Best Schools in Bath and North East Somerset

How many schools are there in Bath and North East Somerset?

Bath and North East Somerset has 94 open schools: 63 state primary, 14 state secondary or all-through, 8 independent, 6 special and 3 others.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Which schools in Bath and North East Somerset are rated Outstanding?

10 schools in Bath and North East Somerset were rated Outstanding at their most recent graded Ofsted inspection: Swainswick Church School, Norton Hill Primary School, Two Rivers Church of England Primary, Saltford CofE Primary School, Bathford Church School and 5 more. Counting Good as well, 96% of the 75 graded schools here are rated Good or better. Ofsted stopped giving single-word overall grades in September 2024, so these are the grades from each school's last full inspection.

Swainswick Church SchoolNorton Hill Primary SchoolTwo Rivers Church of England PrimarySaltford CofE Primary SchoolBathford Church School

Source: Ofsted

Which secondary schools in Bath and North East Somerset get the best GCSE results?

Of the 16 schools in Bath and North East Somerset with 2026 GCSE results, the highest Attainment 8 scores - the average grade across a pupil's best eight GCSEs - were at Hayesfield Girls School, with an Attainment 8 score of 59.9 and 67% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; Beechen Cliff School, with an Attainment 8 score of 56.4 and 70% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; and Ralph Allen School, with an Attainment 8 score of 53.8 and 66% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above. Progress 8, the DfE's value-added measure, was not published for 2026.

Hayesfield Girls SchoolBeechen Cliff SchoolRalph Allen School

Source: DfE school performance data

Which primary schools in Bath and North East Somerset have the best SATs results?

Of the 53 primary schools in Bath and North East Somerset with 2025 Key Stage 2 results, the highest shares of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading and maths were at Pensford Primary School (100% in reading, 100% in maths); Shoscombe Church School (100% in reading, 100% in maths); and Freshford Church School (96% in reading, 96% in maths). Small schools can swing a long way from one year to the next, because each pupil is a large share of the result.

Pensford Primary SchoolShoscombe Church SchoolFreshford Church School

Source: DfE school performance data

Are there grammar schools in Bath and North East Somerset?

No. None of the state secondary schools in Bath and North East Somerset selects pupils by ability, so every state secondary here is comprehensive.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

How close do you need to live to get into schools in Bath and North East Somerset?

It depends on the school, and the cut-off moves every year with the number of applications. Bath and North East Somerset published how far the last place offered went at these schools: Chew Magna Primary School, 2.883 miles for 2026 entry; Chew Stoke Church School, 2.749 miles for 2026 entry; Chew Valley School, 4.375 miles for 2026 entry; Clutton Primary School, 2.364 miles for 2026 entry; Freshford Church School, 1.843 miles for 2026 entry. We hold figures for 25 schools in Bath and North East Somerset; each school's page has its own history. These are the authority's own figures, not fixed boundaries.

Chew Magna Primary SchoolChew Stoke Church SchoolChew Valley SchoolClutton Primary SchoolFreshford Church School

Source: Bath and North East Somerset admissions booklets

How do I apply for a school place in Bath and North East Somerset?

Apply to Bath and North East Somerset through its coordinated admissions process, even for academies and faith schools. In England the closing date is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts. Independent schools run their own admissions, so apply to those directly.