SCHOOLS in York and North and East Yorkshire were celebrating today after faring well in a nationwide survey.

St Peter's School was judged 74th best independent secondary school in the country - up almost 30 places since last year under new head Richard Smyth.

More than 84 per cent of A-levels taken by pupils achieved A or B grades, and more than a third of GCSEs scored A* or A grades. The school's latest inspectorate report said: "A strong sense of community is evident and pupils are at ease with one another in the classroom, in houses and beyond."

English Martyrs' RC Primary School, in Holgate, York, was ranked the country's 70th best state primary school - although a five-point drop in overall SAT scores, from 297 down to 292, meant it fell two places compared with last year.

Scarcroft Primary School also did well for York, reaching 152nd place in the country, with an overall SAT score of 251.

York's best-placed state secondary school was Fulford School, ranked 320th, where almost half of all A-levels scored A or B grades, and 27 per cent of GCSEs were at A* or A grades. All Saints' RC School came in at 331st.

Other York schools making the top 500 lists were St Olave's School (79th best independent preparatory and junior school), Bootham School (161st best independent secondary), The Mount School (188th best independent secondary), Huntington School (424th best state secondary) and Ralph Butterfield Primary School (488th best state primary).

In North Yorkshire, Ryedale School continued to be one of the biggest success stories. A state secondary with no sixth form, almost a third of all GCSEs taken there scored A* or A grades.

Ryedale School ranks as the seventh best school of its kind in the country, up seven places on last year's result. A recent OFSTED report praised the school's "very good teaching", "very good learning" and "very efficient leadership and management".

A number of other North Yorkshire independent secondary schools made the top 500 lists, including Queen Margaret's School (142nd), Ampleforth College (186th) and Queen Ethelburga's College (375th)

In the East Riding, Beverley High School was ranked 327th best state secondary, up from 330th last year, with 47 per cent of students getting A or B grades at A-level and 27 per cent of youngsters taking GCSEs getting A* or A grade.

There was also an improvement in Pocklington School's ranking at 328th best independent secondary, up from 339 last year, with 57 per cent of pupils achieving an A or B at A-Level and 46 per cent getting A or A* at GCSE.

The annual survey, published in the Sunday Times, splits different types of schools into different lists, and bases overall positions on exam results.

Updated: 10:26 Monday, November 22, 2004