Ripon schools

[heyhop]

Hi there,

We're thinking of moving to Ripon for the grammar school.

If child doesn't get into grammar, which other secondary outstanding secondary schools are there in Ripon/nearby villages and surrounding areas please?

In addition, could anyone recommend any Outstanding primary schools in and around Ripon/villages nearby please?

Many thanks!

I'm not sure that "villages" tend to have secondary schools.

The 'other' [non-grammar] secondary school in Ripon, what used to be called the modern school, is now called Outwood Academy.

It is, I suppose, still at heart a modern school in the sense that nearly all of the very keenest/brightest/most tutored kids in the local area have been creamed off by the grammar. But it's by no means a sink school, & has routinely been sending at least some kids to Russel Group universities for many years.

5-10 years ago quite a few Ripon kids were still travelling to Harrogate [which is in places so ridiculously affluent that the more sought-after comps have a bit of a pseudo-Grammar school feel] for secondary school but I'm not sure about now.

Re: primary school - I'd say that Ripon is the kind of place where there's a pretty strong presumption in the state sector that everyone will go to their local school, with all of them being acceptably good.

@puffyisgood

I'm not sure that "villages" tend to have secondary schools.

The 'other' [non-grammar] secondary school in Ripon, what used to be called the modern school, is now called Outwood Academy.

It is, I suppose, still at heart a modern school in the sense that nearly all of the very keenest/brightest/most tutored kids in the local area have been creamed off by the grammar. But it's by no means a sink school, & has routinely been sending at least some kids to Russel Group universities for many years.

5-10 years ago quite a few Ripon kids were still travelling to Harrogate [which is in places so ridiculously affluent that the more sought-after comps have a bit of a pseudo-Grammar school feel] for secondary school but I'm not sure about now.

Re: primary school - I'd say that Ripon is the kind of place where there's a pretty strong presumption in the state sector that everyone will go to their local school, with all of them being acceptably good.

Thank you so much for all this, very helpful!

I just wanted to know a little bit more about secondary options if our children don't get into the grammar school.

Harrogate wise - could you please tell me the names of the (pseudo like grammars) secondary state school that Ripon children use to go for (might still be going for)?

Many thanks again!

Hi

As per my earlier message, you should check regarding catchments, travel arrangements, etc for Harrogate schools. It's also worth noting that, even if it's technically possible, it's not the done thing to commute from Ripon to Harrogate for schools, doing so would pose a challenge for friendship groups & so on.

In short though:

(a) Harrogate Grammar [a comp despite the name] - potentially worth travelling for;
(b) St Aidans - potentially worth travelling for although it requires a genuinely good record of church attendance;
(c) St John Fisher - a Catholic version of (b);
(d) The others - not worth travelling for.

This gives pretty clear guidance on where students who got to Harrogate Grammer live.. www.harrogategrammar.co.uk/school/admissions/joining-at-11/

225 from Harrogate Town and 57 from the surrounding villages.

@ChateauMargaux

This gives pretty clear guidance on where students who got to Harrogate Grammer live.. www.harrogategrammar.co.uk/school/admissions/joining-at-11/

225 from Harrogate Town and 57 from the surrounding villages.

Ah, OK. Well, consistent with the link provided by @ChateauMargaux, the map below appears to show that you're expected to attend one of the Ripon schools if you live in or around Ripon.

maps.northyorks.gov.uk/connect/analyst/mobile/#/main?mapcfg=secondary_catchments

I always remember the Earl in Downton Abbey pulling strings to bet a place at Ripon Grammar for the son of the maid he fancied. Interesting that it still seen as a desirable school.

(Misses point of thread)

@WhiteXmas99

I always remember the Earl in Downton Abbey pulling strings to bet a place at Ripon Grammar for the son of the maid he fancied. Interesting that it still seen as a desirable school.

(Misses point of thread)

Ha. I think Downton is c 9 miles roughly NEE of Ripon, so according to that map, the child would might well be expected to go to Thirsk or Boroughbridge school.

But, yeah, RGS will always be popular for as long as, for most locals, the only choice is between [the two are basically over the road from each other, so there's no real geographic element to entry] one grammar & one, effectively, secondary modern school.

I would only move to Ripon personally if I was confident of getting into the Grammar. Otherwise I would consider the pseudo Grammars (love that!) in Harrogate. If you are more flexible about where you move to there are also the Grammars in Skipton and the pseudos in Ilkley and north Leeds

I think the post above questioning whether it's worth moving to Ripon if there aren't reasons other than the school (s).

I know that moving for grammars is a bit of a thing (for a small number of Indian 'tiger parents' anyway) in some parts of the country, but it makes far more sense if you're talking about somewhere like Pates' GS, since Cheltenham is such a nice city and the school is very prestigious. Ripon's a couple of steps down on both counts I think the passmark for RGS is lower if you're local, and it's not ludicrously high, to get in kids only really need to be comfortably above average, but, still, passing isn't certain. And while it's not a terrible place by any means these days, moving to Ripon specifically for your kids to attend the 'modern' school would be more than a little odd.

more generally, I never quite understood why Ripon kept its grammar school when most other places didn't. Ripon is (just) big enough to support two secondary schools but it's nowhere near big enough to positively need two. in terms of pupil numbers Harrogate 'Grammar' is comfortably bigger than the two Ripon schools combined, and I honestly don't think many parents who knew it & the Ripon schools well would argue that it isn't a better 21st century school.

