Fulford School in York is named The Sunday Times North of England Secondary School of the Year for the second year running. The Grammar School at Leeds has been handed the title North of England Independent Secondary School of the Year. The two are among the highest-achieving 2,000 schools in the UK identified in the Parent Power school guide based on recent examination results. According to the results, Fulford School has jumped 50 places since 2018 in national rankings for secondary schools to 111. Headteacher Steve Lewis said the award reflected the “hard work and commitment” of pupils and staff. He said: “Academic excellence is central to what we do as a school. Our pupils have outstanding outcomes and make exceptional progress. “However, we believe education goes beyond exam results and, supported by our core values, we are committed to doing all we can to enable our pupils to have experiences that are character building, challenging, nurturing and life affirming. “We are extremely proud of our pupils and the fantastic things they do each and every day. We will continue to build our school community to enable all pupils to be successful, productive and proactive members of their school and our wider society.” Results show nearly 80 per cent of its students achieved A-level A*-B grades, an increase from last year’s 74 per cent. GCSE results also improved with 41 per cent attaining A*/A/9/8/7 grades compared to 30 per cent in 2018. Improved performance by pupils at The Grammar School at Leeds (GSAL) saw it climb 21 places to 118 in the national independent school standings in the last year, raising it to third in the region. Principal Sue Woodroofe said: “This is outstanding recognition, on a national stage, of all that our pupils and staff do to make GSAL so special. “I have the privilege of working with people of all ages, every day, who show passion, vision and ambition to aim high and commit themselves to be the very best that they can be, rooted in an unerring sense of decency, kindness and courtesy. “Just when I think I could not be more proud of this school, I find that I am!” The tables show 79 per cent of A-level students at school achieved A*-B grades, up from 75 per cent in 2018. The school also saw 70.4 per cent of GCSE entrants gain A*/A/9/8/7 grades. Parent Power editor Alastair McCall said the school was a “thriving, dynamic place of learning”. “High levels of success at GCSE are a tribute to the strength of the school’s ‘diamond’ model of teaching where boys and girls are taught separately from 11 to 16 within an otherwise co-educational school environment,” he said. “This is an outstanding school that serves the children of Leeds and the surrounding area well, offering them outstanding opportunities to succeed, learn and acquire skills that will benefit them throughout life.” According to regional rankings, Ripon Grammar School is the top rated in Yorkshire among state schools, ranked 67 nationally, followed by Skipton Girls’ High School and Ermysted’s Grammar School, also in Skipton. The biggest improvement in the top 10 in Yorkshire has been made by Beverley High School, which climbed 100 places since 2018 to be within the top 200 nationally. In the independent sector, Queen Ethelburga’s College, near York, is rated highest in Yorkshire and 47 nationally, followed by St Peter’s School in York. The guide allows parents to compare the performance of a school with others in the same town, local authority or nationally. The North of England ratings cover Yorkshire, with separate rankings for the North East and North West. The rankings in the secondary school league tables are determined by the percentage of examination entries gaining A* to B grades at A-level and the percentage of entries returning A* and A grades and those graded 9, 8 and 7 at GCSE and iGCSE. Official Government tables for secondary school performance will be published in coming weeks. The full Parent Power results will be published on Sunday at: thesundaytimes.co.uk/parentpower