Outwood Academy Ripon

About Outwood Academy Ripon

Outwood Academy Ripon was rated Good overall in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2024, a step down from the Outstanding rating it held in its previous inspection in 2016. However, the school’s academic performance tells a more nuanced story. Its Progress 8 score of 0.21 means pupils here achieve nearly a quarter of a grade more per subject than the national average, and significantly above the North Yorkshire local authority average of 0.07. That places the school 17th out of 39 similar schools in the county, and in the top third nationally. The strongest subject gains are in English (0.32) and maths (0.31), with the EBacc subjects also showing a solid 0.21. The school’s Attainment 8 score of 45 is respectable, and 75.9% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths — well above the national basics measure. While the Ofsted rating has changed, the exam data suggests the school is still delivering strong academic progress for its pupils.

The Ofsted report itself highlights some real strengths. Personal development was rated Outstanding, and behaviour and attitudes, leadership and management, and quality of education all received Good. The school has a sixth form, though no separate inspection data was published for it this time. The EBacc entry rate is 24.8%, with 20.7% of pupils achieving the EBacc at grade 4 or above. The school’s Progress 8 banding is described as Average, which aligns with its national percentile ranking of around 33. In the Yorkshire and the Humber region, it ranks 91st out of 306 schools — comfortably in the top third. The school’s capacity is 750, and with 662 pupils on roll, it is not yet full. It is, however, oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake, there were 218 applications for 119 places, with 90 first-preference offers made, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.83.

Facilities include a swimming pool, sports hall, tennis courts, playing fields, a gymnasium, science labs, art studios, an ICT suite, a library, and a chapel. Sports on offer range from swimming and cricket to rowing and martial arts, and clubs include coding, gardening, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, orchestra, debate, and eco club. The school has a broad range of SEND provisions, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, and autistic spectrum disorder. This is a school that suits families looking for a large, oversubscribed secondary with strong academic progress above the local average, a wide range of extracurricular activities, and a clear commitment to personal development. The drop in Ofsted rating from Outstanding to Good may give some parents pause, but the exam results suggest the school is still performing well.

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