This is an exciting and rewarding Headship in which you will be able to lead our school on to the next stage of its journey and develop what that journey might look like. You must exhibit confidence and be an empathetic, engaging communicator who has a clear focus on continuing to build a healthy workplace culture to benefit the wellbeing of staff and pupils.

The future of our school requires a strong leader with a clear vision, who has 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 across our school. 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.

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 – Governors, staff and pupils – to promote our ethos and further develop the vision for our school.

Our new leader will:

1.  Deliver an exciting, inspiring curriculum providing opportunities and opening children’s eyes to the world
2.  Ensure children value difference and show high levels of respect and courtesy.
3. Strive for Cowling to become a centre of primary excellence through school to school led improvement and collaboration.
4. Establish positive and successful home school partnerships.
5. Ensure our children are happy, safe and successful finding the fun in learning.
6. Deliver excellent progress for all our children.
7. Make Cowling a place where every child has the chance to shine.
8. Develop character enabling children to demonstrate resilience.
9. Our teaching stimulates motivation, imagination and curiosity.
10. Encourage our children to try new things.

This is an excellent opportunity to provide strategic leadership and direction while building on high expectations.

Cowling Community Primary School has a warm and welcoming feel. The children are well behaved, polite and genuinely care for each other and their school community. They are motivated leaners and have a great sense of pride in their work and the school.

At Cowling our vision is to ensure we:

• Deliver an exciting, inspiring curriculum providing opportunities and opening children’s eyes to the world.
• Ensure children value difference and show high levels of respect and courtesy.
• Become a centre of primary excellence through school to school led improvement and collaboration.
• Establish positive and successful home school partnerships.
• Ensure our children are happy, safe and successful finding the fun in learning.
• Deliver excellent progress for all our children.
• Are a place where every child has the chance to shine.
• Develop character enabling children to demonstrate resilience.
• Our teaching stimulates motivation, imagination and curiosity.
• Encourage our children to try new things.

A warm, happy and encouraging environment where our children are encouraged to try new things and learn from their experiences. Wellbeing of pupils and staff is a key focus, and children are encouraged to be resilient and independent. Children are respectful and value each other, we have few issues with bullying and our children feel safe.

We are a small school, in traditional buildings in a rural setting. The school playing field is an under-used asset with current issues around drainage in the course of being addressed. There is also room for improvement, in conjunction with the authority, on the buildings. The school is on the outskirts of the village, set in open countryside. Our small community is close-knit with low diversity and a low proportion of pupil premium. A number of our children’s parents attended the school themselves, as did members of their extended family. We have positive and successful home/ school partnerships which are key to our children’s progress. Teachers work very well together and with parents and have been an effective cohesive team.

Ofsted recognised – “The curriculum supports positive behaviour and well-being because it engages pupils well and teaches them about topics and subjects which go beyond their everyday experiences. In this respect, the school ensures that there is a range of special activities, including trips and visitors into school, to support pupils’ learning in the curriculum. These trips enhance the learning as well as provide pupils with the opportunities to see the world from different perspectives. As such, the pupils demonstrate real respect, tolerance and interest for different faiths and cultures. Trips to local mosques and temples, as well as churches, are examples of how pupils’ understanding of faith has been widened.” Ofsted April 2019

Our Pupils are the heart of our school; they are well mannered and confident, keen to learn and engaged in all their learning. They treat each other with respect and their behaviour is good. Children’s attitudes to school and learning are good, they enjoy coming to school and show great interest in the learning activities provided for them.

“Behaviour is a strength of the school. Pupils conduct themselves well at different times of the day and demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. This means that pupils want to do their best and try hard in class. This contributes to the strong progress pupils make.” Ofsted April 2019

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. Mental health has continued to be of key importance coming out of 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.

We have a professional, committed and supportive academic and support staff body. The school is supported by an experienced, involved and supportive Board of Governors.

Key strengths include:

• Outstanding behaviour of our children within their classrooms and around the school, whilst maintaining the
  highest levels of attendance.
• Basic maths in particular arithmetic and number.
• Consistent Phonics and Reading approach through adoption of new techniques such as Little Wandle.
• Strong community links strengthening relationships and curriculum opportunities for pupils - e.g. links
  with local church and village events
• Success in inter school sports, e.g. mixed cricket, football and rugby
• Our pupils are well rounded individuals by the time they transition to secondary education.
• Well qualified staff who actively seek to increase their curriculum knowledge and skills through CPD
• Sound financial and business management

Our staff are our greatest resource and are incredibly committed, loyal, positive and hardworking. 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.

Currently the Headteacher is seconded to a local school with the deputy head acting as interim head and senior member of staff acting as interim deputy head – these arrangements have been in place since May 2021 and have worked very well given the wider issues nationally. The experienced and established senior team (previously head, deputy head and senior teacher) have been added to with a member of staff taking on further responsibilities over the period. The deputy head is also the SENCO and has taken on the role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) this year with the interim deputy head being the deputy DSL.
The staffing profile of the school consists:

• Head – 1FTE (previously full time deputy)
• Deputy – 1FTE (full time class teacher)
• Class teachers – 5 heads covering 4.04 FTE
• Mix of HLTA/ATA/GTA hours equating to 6.2 FTE
• Administrator/secretary 1 FTE

The school mixes staff well with TA’s supporting classes and intervention. There are 5 classes over the 6 years with mixed classes where needed (although cross key stage 1 and 2 are avoided). There are no staff relationships

School secretary is retiring at end of summer term with plans well underway for a replacement. Lunch cover is provided by secretary, TA’s and catering staff. Cleaning is managed in-house as are meals in that meals are provided by NYCC and cooked and served within school.

