Best Secondary Schools in North Yorkshire

We checked all 55 secondary schools in North Yorkshire and list every one: 41 ranked, then 14 without a rank.

Schools checked: 55
Ranked: 41
Without a rank: 14

Ranks combine 2024/25 GCSE results, worth 60% of each school's score, with the latest Ofsted outcome, worth 40%, as how we rank schools sets out. Rank 1 is the highest score across North Yorkshire, and each school's town is shown. Schools with the same score share a rank. Schools without published results or an Ofsted outcome follow the ranked schools, in name order.

North Yorkshire also has 294 primary schools, ranked on SATs results and Ofsted. Every school in the area is also listed with the other schools in North Yorkshire. North Yorkshire also has rankings for Harrogate and Scarborough.

Ranked secondary schools in North Yorkshire

Rank 1
Brayton Academy
Selby, Academy, 988 pupils, inspected June 2019
Ofsted: Outstanding
Attainment 8
53.4
Grade 5+ English and maths
67.7%
Rank 2
St Francis Xavier School - a Joint Catholic and Church of England Voluntary Academy
Richmond, Academy, 611 pupils, inspected November 2024
Ofsted judgements: Outstanding
Attainment 8
54.6
Grade 5+ English and maths
61.1%
Rank 3
Outwood Academy Easingwold
York, Academy, 823 pupils, inspected June 2022
Ofsted: Outstanding
Attainment 8
52.0
Grade 5+ English and maths
62.7%
Rank 4
Ripon Grammar School
Ripon, Local authority maintained, Selective, 957 pupils, inspected January 2023
Ofsted: Good
Attainment 8
70.9
Grade 5+ English and maths
93.7%
Rank 5
Skipton Girls' High School
Skipton, Academy, Selective, 862 pupils, inspected September 2022
Ofsted: Good
Attainment 8
69.7
Grade 5+ English and maths
89.6%
Rank 6
Ermysted's Grammar School
Skipton, Local authority maintained, Selective, 836 pupils, inspected September 2022
Ofsted: Good
Attainment 8
67.3
Grade 5+ English and maths
86.7%
Rank 7
Upper Wharfedale School
Skipton, Local authority maintained, 351 pupils, inspected June 2019
Ofsted: Outstanding
Attainment 8
48.3
Grade 5+ English and maths
61%
Rank 8
Ryedale School
York, Academy, 698 pupils, inspected October 2023
Ofsted: Outstanding
Attainment 8
51.7
Grade 5+ English and maths
48.6%
Rank 9
Harrogate Grammar School
Harrogate, Academy, 2,081 pupils, inspected April 2026
Report card: Expected standard to strong standard
Attainment 8
56.6
Grade 5+ English and maths
67.5%
Rank 10
St Aidan's Church of England High School
Harrogate, Academy, 1,966 pupils, inspected May 2022
Ofsted: Good
Attainment 8
56.4
Grade 5+ English and maths
67.6%
Rank 11
Lady Lumley's Academy
Pickering, Academy, 676 pupils, inspected April 2024
Ofsted: Good
Attainment 8
52.7
Grade 5+ English and maths
69.8%
Rank 12
St John Fisher Catholic Academy
Harrogate, Academy, 1,250 pupils, inspected December 2022
Ofsted: Good
Attainment 8
55.1
Grade 5+ English and maths
62.4%
Rank 13
Sherburn High School
Leeds, Academy, 951 pupils, inspected April 2017
Ofsted: Good
Attainment 8
51.3
Grade 5+ English and maths
65%
Rank 14
Scalby Academy
Scarborough, Academy, 980 pupils, inspected April 2012
Ofsted: Good
Attainment 8
48.3
Grade 5+ English and maths
58.3%
Rank 15
Tadcaster Grammar School
Tadcaster, Academy, 1,494 pupils, inspected May 2012
Ofsted: Good
Attainment 8
50.0
Grade 5+ English and maths
50.2%
Rank 16
St Augustine's Catholic School - a Catholic voluntary academy
Scarborough, Academy, 610 pupils, inspected May 2016
Ofsted: Good
Attainment 8
48.9
Grade 5+ English and maths
51.3%
Rank 17
Outwood Academy Ripon
Ripon, Academy, 609 pupils, inspected July 2024
Ofsted: Good
Attainment 8
46.6
Grade 5+ English and maths
55.2%
Rank 18
Malton School
Malton, Academy, 999 pupils, inspected December 2023
Ofsted: Good
Attainment 8
46.6
Grade 5+ English and maths
50.3%
Rank 19
South Craven School
Keighley, Academy, 1,936 pupils, inspected February 2023
Ofsted: Good
Attainment 8
47.5
Grade 5+ English and maths
40.7%
Rank 20
King James's School
Knaresborough, Local authority maintained, 1,554 pupils, inspected December 2011
Ofsted: Good
Attainment 8
46.1
Grade 5+ English and maths
41.3%
Rank 20
Richmond School & Sixth Form College
Richmond, Academy, 1,315 pupils, inspected February 2026
Report card: Expected standard to strong standard
Attainment 8
45.6
Grade 5+ English and maths
42.3%
Rank 22
Scarborough University Technical College
Scarborough, Free school, 275 pupils, inspected November 2022
Ofsted: Good
Attainment 8
44.0
Grade 5+ English and maths
44.8%
Rank 23
Stokesley School
Stokesley, Academy, 1,079 pupils, inspected June 2022
Ofsted: Good
Attainment 8
45.3
Grade 5+ English and maths
38.5%
Rank 24
Thirsk School & Sixth Form College
Thirsk, Local authority maintained, 1,029 pupils, inspected March 2026
Report card: Expected standard
Attainment 8
43.5
Grade 5+ English and maths
38.8%
Rank 25
Rossett School
Harrogate, Academy, 785 pupils, inspected April 2025
Ofsted judgements: Good
Attainment 8
44.1
Grade 5+ English and maths
37.3%
Rank 26
Barlby High School
Selby, Academy, 482 pupils, inspected November 2025
Report card: Needs attention to expected standard
Attainment 8
42.8
Grade 5+ English and maths
37.8%
Rank 27
Wensleydale School
Leyburn, Local authority maintained, 407 pupils, inspected May 2026
Report card: Expected standard to strong standard
Attainment 8
41.5
Grade 5+ English and maths
34.7%
Rank 28
Norton School
Malton, Academy, 651 pupils, inspected February 2023
Ofsted: Good
Attainment 8
41.0
Grade 5+ English and maths
36.1%
Rank 29
Selby High School Specialist School for the Arts and Science
Selby, Local authority maintained, 1,176 pupils, inspected November 2013
Ofsted: Good
Attainment 8
42.1
Grade 5+ English and maths
31.9%
Rank 30
Settle College
Settle, Local authority maintained, 561 pupils, inspected November 2015
Ofsted: Good
Attainment 8
42.1
Grade 5+ English and maths
31.3%
Rank 31
Bedale High School
Bedale, Local authority maintained, 555 pupils, inspected June 2024
Ofsted: Requires improvement
Attainment 8
46.1
Grade 5+ English and maths
39.6%
Rank 32
The Skipton Academy
Skipton, Academy, 736 pupils, inspected January 2023
Ofsted: Good
Attainment 8
41.6
Grade 5+ English and maths
29.2%
Rank 33
Nidderdale High School
Harrogate, Academy, 404 pupils, inspected April 2026
Report card: Needs attention to expected standard
Attainment 8
41.8
Grade 5+ English and maths
30.6%
Rank 34
Harrogate High School
Harrogate, Academy, 579 pupils, inspected February 2026
Report card: Needs attention to expected standard
Attainment 8
39.1
Grade 5+ English and maths
31.3%
Rank 35
Northallerton School & Sixth Form College
Northallerton, Academy, 1,002 pupils, inspected March 2026
Report card: Needs attention to expected standard
Attainment 8
37.5
Grade 5+ English and maths
33.7%
Rank 36
Boroughbridge High School
York, Local authority maintained, 388 pupils, inspected May 2023
Ofsted: Requires improvement
Attainment 8
43.0
Grade 5+ English and maths
38.5%
Rank 37
Filey Academy
Filey, Academy, 461 pupils, inspected March 2025
Ofsted judgements: Requires improvement
Attainment 8
35.7
Grade 5+ English and maths
45.5%
Rank 38
Graham School
Scarborough, Academy, 893 pupils, inspected February 2026
Report card: Needs attention to expected standard
Attainment 8
38.3
Grade 5+ English and maths
28.2%
Rank 39
Whitby School
Whitby, Local authority maintained, 975 pupils, inspected November 2023
Ofsted: Requires improvement
Attainment 8
39.5
Grade 5+ English and maths
32%
Rank 40
George Pindar School
Scarborough, Academy, 730 pupils, inspected January 2025
Ofsted judgements: Requires improvement to good
Attainment 8
33.4
Grade 5+ English and maths
17.9%
Rank 41
Risedale School
Catterick Garrison, Local authority maintained, 467 pupils, inspected December 2024
Ofsted judgements: Requires improvement
Attainment 8
29.8
Grade 5+ English and maths
5.4%

