Upper Wharfedale School in Threshfield, rated outstanding in 2019, was visited by inspectors over two days in December who found it to have “taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection”.

The report, following Ofsted’s decision to do away with overall effectiveness grades, described Upper Wharfedale as ‘an enjoyable place to learn’ where staff and pupils care for each other, where pupils wanted to learn and took pride in the school’s high expectations.

Inspectors praised the school’s commitment to education and its focus on fostering a positive and supportive learning environment.

Inspectors noted that the school’s leadership team continues in driving high standards, and the quality of teaching remains high. The inspection also highlighted the school’s pastoral care, behaviour, and the success of its curriculum.

The report states: “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.”

A strength of the school, which has 363 pupils, aged 11 to 16 years old on its roll, is the behaviour of its pupils, says Ofsted.

“Pupils say bullying is rare, but if it does occur, the school deals with it.”

Headteacher, Ian Chapman, said: “We are thrilled with the outcome of this inspection, and I would like to thank our dedicated staff, students, and their families for their continued support. Maintaining an outstanding rating is a testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone at Upper Wharfedale School.”

The school has also achieved a Progress 8 score of 0.6, which signifies that, on average, students have made better-than-expected progress across eight key subjects.

Mr Chapman added: “This reflects the tremendous progress made by our students, and we are extremely proud of their achievements.”

Adam Winthrop, chair of governors, added: “We are incredibly proud of the school’s continued success, both academically and as a supportive learning community.

“The outstanding Ofsted rating and exceptional Progress 8 score are a reflection of the exceptional work done by all members of our school community. We look forward to building on this success and continuing to provide the very best education for our students.”