‘Top State School in the North’: Ripon school awarded first place in The Sunday Times 2024 Parent Power Guide

Following another summer of exceptional exam results, RGS has been awarded first place in The Sunday Times survey for the eleventh year running.

Now in its 26th year, The Sunday Times guide aims to help parents compare the performance of schools.

High-achieving students have ensured RGS has retained its ‘Top state school in the North’ title.

The school also jumped up the national rankings, from 54th place last year to 49th out of the 2,000 top-performing schools in the UK which feature in the 2019 league table.

The Sunday Times said: "The North's selective grammar schools continue to shine nationally, with the state boarding school Ripon Grammar School bagging the North Secondary School of the Year for Academic Performance Prize, jumping from 72 to 65, and marking more than a decade of consistent Parent Power honours.

The newspaper’s Parent Power guide, which is widely regarded as the most authoritative analysis of the country’s best schools, also reported that state schools are closing the gap on private schools, with grammars leading the race to the top.

Latest results revealed a surge in the number of top grades awarded to grammar school pupils in this summer’s harder GCSEs.

Skipton and Ripon MP Julian Smith, said: “I am delighted to see three local schools in the top spots.

“We are very lucky to have so many good schools in our area and I congratulate all the schools recognised for their hard work over the past year.”

Headmaster Jonathan Webb was delighted RGS had been named top performing state school in the North for the sixth consecutive year.

Mr Webb said: “These results bear testimony to the hard work and dedication of staff and students.

“We also remain committed to a holistic education with music, drama and sport all thriving.”

He added that progress scores at GCSE place Ripon Grammar near the top of the tree nationally.

Mr Webb said: “Of particular note has been the success of students in our boarding community where specialist facilities, tutorial and peer support play such an important role in fostering their personal development.”