Wharfedale Montessori School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 4 March 2025

Pupils are well supported to become responsible and independent learners at this small, rural school. Pupils behave well and are highly respectful of each other. Staff keep pupils safe and well cared for. The Montessori philosophy and approach is well-embedded here. The school has high expectations of pupils' achievement. The school's curriculum enables pupils to achieve well. Pupils are knowledgeable about their learning. They talk enthusiastically about the wide range of topics they study. As a result, pupils leave the school ready for their next steps in education. The school exploits its unique location to provide wider opportunities to pupils. Local walking routes, the on-site forest school and natural surroundings are part of the weekly offer for pupils. Pupils talk enthusiastically about why their school is special. There is a strong focus on pupils taking responsibility for the school and each other. They take pride in their daily roles. These include looking after resources, setting the table for snack and lunch, and getting wood for the fires. This sense of pride and citizenship starts as soon as the youngest children join the school. Over time, the proprietor has not ensured that the independent school standards (the standards) have been met. Policies and procedures are not always reviewed regularly.

What the school should improve

• Record keeping for some incidents linked to safeguarding are not held in a systematic and orderly way. This means it is not clear and easy to understand what happened and in what order. The school must ensure actions and communications with other agencies linked to safeguarding are recorded effectively so it is clear what actions have been taken to keep pupils safe.
• Systems to review policies and procedures are not well developed. This means that there is a lack of clarity about what needs to be completed and when for some aspects of the school. The proprietor should ensure that policies and procedures are written, reviewed and updated regularly to best meet the needs of the school.
• There is insufficient oversight of how the school meets the standards. The school does not meet the standards consistently over time. The proprietor should ensure that they maintain effective oversight of the standards to ensure they are met.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)