Best Primary & Secondary Schools in North Yorkshire 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 382 schools across North Yorkshire. Updated with 2025–26 data.

North Yorkshire has 382 open primary & secondary schools. Of the 361 with a published Ofsted inspection, 28 (8%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 88% held Good or Outstanding — these are the last single-word grades from before Ofsted retired them on 10 November 2025 (how we treat Ofsted data). On our composite Schools Near Me score, St Hedda's Catholic Primary School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy currently leads the local rankings. Closed schools are excluded from every list on this page.

Use the ranked table below to compare schools side by side, then open any school for the full picture. Application deadlines in North Yorkshire follow the national calendar: 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively.

382
Total schools
28
Outstanding (historic grade)
8%
of inspected schools (pre-Nov-2025)
61%
Avg KS2 SATs
41
Avg GCSE A8
All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score Profile
1. St Hedda's Catholic Primary School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy
Primary
 Outstanding 100 View school
2. Glaisdale Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 93 View school
3. Askwith Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 90 View school
4. Burnsall Voluntary Aided Primary School
Primary
 Good 89 View school
5. Outwood Primary Academy Alne
Primary
 Outstanding 88 View school
6. Leeming and Londonderry Community Primary School
Primary
 Good 88 View school
7. Terrington Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Primary
 Good 88 View school
8. Great Smeaton Academy Primary School
Primary
 Good 88 View school
9. Saxton Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Good 88 View school
10. Oakridge Community Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 87 View school
11. Marwood Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant School, Great Ayton
Primary
 Good 87 View school
12. Ripley Endowed Church of England School
Primary
 Good 87 View school
13. Cracoe and Rylstone Voluntary Controlled Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Good 87 View school
14. Beckwithshaw Community Primary School
Primary
 Good 86 View school
15. North and South Cowton Community Primary School
Primary
 Good 86 View school
16. Melsonby Methodist Primary School
Primary
 Good 86 View school
17. Middleton Tyas Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Good 86 View school
18. Thornton in Craven Community Primary School
Primary
 Good 86 View school
19. Long Marston Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
Primary
 Good 85 View school
20. Sicklinghall Community Primary School
Primary
 Good 85 View school

Ranked by the Schools Near Me score. Ofsted grades shown are each school's last single-word grade from before 10 November 2025, when Ofsted retired single-word overall judgements — they are historic and not comparable to the new report cards. How we use Ofsted data. Closed schools are excluded.

Related lists for North Yorkshire

Best primary schools in North YorkshireTop-ranked Reception–Year 6 Best secondary schools in North YorkshireTop-ranked Year 7 onwards Primary schools in North YorkshireReception–Year 6 only Secondary schools in North YorkshireYear 7 onwards How the Schools Near Me score worksOur ranking methodology, explained

Nearby areas

Schools in YorkCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in LeedsCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in BradfordCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in DarlingtonCompare neighbouring authority

See full data for any school in North Yorkshire

Catchment distances, exam trends, SEN data, attendance, and more — all in one place.

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Frequently asked questions

How many primary & secondary schools are there in North Yorkshire?
There are 382 open primary & secondary schools in North Yorkshire (closed schools are excluded). 28 of the 361 with a published inspection held a historic Ofsted grade of Outstanding (the last single-word grade before single-word grades were retired on 10 November 2025).
What are the best-rated primary & secondary schools in North Yorkshire?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked primary & secondary school in North Yorkshire is St Hedda's Catholic Primary School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy. The full ranked table above lists the top 20 schools with their score and last historic Ofsted grade. We never list closed schools.
How is the Schools Near Me score calculated?
The Schools Near Me score is a 0–100 composite combining the school's last historic Ofsted grade, published exam and assessment results, attendance and pupil–teacher ratio. It is not an Ofsted rating. Full methodology: https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#score
Are Ofsted single-word grades still current in North Yorkshire?
No. Ofsted retired single-word overall grades (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate) on 10 November 2025 and replaced them with report cards. Any single-word grade shown on this page is the school's last historic grade from before that date and is not comparable to the new report cards. See https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#ofsted
How do I apply for a school place in North Yorkshire?
Primary and secondary applications in North Yorkshire are coordinated by the local authority on the national timetable: apply by 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and by 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively. Check the North Yorkshire council website for local forms and any in-year rules.

Data sourced from Ofsted, Department for Education, and ISI. School rankings reflect the Schools Near Me composite score combining Ofsted ratings, exam results, attendance, and pupil-teacher ratios. Last updated April 2026.