STAFF and pupils from a North Yorkshire school were "delighted" to be ranked as number one for academic performance in the north by The Sunday Times for the 10th year.

Ripon Grammar School, has been named The Sunday Times State Secondary School of the Year in the north for academic performance – retaining its top spot thanks to improvements in overall results.

Headmaster, Jonathan Webb, said: "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.

"Our results at A Level actually strengthened on 2020’s and 2021’s results, while GCSE results were on a par with those years. 

"This perhaps exemplifies The Sunday Times verdict from last year that we ‘led the grammar school heavyweights without taking part in pandemic grade inflation” and accords with our view that we responded with integrity to the demands laid down by Ofqual in those years."

The school was ranked as part of Parent Power, The Sunday Times Schools Guide 2023.