This opportunity gives a new leader scope to shape how our schools move forward. The future of our schools requires a strong leader with a clear vision, the ability to communicate that vision to others and to make an instant impact.

While we have many strengths, we know that we must improve too. We need to continue to build a school wide love of reading and improve outcomes in writing and mathematics across our schools. Further, we need to maintain and build on the quality of teaching and our expectations of the capabilities of our children as well as developing our staff team to ensure they reach their full potential.

You will have a good understanding of the issues of leading schools on separate sites and appreciation of the importance of church schools in a local community and of the special value of the education provided in small rural schools generally.

We are always looking for ways to improve. We want your skills as an impassioned leader to make a difference, to enhance teaching and learning across the curriculum, to enrich the personal and social development of our children and to join with everyone - staff, governors and pupils – to promote our ethos and further develop the vision for our schools.

Our new leader will:

• Be an outstanding teaching practitioner able to set and achieve ambitious goals and continually seek to raise standards and promote our vision and Christian values in a way that is relevant and inspiring to all.
• Be able to provide excellent and robust staff management, progressive IT skills and a deep understanding of the significance and importance of consistent data monitoring
• Consider and shape how we can adapt our practices innovatively to promote and enhance the wellbeing of our staff team.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the needs of young people, social, physical, emotional as well as educational and ensure that the school provides a rounded provision to nurture them.
• Show practical knowledge and experience in raising standards
• Be a strategic thinker able to plan long, medium and short term
• Be able to review our financial resources and look at how we invest in our schools
• Have a continuing drive to reflect, learn and strive for positive development, for themselves, their staff team, the children and our schools as a whole.
• Be someone who is capable of and confident to make difficult decisions and ask challenging questions in order to seek the best possible outcome for our schools as a whole.

This is an excellent opportunity to provide strategic leadership and direction while building upon the high standards already in place. This will mean a strong focus on outstanding teaching and learning, ensuring every pupil makes best possible progress, curriculum development and implementation, and forging ever closer relationships with parents and carers and our wider schools communities.

Birstwith is a village in Nidderdale, North Yorkshire, about 7 miles from Harrogate. It has a population of about 900, a thriving village shop, pub and local church, St James and a large food factory. The school was founded in 1879 and forms the focal point of the community. It has a regular bus service and lies about 16 miles from the A1(M) motorway and 15 miles from Leeds Bradford Airport.  There are two current housing developments nearing completion in the village. The school’s catchment area matches the boundary of Birstwith Parish.

The school building, originally constructed in 1879, has been enhanced over the last 20 years to provide extra space for a library, school hall, two classrooms, a staff room, improved entrance facilities, ground floor office space and a larger kitchen area allowing meals to be cooked on site. An outside learning environment for Foundation Stage and Year 1 has also been added and the school has a large field, outdoor activities area and a garden where children and parents have worked alongside teachers and support staff to develop in a joint project with the “Birstwith in Bloom” community gardening group.

The school works in a collaborative arrangement with a smaller school, Admiral Long CE Primary School, in the nearby village of Burnt Yates which is just 2 miles away.

The school prides itself on being a happy and well rounded learning environment. In the 2017 short inspection, Ofsted found that “pupils enjoy coming to school. They feel well supported in their learning and proud when their work is celebrated”.  Challenging behaviour and bullying are rare.  There have been no exclusions in the last 5 years and no racial incidents recorded”.

Children at the school are encouraged to be “ready, respectful and safe” when in the school building and positive behaviour is encouraged and rewarded, for example through behaviour awards in merit assembly.

The socio-economic background of the pupils varies but is generally above average.

7.4% of pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals; 8.5% attract Pupil Premium; 13.8% are on the SEND register; 2 pupils have an EHCP. Some pupils have needs in more than one area. 53% of pupils are from outside the school’s catchment area. 4.2% of pupils are from backgrounds other than white British.

Child wellbeing:
The emotional wellbeing of the children at the school has always been a high priority and children are encouraged to talk in class and to their peers about their mental health for example through class circle time. Mental health has continued to be of key importance during the Covid pandemic and activities, such as mindfulness, have been shared with the children. Internet safety is also a key factor and regular information is shared with children and parents on how to stay safe on the internet.

Younger children entering reception are assigned a school buddy, a child in year 6, who has a role in supporting the child in finding their way around the school, making friends and encouraging them to join in. The older children relish the responsibility of supporting a new student and the young children really benefit from having the support from an older peer in their first year.

