Fulford School is North of England State Secondary School of the Year

Fulford School has won The Sunday Times North of England State Secondary School of the Year accolade, and has also been ranked at number four on the list of top 10 state secondary schools in the North.

The top performing schools in the North are revealed in Parent Power, The Sunday Times Schools Guide 2019, published in The Sunday Times and online this Sunday. The schools are ranked by their recent examination results.

Archbishop Holgate's School and Huntington School have been rated at number eight and 10 respectively in the list of top state secondary schools in the North.

Meanwhile, Parent Power has revealed that Queen Ethelburga's College near York is top of the class in the list of the North's best independent secondary schools, with York's St Peter's School ranked second and receiving The Sunday Times North of England Independent Secondary School of the Year award.

Queen Margaret's School, in Escrick, is sixth on the list, while The Faculty of Queen Ethelburga's has been ranked joint ninth.

Following the school's success, Lorna Savage, headteacher at Fulford School, said: "We are thrilled to receive this recognition for the outstanding outcomes we achieve for our students and for the opportunities and support we provide within the school.

"I am really proud of our staff. It reflects their commitment and talent and the sheer dedication they have to make every child in Fulford do well.

"They are the ‘gold dust’ that makes our school so special and so successful and I am very privileged to work with such fantastic colleagues. Our students deserve congratulations for the excellent outcomes they have achieved both last year, and over time, and I would like to thank their parents for their support for the school and the part they have played in our success."

Fulford School has seen its A-Level results increase by 7.8 percentage points to 74.1 per cent A* to B grades in the last year. The school also saw 29.6 per cent of GCSE results receive A*/A/9/8/7 grades, which has led the school to jump 23 places in the national league table.

Alastair McCall, editor of Parent Power, said: “The City of York is blessed with an abundance of outstanding state schools, four of which appear in the Parent Power top 500. The jewel in the crown is Fulford School, the deserved winner of our North State Secondary School of the Year award.

“It takes on the county’s selective grammar schools in the examination halls and comes out on top, thanks to outstanding leadership and teaching, allied to determination, talent and commitment by the pupils themselves.”

Speaking about the honour for St Peter's School, incoming headmaster Jeremy Walker, who will take up post in January, commented: “St Peter’s is an extraordinarily special place and today’s announcement and the judges’ recognition of the character of the school confirms everything that I and my own family look forward to being part of next year.

“As the world’s fourth oldest school, St Peter’s combines a long tradition of academic rigour within a focused learning community, with a lively, modern approach to education. The sporting, artistic, intellectual and cultural opportunities at the school are inspiring, stimulating both participation and achievement at the highest levels.

“More than that: St Peter’s is an exceptionally happy and friendly school, where enthusiasm, fair play and development of the whole person are considered as equally important as success in examinations. I know that the entire community of pupils, parents, staff and Old Peterites will share my delight at this recognition from The Sunday Times."

Around 83% of St Peter's exams at A-level achieved grades A*-B, up 5.7 percentage points on last year. The school also saw 70 per cent of GCSE results gain A*/A/9/8/7 grades. Second in the regional independent rankings, the school has climbed 23 places in the national standings in the past year.

Alastair McCall said: “St Peter’s appeals to parents across the north of England and beyond for the enviable combination it offers of academic achievement, redoubtable sporting opportunities, and a commitment to a holistic education for its near-600 senior school pupils.

“Pupils are encouraged to volunteer and a welter of societies allows them to develop and pursue interests outside of the classroom that become a key part of school life. St Peter’s develops determined all-rounders capable of contributing to society once they leave, confident in the skills they have acquired at this historic school.”

Steven Jandrell, Principal at Queen Ethelburga’s, said: “We are delighted with our students’ results this year and that both of our schools are ranked in the top 10 schools in the North of England. We’re particularly pleased with our performance at A-level, as these results ensure that our students have the opportunity to go on to many of the top universities in the UK.

"Of course, examination results are only part of the story. The vast range of enrichment and extra-curricular opportunities available to our students is also crucial to their growing independence and initiative, in our culturally rich environment. The skills these develop in areas such as leadership, teamwork and decision making are going to be equally important in taking them forward to successful careers and fulfilling lives.”