Schools near Harrogate
49 open schools in Harrogate, North Yorkshire · Ofsted ratings, catchment areas and admission criteria · see all North Yorkshire schools · grammar schools in Harrogate
Harrogate has 49 state schools: 38 primary, 6 secondary, part of North Yorkshire's wider catchment. 45 have a published Ofsted rating, and 37 of those are rated Good or Outstanding.
Undersubscribed schools rated Good or Outstanding
These schools didn't fill on first preference in the latest admissions year, despite an Ofsted rating of Good or Outstanding — worth a look if you're chasing the same handful of famous names everyone else applies to.
How places are allocated in North Yorkshire
Primary schools: 'Catchment school' determined by home address is explicit LA terminology. (source)
Most schools use the local authority's default scheme rather than a school-specific catchment map — see each school's page for its own designated/catchment area where one is published.
North Yorkshire entrance test format
Each of the three North Yorkshire grammar schools tests differently: 1. Ripon Grammar School — GL Assessment papers in verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning (registration via North Yorkshire Council, test mid-September of Year 6, results by post mid-October). 2. Ermysted's Grammar School (boys, Skipton) — GL Assessment papers in English, maths, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning; registration direct with the school. 3. Skipton Girls' High School — FSCE (Future Stories Community Enterprise) papers in English, maths and creative writing — a notably different format from the two GL-based schools; registration direct with the school. A family applying to both Skipton schools should prepare for two different exam styles on separate dates.
Key dates
| Entry year | Event | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Sept 2028 | Application deadline | 2027-10-31 |
| Sept 2028 | Primary application deadline | 2028-01-15 |
| Sept 2028 | Offer day | 2028-03-01 |
| Sept 2028 | Primary offer day | 2028-04-17 |
| Sept 2027 | Registration opens | 2026-04-30 (passed) |
| Sept 2027 | Registration closes | 2026-06-30 (passed) |
| Sept 2027 | Test date | 2026-09-12 |
| Sept 2027 | Application deadline | 2026-10-31 |
| Sept 2027 | Primary application deadline | 2027-01-15 |
| Sept 2027 | Offer day | 2027-03-01 |
| Sept 2027 | Primary offer day | 2027-04-16 |
| Sept 2026 | Application deadline | 2025-10-31 (passed) |
| Sept 2026 | Primary application deadline | 2026-01-15 (passed) |
| Sept 2026 | Offer day | 2026-03-02 (passed) |
| Sept 2026 | Primary offer day | 2026-04-16 (passed) |
Out-of-area applications
North Yorkshire's three grammar schools have SPLIT arrangements: 1. Ripon Grammar School — the selection test is organised by North Yorkshire Council: register via the council's online portal (historically opening late April and closing 30 June of Year 5), test in mid-September. Open to children outside North Yorkshire; the school also offers boarding, which widens its intake. 2. Ermysted's Grammar School (boys, Skipton) and Skipton Girls' High School — these arrange and run their OWN selection tests with their own processes, timescales and deadlines: contact each school directly to register. Both draw applicants from across the Craven area and over the Lancashire/West Yorkshire borders. Apply via your home LA's Common Application Form by 31 October. Check each school's oversubscription criteria for catchment/priority-area effects.
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