Birstwith School Fun Club:
Fun Club is open daily during term time and provides wraparound care from 8.00 am to 6.00 pm. It offers a variety of activities including outdoor play, computer games, a Wii gaming system, arts and crafts and construction play.

Sporting information:

• Sporting events and opportunities involving inter-school tournaments have a high profile – including football, tag rugby, hockey and athletics - Many examples on the school website including photos.
• Physical activity has continued to be encouraged through lockdown and children have been regularly sent information of physical activities and local challenges in which they can take part.
• Children have access to a local community tennis club and attend as part of their PE lessons in the summer.
• Annual school sports days are enjoyed and well attended by parent spectators.
• Children in Year 2 and 3 are also able to participate in swimming lessons at a local pool – this is funded in part from contributions from the ‘Friends of Birstwith school’.

Extra curricular activities:

• The school has an active and regularly attended school choir. They regularly perform at school events and assemblies as well as participating in national events such as Young Voices.
• Children also have the chance to learn musical instruments either during break times or after school.
• Eco-council, where children are actively encouraged to develop new ideas that will encourage the school to become more environmentally friendly (an example of this is when the group suggested that metal straws were purchased rather than plastic non-reusable ones).
• Younger children are also given the opportunity to learn French after school.
• School Council – each class has a representative school councillor. The school councillors have created ideas boxes for each class to contribute to and have consistently asked all children in school how we can improve, enhance or change aspects of the school.
• We also have a Forest School in a wooded area close to the school site – children from reception to year 6 attend in half term blocks throughout the year (and in all weathers) and are encouraged to explore and develop their independence through play and adventure. There are some great photos on the school website of forest school.

Whole School Events:

• The whole school takes part in a merit assembly every Friday afternoon, led by the Executive Headteacher. Parents and family members are encouraged to attend. The assembly ends and begins with a hymn followed by ‘birthdays’ where children who have had a birthday that week can talk about their day. Merits for various pupil achievements are awarded, for example behaviour, writing and effort amongst others.
• Assemblies also give the children the opportunity to share any achievements they have made out of school such as swimming awards, drama, and sporting activities.
• The school has several ‘whole school’ assemblies and performances to highlight key dates in the year including Christmas and Easter: these are often held at the local church, St James which enables a large audience of family members to attend.
• The annual Easter Egg Rolling competition on the front playground.
• Den day (Save the Children) – held annually in the summer where the children bring items from home to build, group dens.
• A highly popular Christmas activity, enjoyed by children, parents and staff alike is the “Carols Around the Tree” service where the children and the audience sing carols together.
• School plays and nativity performances are split between younger children (reception to year 2) and older children (year 3 to year 6). The performances really are a unique aspect of the school, original, often funny, with beautiful costumes and music and with a member of staff accompanying on the piano. In 2020 the performance was held outside due to covid-19 and the video shared with parents.
• The whole school summer trip to Saltburn-by-the-Sea is also a much loved school tradition, complete with fish and chips, ice creams, games on the beach and, of course, a paddle.
• Book day – where the children are encouraged to come dressed as a character from their favourite book and participate in booked themed activities throughout the day.
• The children regularly participate in charitable activities for example; Children in Need and the special Poppy Appeal organised by the school.

School History - Bishop Thornton
Admiral Long CE Primary School is in the unusual situation of being a school that is growing. This positive state of affairs has been made possible due to the Headteacher and Governors spearheading a move from the very small, original school building in Bishop Thornton to a school building in the neighbouring village of Burnt Yates, which had been vacant for twelve months.

The Bishop Thornton building was vacated in July 2019 and the school seamlessly opened its new doors after the summer holidays in September 2019, retitled Admiral Long, in recognition of the founder of the school trust over 250 years ago. The school staff welcomed in the largest Reception intake in recent memory, completely validating the reasons for the move.

Admiral Long
Our School is located in Burnt Yates, a small village on the edge of the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

School numbers have flourished since opening less than 2 years ago (currently 41 - increasing to 43 in September 2021) and  we expect this growth to continue, but perhaps not doubling in size quite as rapidly over the next few years!

The collaboration with Birstwith C.E is a healthy one that has been strengthened through the need to work together during lockdown, but looks forward to greater, future collaboration.

The school buildings and the 4 plus acres of grounds are impressive, with wide-open space between the main road entrances and the school, flanked by a large playing field and a fully equipped woodland Forest School to the rear.

There is a walled outdoor teaching area, partly covered to provide an outdoor classroom to the rear and side of the building. This area is due to be refurbished and enhanced over the 2021 Easter holidays so it can be more fully utilised.

