Skipton Girls' High School
115%
Capacity
855
Pupils
2.0x
Demand
About Skipton Girls' High School
Skipton Girls' High School is a popular choice among local families, with 238 applications for 119 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of exactly two applicants per place. Of those, 173 families put it as their first preference, and all 119 places went to first-preference applicants. The school is a state-funded girls' secondary with a co-educational sixth form, and its headteacher is Martha Featherstone. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022, the school was rated Good overall, with behaviour and attitudes judged Outstanding. That's a step down from its previous inspection in 2008, when it was rated Outstanding across the board, but the current report still highlights strong conduct and a positive atmosphere. With 855 pupils on roll against a capacity of 744, the school is clearly running above its official limit, which reflects sustained demand from parents in North Yorkshire.
Academically, Skipton Girls' High School performs well above the local average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.45 is significantly higher than the North Yorkshire average of 0.07, placing it 11th out of 39 schools in the local authority and in the top 25% nationally. The Attainment 8 score is 66.9, and 89.3% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The school is particularly strong in English, with a Progress 8 score of 0.77, and in open subjects at 0.94, though maths progress is slightly negative at -0.3. At A-level, the school's value-added score is 0.11, with an average points per entry of 37.99, equivalent to a B- grade. The proportion of students achieving AAB or higher in at least two facilitating subjects is 22.5%, and the sixth form progress banding is rated 'Above average'.
The school offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, sports hall, astro turf, music rooms, and a dedicated sixth form centre. Sports on offer include hockey, tennis, swimming, cross country, and even rugby, while clubs range from Book Club and Eco Club to Model UN, Debate, and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. SEND provisions cover specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, hearing and visual impairments, and social, emotional and mental health needs. With an oversubscription ratio of 2:1 and a strong academic record, this school will particularly suit academically ambitious girls who thrive in a single-sex environment and want a wide choice of extracurricular activities, especially those aiming for a competitive sixth form.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Girls |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Gargrave Road, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 1QL |
| Headteacher | Martha Featherstone |
| Local Authority | North Yorkshire |
| Number of Pupils | 855 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 6.6% |
| School Capacity | 855 / 744 (115% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
21 Sept 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 20 Nov 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.45)
565th of 3,141
Nationally
45th of 306
In Yorkshire and the Humber
11th of 39
In North Yorkshire
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
42.5
'22/23
39.4
'23/24
38.0
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2390%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 121 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)90%
- FE college3%
98% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2369%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 113 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
45%
Russell Group
47%
Top-third HE
5%
Oxford / Cambridge
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)69%
- Employment19%
- Further education4%
- Not sustained3%
- Apprenticeship2%
- Other education1%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Biology57
- Psychology52
- Chemistry45
- Mathematics37
- Geography25
- English Literature24
- History24
- Business Studies:Single22
- Religious Studies20
- Physics14
- Art and Design (Fine Art)13
- Government and Politics12
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
7Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed119
238
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
173 families put this school as their 1st choice (73% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:50 – 15:40
After-school care
15:45-17:00
Source: sghs.org.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Lower-disadvantage intake compared to the national average (25%).
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British62.2%
- Asian30.7%
- Mixed3.1%
- White (other)2.1%
- Black0.2%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Better than half of schools in England.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
11
Total schools
8
Oversubscribed
5
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Skipton Girls' High School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Gargrave Road, Skipton
North Yorkshire, BD23 1QL
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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