IIRC the pass mark is set so roughly 28% of the local primary school cohort get in (roughly 120 pupils). And that’s the cohort, not just the ones taking the entrance test. So that’s roughly the guide for how ‘bright’ your child would need to be. And, obviously, only a certain % will try to get in.

@puffyisgood

Hi

As per my earlier message, you should check regarding catchments, travel arrangements, etc for Harrogate schools. It's also worth noting that, even if it's technically possible, it's not the done thing to commute from Ripon to Harrogate for schools, doing so would pose a challenge for friendship groups & so on.

In short though:

(a) Harrogate Grammar [a comp despite the name] - potentially worth travelling for;
(b) St Aidans - potentially worth travelling for although it requires a genuinely good record of church attendance;
(c) St John Fisher - a Catholic version of (b);
(d) The others - not worth travelling for.

Thanks again for this very useful list!

So how difficult is it to commute from Ripon area to Harrogate?

Do you happen to know of parents who go together and pay for a private bus to take children to Harrogate from Ripon area?

Many thanks again!

@ChateauMargaux

This gives pretty clear guidance on where students who got to Harrogate Grammer live.. www.harrogategrammar.co.uk/school/admissions/joining-at-11/

225 from Harrogate Town and 57 from the surrounding villages.

This is very useful, thank you for sharing!

@WhiteXmas99

I always remember the Earl in Downton Abbey pulling strings to bet a place at Ripon Grammar for the son of the maid he fancied. Interesting that it still seen as a desirable school.

(Misses point of thread)

This made me giggle!

Yes, still a very desirable school indeed!

@LargeBowl

I would only move to Ripon personally if I was confident of getting into the Grammar. Otherwise I would consider the pseudo Grammars (love that!) in Harrogate. If you are more flexible about where you move to there are also the Grammars in Skipton and the pseudos in Ilkley and north Leeds

Thanks! It's so difficult know though whether your child is going or get in or not. If they don't get in, at least there is an outstanding secondary school opposite.

Harrogate house wise doesn't offer as much, as we're also looking for a bigger house with some land. I also assume Harrogate Grammar and St Aiden's both have tight Harrogate catchment areas... (?)

Skipton worth looking at for the boys Ermysted's boys grammar school but it looks like the Skipton girls grammar school is closed.

Illkly also worth considering for the grammar school but again house prices will be higher than in Ripon.

Leeds Grammar (which I assume is the one you mean) is private so not of interest to us.

Get a really good survey if you’re buying in Ripon. There are issues with sink holes. (it’s one of the reasons housing there is so much cheaper than Harrogate, the other main one being no train station).

Oh, and Skipton Girls’ isn’t closed .

@puffyisgood

I think the post above questioning whether it's worth moving to Ripon if there aren't reasons other than the school (s).

I know that moving for grammars is a bit of a thing (for a small number of Indian 'tiger parents' anyway) in some parts of the country, but it makes far more sense if you're talking about somewhere like Pates' GS, since Cheltenham is such a nice city and the school is very prestigious. Ripon's a couple of steps down on both counts I think the passmark for RGS is lower if you're local, and it's not ludicrously high, to get in kids only really need to be comfortably above average, but, still, passing isn't certain. And while it's not a terrible place by any means these days, moving to Ripon specifically for your kids to attend the 'modern' school would be more than a little odd.

more generally, I never quite understood why Ripon kept its grammar school when most other places didn't. Ripon is (just) big enough to support two secondary schools but it's nowhere near big enough to positively need two. in terms of pupil numbers Harrogate 'Grammar' is comfortably bigger than the two Ripon schools combined, and I honestly don't think many parents who knew it & the Ripon schools well would argue that it isn't a better 21st century school.

Thanks, I shall check Pate's out too, thanks for the tip!

@stubiff

IIRC the pass mark is set so roughly 28% of the local primary school cohort get in (roughly 120 pupils). And that’s the cohort, not just the ones taking the entrance test. So that’s roughly the guide for how ‘bright’ your child would need to be. And, obviously, only a certain % will try to get in.

Thanks, this is very useful!

@HarryLimeFoxtrot

Get a really good survey if you’re buying in Ripon. There are issues with sink holes. (it’s one of the reasons housing there is so much cheaper than Harrogate, the other main one being no train station).

Oh, and Skipton Girls’ isn’t closed .

Thank you - I didn't know about the sinkholes 😱!! Might have to rethink now!

@HarryLimeFoxtrot

Get a really good survey if you’re buying in Ripon. There are issues with sink holes. (it’s one of the reasons housing there is so much cheaper than Harrogate, the other main one being no train station).

Oh, and Skipton Girls’ isn’t closed .

So skipton girls is open! That's a relief!

Ilkley grammar school is a comprehensive. With selection by house price.

@Cyclingforcake

Ilkley grammar school is a comprehensive. With selection by house price.

Thank you for pointing that out!