In addition an architect has been engaged and planning application submitted to improve access to the enclosed outdoor space adjacent to Class 1 to enable use by the Early Years during normal lesson times.  Should planning consent be approved by Harrogate BC, work is scheduled to take place during the 2021 summer holidays.

The school prides itself on developing the individual to their full potential, no matter what ability. We are fully inclusive and, as a result, have never taken part in the practice of ‘gaming’ or ‘off-rolling’. We are proud of the fact that we have not had any fixed-period or permanent exclusions, incidents of bullying nor discriminatory or derogatory language at the school in the last 10 years.

Our school provides full wraparound care, called ‘Admiral’s Crew’, operates from 7.30am until 6pm Monday - Thursday and Friday morning. Admiral’s Crew provides enriching activities, using the large school hall in the winter and the extensive outside space in the more temperate months of the year. Admiral’s Crew’s manager is also Forest School qualified. Outdoor shower and toilet facilities stand separate to the main school building, enabling the use of the school by Forest School leaders and outside organisations during school holidays.

Our school is well ahead in implementing the new curriculum, as this was amazingly well developed by the teaching staff in the summer term of 2019 and took place in the middle of planning and whilst undertaking the school move.  The pupils are now able to study the full curriculum.

Our Pupils
Children’s attitudes to school and learning are excellent. They enjoy coming to school and show great interest in the learning activities provided for them.

The school fosters a welcoming, caring, stimulating and secure environment in which the children are encouraged to develop as learners. Our ethos is based on the Christian attitudes of tolerance, care, inclusion and forgiveness. Nurturing the children within this environment enables them to develop to their potential and broaden their horizons; the Executive Headteacher will be expected  to lead by example. The ethos is reflected in the relationships between staff, children, parents and governors of the school. At Admiral Long within the welcoming, calm and inspiring environment there is a high expectation in terms of behaviour, and this is borne out by the quality of children’s day to day interactions frequently commented on by parents, governors and other visitors to school, as well as members of the church and village.

Many feel that the Christian ethos and values in evidence within the school are the ‘backbone’ to their child’s experiences and development.   All children participate in out of school activities such as sports’ clubs, Cubs/Brownies, Young Farmers, as well as socialising with each other out of school: a consequence of the friendly atmosphere in school.  The school aims to enhance the clubs offered on the premises over time.

School Trustees
The school is blessed with an independent board of trustees who, historically, have administered the school site since its foundation in the mid-18th century. The current board have demonstrated their commitment to our burgeoning school by encouraging and enabling the ‘big move’ 2 years ago as well as continuing to show their support by administering trust money towards suitable initiatives.. The Executive Headteacher has responsibility for liaising with the trustees each term and presenting school updates/initiatives.

Our staff are our greatest resource and are incredibly committed, loyal and dedicated. They always have the best interests of the pupils at heart and are determined to find something at which every child can shine. Staff get to know the children in the school very well and use this information to personalise opportunities for learning.

Ofsted recognised – “The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. You know each individual child very well and develop strong, positive relationships with staff, governors, pupils and their parents” – Birstwith Ofsted 2017

Ofsted recognised - ‘Staff demonstrate strong subject knowledge. They know the pupils very well. They generally plan learning that builds on what pupils already know and understand. They monitor their pupils’ learning carefully. Those at risk of falling behind are quickly identified and given additional support’ – Admiral Long Ofsted 2018

The Executive Headteacher leads in both places, spending approximately half the week in each school. The two schools are developing the sharing of subject lead roles, which benefits the professional development of teachers in both schools. The Senior Year 4 Teacher at Birstwith is SENCo for both schools. This collaboration allows for the development of shared resources and more effective monitoring.

Birstwith
Staff relationships are very positive and form a close knit team and very supportive of each other in times of personal difficulty.

The years are grouped together in the following classes:
Rabbit (Reception and Year 1)
Hedgehog (Year 2 and 3)
Fox (Year 4)
Squirrel (Year 5 and 6)

There is a full time Teacher (or equivalent) and TA in each class.
Rabbits and Hedgehogs - 2 TAs every morning and 1 every afternoon
Foxes - 1 TA every morning and 1 for 2 afternoons
Squirrels - 1 TA every morning and 1 for 4 afternoons
Admin support - 2 TAs for 3 mornings and 1 for 4 afternoons

Support Staff

• Support staff are used to work with groups of children in our mixed age, mixed ability classes, to undertake 1:1 work with individual pupils, to undertake 'booster' and catch up' programmes with groups of children, to support individual pupils struggling with Emotional and Mental Health, to cover Teachers' PPA time. Some are employed solely to work 1:1 with pupils with EHCPs.
• Full time Office Administrator
• Full time Assistant Office Administrator
• Full time Cook

Admiral Long
The senior teacher has been responsible for Class 1 for approximately 17 years. She is admired by pupils and parents alike for her professionalism and enthusiasm for all things ‘school’. She is also recognised as a moderator by the LA across other schools, as well as being a staff governor.

