Harrogate High School, Harrogate

Ofsted's report card from its 3 February 2026 inspection grades Harrogate High School on 6 areas: 5 expected standard and 1 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders monitor absence rigorously."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have ensured that teaching has improved significantly since the last inspection."

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

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders have brought about effective change over time."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Pupils' wider personal development is planned coherently across the school."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Over the last few years, pupils have not achieved in line with national tests at key stage 4."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should intensify actions to further develop pupils' knowledge and understanding to improve outcomes in national assessments, so that more pupils achieve well"; "Leaders should continue to develop their work to improve pupils' attendance, including for disadvantaged pupils".

From the headteacher's welcome: "As the Headteacher, I am proud to lead Harrogate High School in its journey of continual improvement and work alongside a team of passionate and dedicated staff to provide an excellent learning environment for our students. We are proud of our CARES Values which underpin our "Learning First" motto and are at the heart of Harrogate High School."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include dance, drama, STEM and Duke of Edinburgh.

In 2026, pupils at Harrogate High School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 39.5, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 47.2 in North Yorkshire and 47 across England.

36% 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 39.1.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.46: pupils made 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 27.9, against 45 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 17.1 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 24 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Art and Design and History.

For September 2026 entry, 68 families put Harrogate High School as their first choice and 222 named it as one of their preferences, for 87 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 Harrogate High School are St Aidan's Church of England High School (0.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 59.4); St Aidans and St John Fisher Associated Sixth Form (1 mile); St John Fisher Catholic Academy (1 mile, Good, Attainment 8 52.6); and Harrogate Grammar School (1.5 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 56).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than Harrogate High School.

Harrogate High School is one of 15 schools run by Northern Star Academies Trust, an academy trust.

97 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Harrogate High School (as of April 2026): 72% would recommend the school, 70% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (78%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).

Of the 139 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 79% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 58% to a further education college, 7% to an apprenticeship and 4% into work.

35.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 6.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 126 pupils (21.8%) received SEN support and 33 (5.7%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.

The nearest railway station is Harrogate Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.

In August 2026, police recorded 337 crimes within a mile of the school, most often shoplifting, violence and sexual offences and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in North Yorkshire (9), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Harrogate High School issued 616 suspensions, 91.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Harrogate High School are St Robert's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy (0.2 miles); Harrogate, Grove Road Community Primary School (0.6 miles); Willow Tree Community Primary School (0.8 miles); and Harrogate, Bilton Grange Primary School (0.9 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.