Staff have responsibility for subject areas and curriculum with link Governors in place to oversee.

The Governing Board’s Role and Support

The Governing Body meets six times per year as a full governing body due to a number of new Governors recently having been appointed. Each Governor is allocated a specific link subject with the Governor and curriculum lead expected to meet and discuss curriculum implementation termly. In addition specific Governors have roles assigned for areas such as Safeguarding, SEND, Health & Safety and sub groups on data and Headteacher performance management. Governors are all enthusiastic and willing to spend time in school whenever possible with the Chair meeting with the Headteacher as regularly as possible.

Read more about our Governors here:

At Cowling our vision is to ensure we:

• Deliver an exciting, inspiring curriculum providing opportunities and opening children’s eyes to the world.
• Ensure children value difference and show high levels of respect and courtesy.
• Become a centre of primary excellence through school to school led improvement and collaboration.
• Establish positive and successful home school partnerships.
• Ensure our children are happy, safe and successful finding the fun in learning.
• Deliver excellent progress for all our children.
• Are a place where every child has the chance to shine.
• Develop character enabling children to demonstrate resilience.
• Our teaching stimulates motivation, imagination and curiosity.
• Encourage our children to try new things.

Ofsted Inspection – Graded Good

Ofsted recognised – “Parents, carers and pupils have a positive view of the school for a number of reasons. Pupils feel safe and can explain why this is the case. Parents also believe that their children are happy and well cared for by adults. Leaders and teachers are approachable, and if there are concerns, parents and pupils feel that adults in school listen to them and respond appropriately.” – Ofsted 2019

We have a professional, committed and supportive academic and support staff body. The school is supported by an experienced, involved and supportive Governors.

Key strengths include:

• Children feel safe at Cowling, they are respectful and well behaved. Bullying is not a significant issue.
• School leaders and staff are engaged and stretch themselves to develop
• Rich and wide curriculum with a range of extra-curricular activities encouraged
• Outward looking culture with staff encouraged to develop links to other local schools and organisations
• Strong financial position and potential in school buildings/grounds

Current areas identified for improvement and Considerations:

• Progression and attainment for boys, especially in writing
• Improvement to the school’s reading culture
• Focus on stretching pupils to greater depth in core subjects

Current levels of pupil achievement, attainment and progress:

Prior to the COVID closures the school was making good progress in building attainment although this is very dependent on cohorts. The size of the classes mean that a very small number of children can influence overall scores. The mix of backgrounds of the children mean that on starting school there can be significant variation in attainment with the school showing up well in progress achievements in prior years. Current year expectations have been set against a two year period where little teaching was able to be progressed. Intervention priorities have been set with additional staffing and extra TA hours being used to target the neediest pupils (as identified by teachers in baseline assessments). Year 2 and Year 6 SATS have been undertaken.

To read more on our whole school data from 2019 please click here:

What are the main priorities of your School improvement Plan?

1) Curriculum implementation: To raise attainment in phonics and spelling to ensure 65% of pupils reach ARE.
2) Curriculum Implementation: The Statutory framework for EYFS (2021) -a well-planned systematic curriculum
across all areas of learning is in place
3) Leadership and Management: To monitor and develop our knowledge rich curriculum
4) Behaviour and Attitudes: For children to be resilient, independent learners who are focused and confident
in lessons
5) Quality of Teaching Learning and Assessment: To increase the number of children achieving Greater Depth in
Maths and Writing and for children to be in line with the national average
6) Behaviour and Welfare: “It could happen here,” underpins safeguarding protocols throughout the school.
7) Curriculum implementation: To transform our school’s reading culture.

Budgetary Position

Good surplus both in year and carried forward. Three year plan shows in year deficits; based on prudent planning assumptions on staffing – likelihood being these will be rebased on appointment including balancing in year position.

Good engagement with parents with communication through the teachers to parent’s app, Facebook site and weekly school newsletter. Whilst there have been attempts at establishing a PTFA these have been inconsistent with the COVID disruptions meaning an active arrangement is not currently in place and more formal school to parent bodies could be an area to develop. Teachers are available in the playground before and after school and are visible with good relations with parents on a class/individual basis.

The last two years have seen links to the wider community not be as active. Prior to this the school focused more on the school community (and links to local secondary school) but did participate in the competitions run as part of the local gala and local events such as Remembrance Sunday.
The school regularly holds non uniform days, dress up events, etc. for charity, performs Christmas and leavers plays and participates in most local sports competitions.

What are the key issues arising from the community context?

• Supporting and where necessary re-establishing community links and activities post pandemic
• Re-establishing personal links and credibility within the wider community
• Responding to and mitigating effect due to Covid pandemic.
• Planning for increased community housing developments which may increase pupil numbers

Collaborations:
• CASTLE – Craven Area Schools Teaching and Learning https://www.castlealliance.org.uk
• HARTS – Harrogate and Rural Teaching Schools Alliance
• Current head has been attending meetings with heads of maintained schools.
• LA school improvement partner

Local Authority and School Improvement

We have strong relationships with our contacts at the Local Authority and are able to access support. Staff are also made aware of training opportunities through the LA, and our leaders and designated safeguarding lead attend Local Authority organised meetings/training/networking sessions. – School buys in the financial management support and the property solutions scheme.