There are two teachers in Class 2 (0.4) and (0.6) who have formed a good partnership to serve the children.

The school is also fortunate in nurturing a settled, long serving and experienced team of TAs. They are fully utilised within the school and also cover break periods and lunchtimes, together with a catering assistant. As part of the collaborative process, roles have been developed across both schools with the senior teacher from Birstwith the SENCo across both schools, liaising with the SEN Governors and the CoGs, as well as presenting to the governing board.

• The current Executive Headteacher is Maths lead across both schools
• The full time senior teacher at Admiral Long is the Literacy lead across both schools
• The Class 2 teachers are Subject Leads across Geography and History in both schools
• A staff member is fully qualified in Forest School and the school is very keen to utilise these skills into the future; once things have returned to normal
• The manager of Admiral’s Crew, brings mature experience to this new initiative with additional experienced staff assisting
• The office administrator has served at the school since her own children attended
• The role of clerk to governors will now be provided by the professional clerking service offered by the LA
• The school is well serviced by outside contractors both inside the building and out.
• The school has the services of an excellent Bursar, provided by the LA.
• Cleaning and caretaking is taken care of by a long serving and experienced lady who intimately understands the requirements of the school
• The ICT equipment is managed by John Pearson Consultancy

Additional Information
Whilst the manager of Admiral’s Crew is committed to providing cooked meals in the afternoon for those children remaining after school, there is not currently a kitchen large enough to provide cooked lunches throughout the week, and so this resource is bought in from a neighbouring school kitchen in Ripley.

The school has a good working relationship with Sporting Influence who are now able to provide a much wider range of activities due to the facilities offered at Admiral Long, especially with the gym equipment in the main hall. This relationship also offers excellent CPD opportunities for the staff involved.

Music teachers visit the school for those pupils who wish to play a musical instrument.

The school works with various external support teams, including speech and language therapists, physiotherapists, learning support, hearing impairment, children and families, social and other support staff.

The Governing Boards Role and Support
Both boards of governors actively support their schools and take their link responsibilities seriously. During Covid, they have continued to do so virtually with a focus on staff well-being.

All school governors are engaged, positive and proactive in ensuring the schools continues to thrive and develop.

As full governing boards, they meet regularly, endeavouring always to ensure our children receive the best education possible, in a safe and supportive environment.

Governors engage in training events to continue to learn and develop in the role to ensure support and continue in the “critical friend” role to the best of their ability.

Each member of the Boards has a link role, with a structured timetable for regular, focused school visits. This programme allows governors to fulfil their monitoring role and have an in-depth understanding of the strengths and areas for improvement across all aspects of school life.

Governors seek and consider a range of feedback from the whole school community to ensure that they fully understand the differing perspectives of all stakeholders on how the school is performing.

Our schools have worked hard on their vision, ethos and values.

Our Mission Statement: “ At Birstwith CE  and Admiral Long CE Primary Schools, through our Christian values and ethos, we provide a welcoming environment in which everyone is cherished and challenged to fulfil their potential”

Our schools’ aims as stated in the Self-Evaluation document are: “Within the context of Christian belief and practice, provide a happy, safe, caring and ordered environment in which each person is valued for what they have to offer and is treated as special and equal”

• Deliver quality learning opportunities which stimulate, challenge and encourage pupils to reach their potential and prepare them for the future, thereby setting the foundations for lifelong learning
• Offer a balanced, dynamic curriculum which encourages physical, social, moral and spiritual growth, as well as high standards of academic achievement
• Nurture strong relationships between school, home, church, village and the wider community, sharing knowledge and expertise
• Help children develop a growing sense of independence and confidence
• Ensure the school works efficiently and is well led and managed
• Deliver a broad, balanced and enriched curriculum, so that children are excited by and immersed in their learning
• Provide a caring and happy environment where every child feels secure, safe and part of our school family
• Help children to develop personally, socially, morally and spiritually, respecting all others in a climate where bullying and racism are unacceptable
• Ensure equality of opportunity for all whilst celebrating the individuality of every child
• Develop a partnership between home, school and the wider community that is mutually supportive
• Maintain high standards of behaviour and respect for all others
• Foster the development of attitudes and skills that will give children increasing control over their own lives and help them to make informed choices

Progression documents are personalised showing a planned sequence of learning across all year groups for each of the Foundation subjects, in line with the revised Inspection Framework, together with a carefully written Statement of Intent and a Curriculum Rationale, in order to help tackle the barriers to learning for children across both schools.

