Awards
RE Quality Mark Gold
RE Quality Mark Gold
Outwood Primary Academy (OPA) Greystone, based on Quarry Moor Lane, has been awarded the Quality Mark which celebrates outstanding religious education (RE) in all primary, and secondary schools, in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Outwood Primary Academy (OPA) Greystone, based on Quarry Moor Lane, has been awarded the Quality Mark which celebrates outstanding religious education (RE) in all primary, and secondary schools, in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
There are three levels of award, bronze, silver and gold, with OPA Greystone being awarded the highest award.
There are three levels of award, bronze, silver and gold, with OPA Greystone being awarded the highest award.
The report found: “The RE syllabus and delivery in this school impacts the whole school, including staff, children, their parents and in fact the wider community of Ripon, including the Cathedral and the local Methodist church.
The report found: “The RE syllabus and delivery in this school impacts the whole school, including staff, children, their parents and in fact the wider community of Ripon, including the Cathedral and the local Methodist church.
“The school is a school of sanctuary’ and parents are a part of a group to help a refugee family within it.
“The school is a school of sanctuary’ and parents are a part of a group to help a refugee family within it.
“The RE syllabus covers all faiths and includes visits to all different places of worship. The evidence of high quality lesson delivery in school is evident, as well as RE lessons and times of worship online during this ‘lockdown’ period of life.”
“The RE syllabus covers all faiths and includes visits to all different places of worship. The evidence of high quality lesson delivery in school is evident, as well as RE lessons and times of worship online during this ‘lockdown’ period of life.”
The award marks a major turnaround for the academy which three years ago, prior to joining the Outwood Grange Academies Trust, was rated as ‘Inadequate’ by Ofsted just as the current principal took up the post.
The award marks a major turnaround for the academy which three years ago, prior to joining the Outwood Grange Academies Trust, was rated as ‘Inadequate’ by Ofsted just as the current principal took up the post.
Since then, the academy has worked tirelessly to improve and has notably received the Gold Status by the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health Award, the National School of Sanctuary Award, and now this RE Gold Quality Mark Award.
Since then, the academy has worked tirelessly to improve and has notably received the Gold Status by the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health Award, the National School of Sanctuary Award, and now this RE Gold Quality Mark Award.
Victoria Kirkman, Principal at OPA Greystone, said: “We are honoured to have been awarded the Gold Religious Education Quality Mark by the Religious Education Council for England and Wales.
Victoria Kirkman, Principal at OPA Greystone, said: “We are honoured to have been awarded the Gold Religious Education Quality Mark by the Religious Education Council for England and Wales.
“The award is a celebration of the outstanding work of our wonderful staff, and as an academy we all view the personal development of our children highly, and we are aware that with 97% of the children at the academy being white British, it is vital that we inform and educate our children well.
“The award is a celebration of the outstanding work of our wonderful staff, and as an academy we all view the personal development of our children highly, and we are aware that with 97% of the children at the academy being white British, it is vital that we inform and educate our children well.
“We want our pupils to be positive and proactive citizens who put tolerance and understanding at the heart of everything they do and our RE efforts is an example of this.”
“We want our pupils to be positive and proactive citizens who put tolerance and understanding at the heart of everything they do and our RE efforts is an example of this.”
The awarding body, the Religious Education Council of England and Wales, was established in 1973 and represents collective interests of a wide variety of professional associations and faith communities in strengthening and improving provision for religious education.
The awarding body, the Religious Education Council of England and Wales, was established in 1973 and represents collective interests of a wide variety of professional associations and faith communities in strengthening and improving provision for religious education.
The Council provides a multi-faith forum where national organisations and groups with an interest in supporting and promoting religious education in schools and colleges can share matters of common concern.
The Council provides a multi-faith forum where national organisations and groups with an interest in supporting and promoting religious education in schools and colleges can share matters of common concern.
Within its report on OPA Greystone, it praised the staff noting that they are ‘enthusiastic and feel fully supported to deliver lessons of faith with the principals giving a priority to succession planning for leading the subject.’
Within its report on OPA Greystone, it praised the staff noting that they are ‘enthusiastic and feel fully supported to deliver lessons of faith with the principals giving a priority to succession planning for leading the subject.’
Victoria added: “It is really inspiring to read such glowing reviews about our work at the academy and it just makes us more determined to continue on this path we are following, to work hard, and to do all we can to provide our children with the very best education possible.”
Victoria added: “It is really inspiring to read such glowing reviews about our work at the academy and it just makes us more determined to continue on this path we are following, to work hard, and to do all we can to provide our children with the very best education possible.”
Quotes from some of the children at OPA Greystone were also included in the report, but anonymised. These were:
Quotes from some of the children at OPA Greystone were also included in the report, but anonymised. These were:
“I really like doing RE because you learn about how different people are but you can be the same as well.”
“I really like doing RE because you learn about how different people are but you can be the same as well.”
“It’s good to be able to talk about different faiths and ask questions.”
“It’s good to be able to talk about different faiths and ask questions.”
“I loved going on trips to places of different faiths, I really like the mosque in Bradford, it was beautiful inside.
“I loved going on trips to places of different faiths, I really like the mosque in Bradford, it was beautiful inside.
