Best Secondary Schools in York 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 9 schools across York. Updated with 2025–26 data.

York has 9 open secondary schools. Of the 9 with a published Ofsted inspection, 4 (44%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 100% 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, Archbishop Holgate's School, A Church of England 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 York 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.

9
Total schools
4
Outstanding (historic grade)
44%
of inspected schools (pre-Nov-2025)
63.8%
Avg KS2 SATs
47.6
Avg GCSE A8
All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score
🥇 Archbishop Holgate's School, A Church of England Academy
Secondary
 Outstanding 81 View school
🥈 Fulford School
Secondary
 Outstanding 79 View school
🥉 All Saints Catholic School York
Secondary
 Outstanding 77 View school
4. Huntington School
Secondary
 Outstanding 70 View school
5. Manor Church of England Academy
Secondary
 Good 70 View school
6. Millthorpe School
Secondary
 Good 69 View school
7. Joseph Rowntree School
Secondary
 Good 63 View school
8. Vale of York Academy
Secondary
 Good 59 View school
9. York High School
Secondary
 Good 54 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 York

Best primary schools in YorkTop-ranked Reception–Year 6 Best secondary schools in YorkTop-ranked Year 7 onwards All schools in YorkPrimary & secondary combined Primary schools in YorkReception–Year 6 only How the Schools Near Me score worksOur ranking methodology, explained

Nearby areas

Schools in North YorkshireCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in LeedsCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in WakefieldCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in East Riding of YorkshireCompare neighbouring authority

See full data for any school in York

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

Search schools in York

Frequently asked questions

How many secondary schools are there in York?
There are 9 open secondary schools in York (closed schools are excluded). 4 of the 9 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 York?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked secondary school in York is Archbishop Holgate's School, A Church of England Academy. The full ranked table above lists the top 9 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 York?
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 York?
Primary and secondary applications in York 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 York 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.