The learning, within the broad and balanced curriculum, builds on previous skills and knowledge, year by year, and Teachers have planned revisits to the blocks of knowledge that they wish to become part of the children’s long-term memory.

The joint staff group has developed and agreed a Medium Term Planning pro forma which shows clear objectives, progression through a series of lessons, differentiation for different ages and abilities and includes an end of unit assessment. Lessons deepen pupils’ knowledge and help them develop a range of skills across the curriculum. The expectations that teachers have for each pupil is shown through careful and thoughtful planning that provides tasks that engage and challenge each pupil following assessment of previous learning.

Staff have planned so that the curriculum meets the needs of the schools’ rurally-based pupils, supporting them to know their own locality, particularly but also to expand their horizons and develop a greater understanding of the wider British community, and beyond that, the wider world.

In planning the curriculum, staff considered the needs of the 25.3% of pupils with SEND, ensuring it includes lots of discussion and visual stimuli, with trips and curriculum days planned to bring the curriculum to life and enrich learning. The curriculum is also supported by high quality, engaging texts and all these things improve the cultural capital of all pupils.

Birstwith – Ofsted Inspection – Graded Good – February 2017

Ofsted recognised – ‘Pupils enjoy coming to school. They feel well supported in their learning and proud when their work is celebrated. Older pupils in particular spoke with enthusiasm about enjoying the challenge of improving their work. They explained the systems and support available in class and directed by their teacher to help them do this. Pupils enjoy the opportunities to go on trips and attend a range of extra-curricular activities, which broaden their learning’ – Ofsted 2017

Birstwith - SIAMS Inspection – Graded Good – June 2017

‘School leaders, through their commitment to the school’s distinctively Christian character and through their clear purpose to maintain standards, are helping children to gain the greatest benefit from school life. Leaders collaborate well, as demonstrated by the relationship with local clergy and by the cooperative approach to revising the school’s core values. Those in leadership articulate the same priorities for the school, particularly with regard to its continued church school ethos’ – SIAMS 2017

Admiral Long – Ofsted Inspection – Requires Improvement – October 2018

Ofsted recognised –“Pupils are kind, polite and aware of the needs of others. They get on well together and with staff at the school. Pupils spoke with real pleasure about how much they enjoyed school and how well the staff care for and look after them. They know that staff at the school would be there for them if they ever had a problem. ‘We all trust the teachers,’ one pupil said during a meeting with the inspector. All the other pupils present nodded vigorously in agreement” – Ofsted 2018

Admiral Long – SIAMS Inspection - Graded Good – September 2017

‘Through its distinctively Christian ethos, school leaders ensure the school provides a welcoming, inclusive learning environment in which pupils are guided towards success. As a very small school, a flexibility of educational approach is provided for each child. This enables the staff to engage successfully with pupils whose previous experiences of school may have been negative’ SIAMS 2017

Current areas identified for improvement:

Birstwith

• To ensure that writing results in Key Stage 1 are in line with national average data and to monitor the progress of boys’ writing in years 2 and 3.
• To ensure that progress in Maths at Key Stage 2 is in line with progress in reading and in line with or above national average data [NB school development plan based on previous year’s plan because of the impact of COVID -19]
• To ensure that pupils who do not achieve a Good Level of Development in reading and writing in Reception are given appropriate support;
• To continue to plan and embed curriculum development in all subjects;
• To respond to recommendations from the SIAMS Inspection Report and continue to develop the distinctiveness of the school as a Church School

Admiral Long
The existing SDP priorities are:-

• To improve the attainment and progress in maths of pupils in KS2.
• To use high quality children’s literature to continue to progress the development of good quality writing in Literacy and to continue to develop good quality cross curricular writing throughout the school through the wider curriculum.
• To further develop the EYFS provision, assessment and pupil’s learning experiences within the new environment. Taking account of the larger cohort, to ensure parents of children in the EYFS are fully involved and engaged in their learning. To achieve a higher percentage of children achieving GLD at end of year assessment against the ELGs.
• To develop a culture of reading for pleasure throughout the school and to ensure all children are reading fluently for their age and ability.
• Improve the school environment further by developing the ‘pond area’ into a safe and educationally useful part of the school and a setting that will support the mental health and wellbeing of the children.
• To respond to recommendations from the SIAMS Inspection report and continue to develop the distinctiveness of the school as a Church School.

