RGS named 'Top state school in North' for tenth year running

STUDENTS and staff at Ripon Grammar School are celebrating RGS being named the 'Top state school in the North' for the tenth year running by The Sunday Times

Out of the 1,600 highest-achieving schools in the UK identified in the survey, RGS was ranked 72nd overall.

Headmaster Jonathan Webb welcomed the accolade from the newspaper’s 30th annual edition of the Parent Power guide.

“We were delighted with this year’s results given the disruption our students faced to their education during the two years of intermittent lockdown. They coped superbly well with the blended demands of remote learning and face-to-face schooling,” he said.

“My congratulations go to the students who worked so well and the dedicated staff this school is so fortunate to have.”

The guide uses the first post-pandemic set of results for state and independent schools in England, Wales and Northern Ireland since the pandemic.

RGS was praised by The Sunday Times last year for not taking part in pandemic grade inflation. Mr Webb said: “Our results at A Level actually strengthened on 2020’s and 2021’s results, while GCSE results were on a par with those years, despite the fact that grading was recalibrated nationally to a mid-point between 2019-21. This perhaps accords with our view that we responded with integrity to the demands laid down by Ofqual in those years.

“Our leavers of 2022 also achieved great success in their destinations, with a very high percentage securing places at their first choice of institution. Congratulations to all of them.”

Helen Davies, editor of the Parent Power guide, said: “These have been a challenging few years for teachers, pupils and their parents, and the success of many in our league table is testament to the stamina and support shown by all concerned.

“League tables are not the only criteria a parent can use when choosing a school, but they are a good starting point. We want to celebrate excellence. We want to champion schools that are doing wonderful work.”

*Ripon Grammar School is offering 60 new sixth form places to students from other schools in 2022 and welcomes up to 25 lower sixth formers into boarding every year, an increasingly popular option for students from all over the UK and beyond, as tuition comes free and students pay for accommodation only, making it an attractive alternative to the independent sector.

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