Mental Health and Wellbeing
Mental Health and Wellbeing
This award, led by Carnegie School of Education and Minds Ahead CIC, ensures schools are using evidence-based approaches, aligned to the latest professional guidelines surrounding mental health.
This award, led by Carnegie School of Education and Minds Ahead CIC, ensures schools are using evidence-based approaches, aligned to the latest professional guidelines surrounding mental health.
The assessment report found that Outwood Primary Academy Greystone has been ‘excelling across all eight competencies’ used as a framework for the award, and that ‘the school places huge emphasis on the community being at the heart of everything they do.’
The assessment report found that Outwood Primary Academy Greystone has been ‘excelling across all eight competencies’ used as a framework for the award, and that ‘the school places huge emphasis on the community being at the heart of everything they do.’
During its assessment, the Quarry Moor Lane-based academy was found to place a ‘huge emphasis on the community being at the heart of everything they do.’
During its assessment, the Quarry Moor Lane-based academy was found to place a ‘huge emphasis on the community being at the heart of everything they do.’
Victoria Kirkman, Principal at Outwood Primary Academy Greystone, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been awarded Gold Status.
Victoria Kirkman, Principal at Outwood Primary Academy Greystone, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been awarded Gold Status.
“At Outwood we believe in putting children first and this goes beyond just academically. We want to ensure the children we teach are supported to be good citizens who are assets to the community, as well as being supported to achieve academically.
“At Outwood we believe in putting children first and this goes beyond just academically. We want to ensure the children we teach are supported to be good citizens who are assets to the community, as well as being supported to achieve academically.
“To this aim, we want to make sure their mental health and wellbeing is looked after. We take immense pride in receiving this award and the hard work by our brilliant staff, especially the pastoral support of our Mental Health and Wellbeing Ambassadors, Mrs Dunn and Mrs Sutton, that it recognises.”
“To this aim, we want to make sure their mental health and wellbeing is looked after. We take immense pride in receiving this award and the hard work by our brilliant staff, especially the pastoral support of our Mental Health and Wellbeing Ambassadors, Mrs Dunn and Mrs Sutton, that it recognises.”
Within the assessment report is glowing praise of the academy’s work in the area:
Within the assessment report is glowing praise of the academy’s work in the area:
“The school is rightly proud of the ethos that the community is at the heart of everything it does. This is reflected both in the local and wider community, including the national arena. Exemplary practice has been shared not just within the cluster of schools, but local authority-wide and nationally.”
“The school is rightly proud of the ethos that the community is at the heart of everything it does. This is reflected both in the local and wider community, including the national arena. Exemplary practice has been shared not just within the cluster of schools, but local authority-wide and nationally.”
The academy’s plans for the future were also noted in the report as being ‘ambitious’ as the academy plans to create an Academy of Excellence for Mental Health and Wellbeing, ‘with a view to disseminating exemplary practice on a local, national and global level.’
The academy’s plans for the future were also noted in the report as being ‘ambitious’ as the academy plans to create an Academy of Excellence for Mental Health and Wellbeing, ‘with a view to disseminating exemplary practice on a local, national and global level.’
Victoria added: “We are happy that our plans for the future were praised, and it has encouraged us to press on with these with the same positive attitude that we have approached all our work.
Victoria added: “We are happy that our plans for the future were praised, and it has encouraged us to press on with these with the same positive attitude that we have approached all our work.
“We simply want to help as many people as we can, and not just the children we teach or the local community, but as people from across the globe.”
“We simply want to help as many people as we can, and not just the children we teach or the local community, but as people from across the globe.”
Professor Damien Page, Dean of Leeds Beckett’s Carnegie School of Education, said: “Achieving this award is not just recognition of a whole-school approach to mental health, it’s a recognition of the school’s commitment to improving the life chances of children.
Professor Damien Page, Dean of Leeds Beckett’s Carnegie School of Education, said: “Achieving this award is not just recognition of a whole-school approach to mental health, it’s a recognition of the school’s commitment to improving the life chances of children.
“We’re truly proud to have worked with Outwood Primary Academy Greystone in this vital work and look forward to further collaboration.”
“We’re truly proud to have worked with Outwood Primary Academy Greystone in this vital work and look forward to further collaboration.”
Dean Johnstone, founder and CEO of Minds Ahead said: “This award shines a light on the excellent work schools are doing to promote mental health for their community of children and adults.
Dean Johnstone, founder and CEO of Minds Ahead said: “This award shines a light on the excellent work schools are doing to promote mental health for their community of children and adults.
“It is thrilling and humbling to learn about Outwood Primary Academy Greystone and the many other schools engaged in the quality award process. I’d like to offer my congratulations on this deserved recognition.”
“It is thrilling and humbling to learn about Outwood Primary Academy Greystone and the many other schools engaged in the quality award process. I’d like to offer my congratulations on this deserved recognition.”
School of Sanctuary
School of Sanctuary
'Outwood Primary Academy Greystone, Ripon, has been awarded School of Sanctuary status, and is the first school in our city to do so'
'Outwood Primary Academy Greystone, Ripon, has been awarded School of Sanctuary status, and is the first school in our city to do so'