Our Schools Current Strengths

• Pupils’ personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Underpinned by Christian beliefs and practice there is a happy, motivating environment where pupils are confident and supportive of each other. Older children show a caring attitude towards younger pupils. All pupils are accepting of others, especially those with disabilities. New children are welcomed into the school and everyone is keen to help them to settle into school life.
• Strong SEND provision (Ofsted 2017)
• Active and supportive well led (as stated by Ofsted) Governing Body
• An ambitious wider curriculum
• Admiral Long has a very settled and well balanced team of teachers, TAs, staff and governors and supportive trustees with a passion for education in the village.
• Pupils are very happy in school. Children who have challenges in life thrive in the school atmosphere.
• A strong and cherished Senior Education Advisor
• Our new premises and surroundings with all of the untapped potential are a constant joy to all involved with Admiral Long.

Future considerations
Federation between the two schools  was considered last year, but rejected by both Governing Boards. Academisation was considered in some detail by the Executive Headteacher and both CofGs 4/5 years ago and the decision was unanimously reached by both boards not to pursue it at that point, and this decision has not changed.

Current levels of pupil achievement, attainment and progress:

Birstwith

All the children were assessed for learning loss arising from lockdown during Autumn term 2020: Reading loss:
Yr 1 26%; Yr 2 29%; Yr 3 9%; Yr 4 6%; Yr 5 0%; Yr 6 6%
Writing loss: Yr 1 6%; Yr2 29%; Yr 3 27%; Yr 4 34%; Yr5 25%; Yr 6 12%
Maths loss:  Yr1 6%; Yr 2 0%; Yr 3 0%; Yr 4 24%; Yr 5 12.5%; Yr6 22%
Grammar and punctuation loss: Yr3 0%; Yr4 29%; Yr5 0%; Yr 6 17%
Spelling loss:  Yr3 18%; Yr 4 100%; Yr 5 12.5%; Yr6 24%

EYFS:  (cohort 10 children), percentages not on track: Communication and language 30%; Personal social and emotional development 30%; Physical development: 20%; Literacy 20%; Maths 10%; understanding the World 10%; Expressive Arts and Design 10%

Admiral Long - Due to the Covid restrictions details are given for 2019

EYFS 2019
6 pupils in cohort – 3 boys and 3 girls
67% (below national average figure of 71.8% 2019) show a good level of development (2 boys and 2 girls), with 1 boy and 1 girl ‘emerging’ in reading, writing and maths, as well as speaking and understanding. The average point score of the cohort, 37 is above the national average of 34.6 (2019)
33% (1 boy and 1 girl) were working at an ‘exceeding’ level by the end of the year.

Y1 Phonics Screening
2019 4 pupils in cohort – 2 boys and 2 girls
100% of pupils achieved the expected level well above the national average figure of 82%.
Both Year 2 pupils who retook the phonics test passed the screening check.

KS1 2019
6 pupils – 3 boy and 3 girls
67% of pupils achieved at least the Expected level in reading and writing, with 100% achieving at least Expected in maths. 33% were working at Greater Depth in reading (26% nationally 2018) and writing and 67% in maths (22% nationally 2018).
All made expected progress from the end of EYFS in all subjects, with 1 pupil making more than expected progress in reading and writing.
67% achieved an Expected level in reading, writing and maths and 33% achieved Greater Depth in reading, writing and maths.
At the end of Y2 outcomes were below national average in reading – school 67%  (national average 2018 75%), well above national average in mathematics – school 100% (national average 2018 76%) and below national average in writing  - school 67% (national average 2018 79%). All pupils achieved the expected standard in science.
Outcomes at greater depth (GD) in reading, writing and mathematics were well above national average figures for 2018.
All pupils in the Y2 cohort made at least expected progress from the Early Years Foundation Stage in reading, writing and maths, with 17% made better than expected progress in reading and writing.

Key Stage 2
2019 5 pupils in cohort – 3 boys and 2 girls – 2 pupils with SEND
2 pupils (40%) achieved at least an expected level in R, W and M (65% nationally).
At the end of Y6 outcomes have improved slightly since 2018, but are still well below the national average in all subjects.
1 pupil (20%) achieved Greater Depth in writing – in line with the national average figure for 2019 (20%) but no pupils achieved Greater Depth in the other subjects.

