We’re delighted to announce Prince Henry’s Grammar School as the winner of Secondary School of the Year at the My Local Awards 2026 Yorkshire.

This award celebrates schools that combine academic excellence, strong values and a real commitment to their community, and Prince Henry’s Grammar School is a truly deserving winner. Located in the heart of Otley and home to more than 1,600 students, Prince Henry’s is a thriving, high-achieving secondary school with an inclusive ethos and high expectations for every young person in its care.

What makes this recognition especially meaningful is that it reflects the view of the local community. Prince Henry’s has long been an important part of life in Otley, the Wharfe Valley and North Leeds, and this award is a clear sign of the pride people feel in the school. It recognises not only academic success, but the culture, care and ambition that define the whole school community.

A school with more than 400 years of history

Prince Henry’s Grammar School has a remarkable story behind it. The school was established in 1607, when King James I approved the letters patent creating The Free Grammar School of Otley. More than 400 years later, it continues to serve the area as the local state comprehensive academy, educating children from across Otley, the Wharfe Valley and North Leeds.

That long history gives Prince Henry’s a special place in the local area, but this is far from a school resting on tradition alone. It is a forward-looking, dynamic school that combines heritage with a modern and ambitious vision for the future. That balance is a major part of what makes it stand out.

At the heart of the school is a clear aspiration: “Prince Henry’s will become internationally recognised as an exceptional school with a culture of respect, where we can all flourish and achieve.” That is an ambitious statement, but it reflects the confidence and clarity of purpose that runs through the school.

Excellence rooted in values

What really sets Prince Henry’s apart is the way it combines high standards with a strong moral and inclusive ethos. Academic success matters deeply here, but so do the values that shape young people’s character and the way they treat others.

Those values — honesty, kindness, confidence, independence, ambition and resilience — are not simply words displayed on a wall. They are clearly lived throughout the school community, both academically and personally. Staff set high expectations for all students, while also creating an environment where pupils feel supported, encouraged and able to flourish.

That culture has been recognised at the highest level. Last year, the school was judged Outstanding in all areas, including the Sixth Form, with inspectors describing it as an “exceptional school community.” The report praised the breadth and ambition of what the school offers beyond the academic and vocational curriculum, as well as its strong work in equalities, the environment, sports and the arts.

To receive such praise is a huge achievement, but perhaps more importantly, it reflects the daily reality of life at Prince Henry’s. This is a school where students are encouraged to work hard, be resilient and believe in what they are capable of achieving.

A place where students thrive

The school’s Outstanding report captured something the community already knew: that Prince Henry’s positively shapes young people’s lives. Inspectors highlighted the high-quality academic and pastoral support available to all pupils, noting that because staff are supportive, caring and passionate, students thrive.

That is such an important point. Great schools do not just produce good results. They help children and young people grow into confident, capable individuals with the tools to succeed in life. Prince Henry’s clearly does both.

The school’s pride in its students shines through strongly. Every year, pupils achieve wonderful things both inside and outside the classroom, and the school makes a real effort to celebrate success in all its forms. Through its Prince Henry’s People campaign, students are shown examples of former pupils who have gone on to achieve great things, reinforcing the message that they too can aim high and reach the stars.

Some former students have said “Prince Henry’s was my catapult,” while parents have credited the school with helping shape extraordinary journeys, including Olympic medal wins. Those are powerful endorsements of a school that clearly helps young people believe in what is possible.

Deeply connected to the community

Prince Henry’s Grammar School is not just located in the community — it is woven into it. The school describes its connection to the local area as its lifeblood, and that feels entirely fitting. Generations of families have attended the school, sometimes even at the same time, and many students go on to live and work locally too.

That connection is strengthened through a remarkable range of community-focused initiatives. Every year, the entire Year 10 cohort volunteers in the local community. Hundreds of students also volunteer every week through the school’s thriving Duke of Edinburgh programme, with an impressive 17 students achieving their Gold Award last year alone.

The school site itself also acts as a hub for local life. In the evenings, it hosts sports clubs from across the area, provides a base for local organisations and runs a Community Education programme that attracts more than 500 people every year. The programme is shaped by consultation with the community, making sure it continues to offer courses people genuinely want and benefit from.

This is exactly the kind of role a great school can play. Prince Henry’s is not only educating young people. It is supporting the wider area, building relationships and helping strengthen the fabric of community life.

Resilient, ambitious and looking ahead

Over the course of more than four centuries, Prince Henry’s has faced many challenges, but the school is clear that it approaches them with the same resilience it seeks to instil in students. That mindset has helped it grow and flourish, and it continues to guide the school today.

Looking ahead, the vision remains focused on becoming a truly exceptional school where everyone can flourish and achieve. As part of the Collaborative Learning Trust, Prince Henry’s is committed to working in partnership for the benefit of students, staff and the wider community. That collaborative spirit adds yet another strength to an already impressive school.

The ambition is not only to continue improving internally, but also to keep broadening those partnerships and ensuring the very best provision and futures for all children and staff. It is a forward-thinking approach from a school that is clearly not content to stand still.

What this award means

When Prince Henry’s learned it had been voted Secondary School of the Year for Yorkshire, the reaction was one of real delight. The fact that the award was voted for by local people made it even more special.

For the school, this recognition is a celebration of the extraordinary hard work of staff, who go above and beyond every day both in and out of the classroom to help students flourish. It is also a powerful reminder that those efforts are noticed and appreciated by parents, carers and the wider community.

That sense of shared achievement matters. Prince Henry’s sees this award as something that belongs to the whole school community — staff, students, governors, trustees, parents, carers and the wider Collaborative Learning Trust. That spirit of togetherness is clearly one of the reasons the school has earned such strong local support.

Congratulations to Prince Henry’s Grammar School

At My Local Awards 2026 Yorkshire, we are proud to celebrate schools that inspire, support and make a lasting difference. Prince Henry’s Grammar School is a brilliant example of that.

With its extraordinary history, Outstanding achievements, strong values and deep community roots, it has built a school culture that helps young people flourish in every sense. This award reflects the dedication of its staff, the efforts of its students and the confidence the community places in the school every day.

Congratulations to Prince Henry’s Grammar School, a highly deserving winner of Secondary School of the Year 2026.

And finally, a message from the school: “This award really is an award for all of our school community. Thank you so much for voting for us and thank you for all the contribution which make Prince Henry’s such a special place at the heart of our community and the Collaborative Learning Trust.”