Secondary schools in North Yorkshire without a rank

Ampleforth College
York, Independent, 397 pupils
No Ofsted inspection
Attainment 8
16.4
Grade 5+ English and maths
0%
Ashville College
Harrogate, Independent, Selective, 797 pupils
No Ofsted inspection
Attainment 8
49.6
Grade 5+ English and maths
48.8%
Aysgarth School
Bedale, Independent, 229 pupils
No Ofsted inspection
Cundall Manor School
York, Independent, Selective, 295 pupils
No Ofsted inspection
Attainment 8
60.6
Grade 5+ English and maths
61.1%
Darwin School
Thirsk, Independent, 9 pupils
No Ofsted inspection
Duchy College
Harrogate, Independent, 436 pupils
No Ofsted inspection
Attainment 8
28.6
Grade 5+ English and maths
0%
Fyling Hall School
Whitby, Independent, 168 pupils
No Ofsted inspection
Attainment 8
35.4
Grade 5+ English and maths
37.1%
Giggleswick School
Settle, Independent, 372 pupils
No Ofsted inspection
Attainment 8
34.9
Grade 5+ English and maths
0%
Queen Ethelburga's College
York, Independent, Selective, 736 pupils
No Ofsted inspection
Attainment 8
24.4
Grade 5+ English and maths
0%
Queen Ethelburga's Prep School
York, Independent, Selective, 421 pupils
No Ofsted inspection
Attainment 8
38.8
Grade 5+ English and maths
0%
Queen Mary's School
Thirsk, Independent, 221 pupils
No Ofsted inspection
Attainment 8
26.8
Grade 5+ English and maths
34.1%
Read School
Selby, Independent, 245 pupils
No Ofsted inspection
Attainment 8
51.3
Grade 5+ English and maths
63.5%
Scarborough College
Scarborough, Independent, 623 pupils
No Ofsted inspection
Attainment 8
38.1
Grade 5+ English and maths
0%
Terrington Hall School
York, Independent, 200 pupils
No Ofsted inspection