York High School head in appeal to parents and Ofsted

Rod Sims, head of school at York High School in Acomb said the pandemic has hit his school particularly hard.

As The Press reported last month, the Government's change to the roadmap forced York head teachers to abandon the traditional face-to-face transition days for Year 6 pupils. As a result York High will see 120 pupils joining Year 7 in September instead of the expected 165.

Mr Sims said he'd like any Year 6 parents to come and see for themselves in September what York High is really like. He has also written to Ofsted asking them to come and inspect the school.

Writing in The Press, reflecting on the past academic year, he said: "There has been a financial cost in low numbers in Year 7 next year - without an open evening decisions are made on outdated views of the school.

"The Ofsted process has been delayed and we are so desperate to show everyone that we are now a good school that we wrote to Ofsted and invited them to come and inspect us."

Mr Sims said the school is holding a summer school for the Year 6 students joining in September. And, while all but one other city state secondary school has had to cancel their prom this year, York High were able to enjoy a party at Fairfield Manor in Skelton on Tuesday night (July 20).

He said: "After suffering more than any other year group Year 11 from York High were able to celebrate the end of school at their prom, with over 100 students attending. Despite the difficulties we waited until the national guidance allowed us to hold the prom.

"After missing out on so much over the last two years they looked and behaved fantastically. They were so polite that one of the other residents approached me and said "You must be from an exclusive fee paying school?"

"The year group have shown such resilience in coping with disruption during the pandemic that it was only right that the sun shone so brightly for them."

Click here to read Mr Sim's reflections on the past academic year.