Graham School, Scarborough

Ofsted's report card from its 10 February 2026 inspection grades Graham School on 6 areas: 4 expected standard and 2 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have ensured that the broad, increasingly ambitious curriculum present at the last inspection is now better delivered."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders have fostered an inclusive culture, which threads through all areas of the school."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders makes decisions in the best interests of pupils."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Pupils at Graham are well prepared for life in modern Britain."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Over time, pupils have not achieved well in national examinations at the end of key stage 4."

Attendance and behaviour - Needs attention. "Pupils' attendance is below national averages."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should develop their work to ensure effective strategies are place to improve pupils' attendance"; "Leaders should intensify actions to further develop pupils' knowledge and understanding to improve outcomes in public examinations, so that more pupils achieve well at the end of key stage 4"; "Leaders should ensure that teaching consistently develops pupils' spoken and written language across subjects".

In its own words: "Graham School is part of a wider family of church and community schools and together our school vision aligns to the wider Trust vision;"

From the headteacher's welcome: "Welcome to Graham School. As principal, I am delighted to introduce you to our school. Our motto is ‘Grow, Learn and Achieve together’ and our aim is that all students thrive at school making good academic progress and developing into resilient, confident and respectful young people. We want everyone to ‘Grow at Graham’."

In 2026, pupils at Graham School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 38.2, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 47.2 in North Yorkshire and 47 across England.

41% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 48% in North Yorkshire and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 38.3.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.53: pupils made well below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 30.9, against 42.5 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 11.6 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 25 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 128 families put Graham School as their first choice and 310 named it as one of their preferences, for 181 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Graham School are St Augustine's Catholic School - a Catholic voluntary academy (0.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.6); Scalby Academy (1 mile, Good, Attainment 8 49.9); Scarborough University Technical College (1.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 49.6); and George Pindar School (3.4 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 32.1).

Graham School's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

Graham School is one of 14 schools run by Heartwood Learning Trust, an academy trust.

46 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Graham School (as of April 2026): 70% would recommend the school, 67% say their child is happy there and 57% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (80%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (57%).

Of the 211 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 74% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 34% to a further education college, 2% to an apprenticeship and 6% into work.

42.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

The nearest railway station is Scarborough Rail Station, about 1.4 miles away in a straight line.

5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Graham School Stand 7 (adjacent), 90 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 80 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in North Yorkshire (9), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Graham School issued 398 suspensions, 41.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 5 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Graham School are Barrowcliff School (0.6 miles); Newby and Scalby Academy (0.8 miles); Scarborough, Northstead Community Primary School (1.1 miles); and Gladstone Road Primary School (1.2 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.