Budgetary Position

Birstwith
A large cohort of 19 pupils will leave Year 6 in July 2021. The school are attempting to increase recruitment however possible and to look even more closely at costs.

General school revenue balance as at 31/8/2020 - credit £30,523
2020/2021 - projected surplus of £8,900
2021/2022 - projected deficit of £5,400
2022/2023 - projected deficit of £24,200

Admiral Long
From a ‘balancing the books’ position two years ago to being comfortable means that our school has been able to actively plan building projects and with additional revenue added, allow more TA hours during lockdown, and in general for any additional interventions.

The Bursar reported a surplus of £28,000, at the FGB meeting 25.11.2020.  The planned building work detailed elsewhere will come from capital expenditure and a donation.

The Financial Revenue Forecast presented by the bursar at FGB meeting 25.11.2020 showed:

Projected surplus of £56,600 for 2022/23, an achievable prediction due to fact that Admiral Long is due to have 43 on roll Sept 2021 (44 was the estimate given by the LA for the following academic year 2022/23, therefore, pupils to staff ratio will create even greater economies of scale). Bursar has advised that to develop a three class school there would need to be 61 pupils on roll.

The two schools are central to their communities and have active PTAs which raise large sums of money for schools facilities and by subsidising visits, swimming lessons, and the purchase of resources.

Both schools have an excellent relationship with the Local Authority, one that is cherished, due to the commitment and heart of the people that have been involved in helping both schools to thrive. Our schools are proactive in gaining support and advice in order to further support families and children. The Executive Headteacher’s termly or twice termly meetings with the Senior Education Advisor (Karen Butler) are generally attended by the CofGs so they remain  abreast of school development and scrutiny. There is a strong and supportive relationship with the Diocese. Critical friend visits, performance management and training offered by Diocese are all accessed.

Birstwith
Our school has strong support from the PTA “Friends of Birstwith school”. Regular bake sales, Christmas fairs, “bags to school” and other social activities raise money for school activities such as swimming. The “Friends” have also developed virtual ways of continuing to support the school through the Covid period and continually look for creative ways to support the school. This year they produced a “Friends of Birstwith School” cookbook where children and parents were encouraged to share recipes that they had made during lockdown. The project became a community affair, with recipe contributions from local people, the shop and the pub chef. Please read about the charities we support.

Parents also receive a fortnightly “link” newsletter where important information and updates are shared. The school has been active during the pandemic in ensuring that all the children remain engaged in their education and communication with parents is comprehensive and consistent. Vulnerable children have received additional support and have been encouraged to attend school when possible during lockdown.

Our school is an active member in a close village and very well supported by the community. They link closely with the local church, St James and regularly use the church and hall for performances and events. Members of the community are also encouraged to work with the school and pupils e.g. in the gardening work with “Birstwith in Bloom”. The children have recently completed an art activity displaying posters about safety in a joint project with the local mill, which is now on display in the village. We are members of Harrogate and Rural Teaching School Alliance.

Admiral Long
The school move was greatly welcomed by the majority of parents and they have continued to support and encourage the school to fulfil its potential in the improved facilities.  The parents have had to play a large part in the past extraordinary 12 months under Covid restrictions and have been actively involved in the distance teaching that has happened over Zoom.

There is a PTA however, due to the pressures that all have felt recently, the PTA has not been active.  Previously the PTA organised an inclusive village barbecue in the school’s borrowed field following the afternoon’s sports day. Activities were organised in general for fund raising across the school year.

• School events in Bishop Thornton Church were well attended, and due to the proximity to St. Andrew's in Burnt Yates use of church has been made easier
• School nativities and plays were well attended and continued to run at maximum capacity when staged in the new building.
• There is usually an annual parent questionnaire, other communication is via a fortnightly school ‘The Link’ online update sent to parents and governors, as well as email and text messages, the school also has a FaceBook page for those associated with school only
• The engagement with busy parents is something that the school actively and creatively works upon.

Due to the school only operating normally in the new premises for a short period of time the links with the village are in the development stage.  There is a strong relationship with the church and wider benefice through the vicar, who is also a trustee at Admiral Long.  He regularly takes acts of Collective Worship in school and leads prayers for parents in the school grounds at drop off time.  One of the benefice ‘readers’ is a retired teacher living in the village and regularly visits school. Both are good friends to Admiral Long.  The CofGs is also a Foundation Governor and active within the wider benefice and is the governors link with church and the benefice.  The trustees are embedded into the local community and are actively interested in the position of the school within the local community.

