Ripon Primary School Impresses Mayors

A primary school based in North Yorkshire has been busy hosting the Mayors of both Ripon and Harrogate recently.

Outwood Primary Academy (OPA) Greystone hosted Cllr Stuart Martin MBE, Mayor of Harrogate, at the primary academy, based on Quarry Moor Lane in Ripon, on Friday 20th September. While at the primary academy, the Mayor met with recently-elected School Parliament and was given a tour of the academy building.

The following week, the primary academy welcomed the Mayor of Ripon, Cllr Eamon Parkin who also met with the School Parliament before praising the children and the primary academy for its dedication to supporting children’s mental health.

During his visit, the Mayor of Ripon also invited some of the children to the UCI Road World Championships that have taken place in Yorkshire. While at the event, two of the children from the primary academy were interviewed and appeared on local news.

Victoria Kirkman, Principal at OPA Greystone, said: “It has been an exceptionally exciting time for us at the primary academy recently and we were thrilled to welcome both Cllr Stuart Martin, MBE, and Cllr Eamon Parkin to OPA Greystone.

“The children were really excited to meet them, and learn more about their roles, and I believe their enthusiasm was matched by both Mayors.

“During both Cllr Stuart Martin, MBE, and Cllr Eamon Parkin’s visit, both Mayors were very complimentary about the children, and the staff, which we are all very proud of. At Outwood we want to put children first, to raise standards and transform lives, and to do this we know our staff work very hard. For our approach and work to be praised by the wider community is special.”

Following the visit from the Mayor of Harrogate, Cllr Stuart Martin, MBE, it is hoped that primary academy will form a link with the schools in Madagascar that the Mayor works with through his work with TASC Madagascar. The Mayor is a Trustee of the charity.

It is hoped that the children at the primary academy can become pen pals to school children in Madagascar while also speaking to them over Google Meet, to help establish links.

After his visit Stuart Martin MBE said: “I am thankful to OPA Greystone, staff and children, for their warm welcome and showing me around the primary academy. It was clear as I went through the building that learning was in the air in every part of the academy.

“I am hopeful and excited for the future and the affiliation between OPA Greystone and TASC Madagascar. I think children on both sides will find it a beneficial experience.”

During the visit from the Mayor of Ripon, Cllr Eamon Parkin also met with the School Parliament and offered the children advice for the roles they had been elected to. During a tour of the primary academy, Cllr Eamon Parkin also praised the OPA Greystone’s overall positive approach and how it was reinforced in all the things the primary does.

Speaking about the visit, Cllr Eamon Parkin said: “I was delighted to visit OPA Greystone and see the great work being done at the primary academy. I was very impressed by its dedication to supporting the children’s mental health, something which is very important in today’s world and especially for this generation of children.”

The visits don’t end there with the primary academy set to be visited by Julian Smith MP CBE in November.