Park Lane Academy in Halifax has been named the most improved mainstream secondary school in Yorkshire and the Humber for GCSE Attainment 8, according to newly released Department for Education (DfE) provisional results analysed by The Excellence Hub.

The news follows the school achieving the best GCSE results in its history this summer. It now ranks as the 12th-most improved school nationally, out of more than 3,450 schools across England.

The Excellence Hub, a national network dedicated to school improvement and collaboration, said the school’s progress reflects ‘sustained leadership and a shared commitment to excellence.’

The GCSE results marked a historic turning point for Park Lane. The proportion of pupils achieving grades 9–5 in English and Maths more than doubled compared with 2024, while those gaining grades 9–4 also rose sharply. Overall progress among students is now broadly in line with, or above, national averages, with boys outperforming national averages in English, Maths and Science.

Attendance was above average for the second consecutive year, while exclusions have halved for the third year running — clear signs of a school culture that continues to strengthen.

Principal Stuart Hillary described the recognition as a defining moment for the community: “This remarkable achievement cements our status as one of the country’s fastest-rising success stories. It confirms what we see in classrooms every day, the extraordinary hard work and belief of our students, staff, and families. It shows how far Park Lane has come, and how a culture of ambition and care can truly transform lives.”

The academy, part of South Pennine Academies Trust, was praised by Ofsted earlier this year for its ‘calm, settled classrooms’ and ‘respectful relationships' between staff and pupils. Inspectors noted that the school’s improved culture and the leadership team were creating positive conditions for academic success — a prediction now emphatically borne out by the latest results.