Best Secondary Schools in North Yorkshire 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 41 schools across North Yorkshire. Updated with 2025–26 data.

How many schools?
41
Open secondary schools in North Yorkshire
Closed schools excluded
Inspection picture
32 Good or better
of 41 with a historic Ofsted grade
Historic single-word grades · pre-Nov-2025
How is this list ordered?
SNM score
Ripon Grammar School currently leads
Methodology

North Yorkshire has 41 open secondary schools. Of the 41 with a published Ofsted inspection, 6 (15%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 78% 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, Ripon Grammar School 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.

All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score Profile
1. Ripon Grammar School
Secondary
 Good 85 View school
2. Skipton Girls' High School
Secondary
 Good 80 View school
3. St Francis Xavier School - a Joint Catholic and Church of England Voluntary Academy
Secondary
 Outstanding 78 View school
4. Ermysted's Grammar School
Secondary
 Good 78 View school
5. Brayton Academy
Secondary
 Outstanding 74 View school
6. Harrogate Grammar School
Secondary
 Outstanding 71 View school
7. Outwood Academy Easingwold
Secondary
 Outstanding 69 View school
8. Ryedale School
Secondary
 Outstanding 68 View school
9. St Aidan's Church of England High School
Secondary
 Good 68 View school
10. Upper Wharfedale School
Secondary
 Outstanding 67 View school
11. St John Fisher Catholic Academy
Secondary
 Good 67 View school
12. St Augustine's Catholic School - a Catholic voluntary academy
Secondary
 Good 60 View school
13. Lady Lumley's Academy
Secondary
 Good 58 View school
14. Tadcaster Grammar School
Secondary
 Good 58 View school
15. Outwood Academy Ripon
Secondary
 Good 56 View school
16. Malton School
Secondary
 Good 56 View school
17. Sherburn High School
Secondary
 Good 54 View school
18. King James's School
Secondary
 Good 53 View school
19. Stokesley School
Secondary
 Good 53 View school
20. Settle College
Secondary
 Good 50 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 All schools in North YorkshirePrimary & secondary combined Primary schools in North YorkshireReception–Year 6 only 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 secondary schools are there in North Yorkshire?
There are 41 open secondary schools in North Yorkshire (closed schools are excluded). 6 of the 41 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 secondary schools in North Yorkshire?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked secondary school in North Yorkshire is Ripon Grammar School. 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.