The pupils are encouraged to raise money for local, national and international charities, such as Comic Relief and Children in Need, local charities such as St Michael’s Hospice and international charities such as disaster relief funds.

• Pupils and their families send boxes of gifts at Christmas through the Samaritans Purse charity.
• School is developing a tie with an orphanage and school in Africa through the personal links of a teacher.

The school received unstinting support from the Strategic Planning Officer, Children & Young People’s Service throughout the planning and implementation of the premises move, and the SEA and LEA actively supported every element of the move as well as implementing and guiding the HT, teachers and governors throughout the course of the school Partnership Improvement Plan, which they provided following the Ofsted inspection.

Harrogate

Harrogate is a spa town in North Yorkshire, England. Historically in the West Riding of Yorkshire, the town is a tourist destination and its visitor attractions include its spa waters and RHS Harlow Carr gardens. 13 miles (21 km) away from the town centre is the Yorkshire Dales National Park and the Nidderdale AONB. Harrogate grew out of two smaller settlements, High Harrogate and Low Harrogate, in the 17th century. For three consecutive years (2013–2015), polls voted the town as "the happiest place to live" in Britain.

Harrogate spa water contains iron, sulphur and common salt. The town became known as 'The English Spa' in the Georgian era, after its waters were discovered in the 16th century. In the 17th and 18th centuries its 'chalybeate' waters (containing iron) were a popular health treatment, and the influx of wealthy but sickly visitors contributed significantly to the wealth of the town.

Harrogate railway station and Harrogate bus station in the town centre provide transport connections. Leeds Bradford Airport is 10 miles (16 km) southwest of Harrogate. The main roads through the town are the A61, connecting Harrogate to Leeds and Ripon, and the A59, connecting the town to York and Skipton. Harrogate is also connected to Wetherby and the A1(M) by the A661, while the A658 from Bradford forms a bypass around the south of the town. Harrogate had a population of 71,594 at the 2001 UK census; the urban area comprising Harrogate and nearby Knaresborough had a population of 85,128, while the figure for the much wider Borough of Harrogate, comprising Harrogate, Knaresborough, Ripon, as well as a number of smaller settlements and a large rural area, was 151,339.

Harrogate is an attractive town offering a wide choice of restaurants whose cuisines are drawn from all over the world, a lovely theatre putting on a varied programme, the Royal Hall and International Conference Centre which are venues for a varied range of musical events, a well-established RHS garden, and several art galleries.

The Town also hosts its own Spring and Autumn Flower Shows, Harrogate International Festival attracting high class performers in plays and music, and there is also a Crime Writing Festival, a Children’s Festival and a History Festival. Cycling also helped to promote the town, and Yorkshire in general, when the Tour de France spent its first 3 days in the county, based in the town in 2014, and an annual Tour de Yorkshire followed on from the enthusiasm from this event.

North Yorkshire

North Yorkshire is England's largest county and one of the most rural. The area comprises the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors, three Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and a stunning coastline around Scarborough and Whitby. There are ruined castles and abbeys, serene gardens, unique breweries, thrilling rides and industrial heritage. The area hosted the phenomenal Tour de France ‘Grand Depart’ in 2014 and has since created the Tour de Yorkshire, an annual event with global recognition. Success in supporting these events led to Harrogate hosting the UCI Cycling World Championships in 2019.

North Yorkshire has plenty to offer the outdoor enthusiast. From the hard gritstone of Almscliff and Brimham rocks to the limestone of Malham, Gordale and Kilnsey climbing venues are in abundance. The Yorkshire Dales is the premier area for caving and for mountain biking; there are the bridleways of the Dales and North York Moors as well as the renowned trail centre at Dalby Forest. There are a small number of sailing clubs on reservoirs around the county and fantastic surfsport venues and sea kayaking on the east coast.

While the county is rightly known for its wide-open spaces, it also incorporates attractive market towns including Pickering and Helmsley, traditional seaside towns, the Spa town of Harrogate and the ancient city of York - the most visited city outside of London. There are a wide range of shopping, leisure and cultural facilities as well as excellent schools, universities, road and rail links. There really is everything to offer you and your family as a place to work, live and enjoy!

Travelling further afield we have convenient connectivity, with close proximity to metropolitan cities of Leeds and Newcastle and with a little over two hours commute on the main train line to London. We border the Lake District, Lancashire, County Durham, and Yorkshire & Humber regions with all they have to offer.