means more pupils follow the English Baccalaureate pathway than has been the case in 3 and 4 December 2024

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the past. Teachers check pupils’ understanding regularly. Often this is done verbally when pupils most need it, during a learning activity. It helps them to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding.

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The school insists pupils with SEND get the support they need. Teachers and staff provide this support because they know pupils so well. Pupils with SEND achieve well.

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Reading is a high priority. Older pupils act as reading buddies and help their peers become more confident when reading aloud. Additional support to help pupils improve their reading is effective. The school works closely with its feeder primary schools to find out which pupils may need extra help. These pupils receive the help they need to improve. At times, the school could do more to identify the reasons that some pupils struggle to improve their reading.

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Pupils are encouraged to report any inappropriate behaviour or comments from others. Pupils say this kind of behaviour is very rare. The school takes swift and effective action if such incidents occur. Pupils say disruption to their learning does happen now and then, but it is rare.

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The school provides a wide range of opportunities beyond the classroom. They include visits and activities at home and abroad. There are visits to local community groups, the Houses of Parliament and Iceland to name a few. Along with the taught curriculum, these opportunities ensure pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is high quality. The school has put in place a programme of careers advice and guidance for all pupils. This goes above and beyond the offer expected of schools.

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The school is considerate of the workload and well-being of staff. Staff receive training to develop their practice. The governing body is effective in holding school leaders to account. The school checks how well the strategies it uses are working. However, on occasion, the school does not promptly identify areas for improvement. This means that the quality of the school’s provision cannot be improved on the small number of occasions in which this is the case. School leaders are continuing to improve this school further.

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Staff and pupils know who to talk to when they have a concern. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including when online. The school makes sure pupils have the care and support they need. There is a sense of safety and belonging in this school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 3 and 4 December 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 On occasion, the school does not promptly identify areas for improvement. As a result, in these instances, it is not possible for the school to develop the quality of its provision. The school should ensure that it has the information it needs to identify and address any areas for improvement.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be outstanding for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding for overall effectiveness in June 2019.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 3 and 4 December 2024

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 3 and 4 December 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 5 and 6 June 2019 under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, senior leaders, curriculum leaders and other members of staff. The lead inspector met with representatives of the local authority and of the governing body, including the chair of governors. 3 and 4 December 2024

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 Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors considered the views of parents who responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, along with responses submitted as free text. Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Barry Found, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Sarah Chamings Ofsted Inspector 3 and 4 December 2024

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achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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