Carnagill Community Primary School, Catterick: Glowing Ofsted report for Yorkshire school once deemed inadequate

Inspectors said Carnagill Community Primary School was ‘outstanding’ for early years provision and ‘good’ in all other areas after they visited in January.

At the school’s last inspection in 2018, the school was judged to be ‘inadequate’.

The Ofsted report after the latest visit concluded that leaders had “transformed” the school in recent years.

It added: “The school’s curriculum is ambitious across all subjects.

“The school swiftly and effectively identifies pupils’ needs. The school is adept at supporting pupils who are new to the area or new to the country.

“The checks leaders make on pupils’ academic and personal development, on arrival, are precise and help to inform pupils’ next steps, including support with early reading.

“This support gives pupils what they need to succeed and achieve. This includes pupils with SEND and those who speak English as an additional language.”

With pupil intakes from Nepal, Fiji, and Cyprus among its diverse community, they said the school had created an inclusive and respectful environment where children demonstrate “an exceptional understanding of equality”.

Carnagill’s early years provision was singled out for particular praise, with inspectors highlighting how pupils “love to tuck themselves under a blanket in the reading area and share stories together”.

Headteacher Louse Newport said: “In recent years, our school has embarked on a journey of remarkable improvement.

“We are delighted that Ofsted recognises this and that their judgements acknowledge the hard work and dedication of our entire school community.

“Our nurturing and welcoming environment empowers children to thrive as independent and resilient individuals, ready to embrace the future with confidence and skill.”

The school became an academy in 2020 as part of the Dales Academies Trust.

Trust chief executive Damian Chub said: “We are immensely proud of the progress made by Carnagill Community Primary School.

“This strong Ofsted report reflects the dedication and hard work of the headteacher, Mrs Newport and the entire school community.”

On areas for improvement, inspectors said opportunities for pupils to understand fundamental British values were not as effective as they should be.