Best Schools in Isle of Wight

How many schools are there in Isle of Wight?

Isle of Wight has 51 open schools: 36 state primary, 7 state secondary or all-through, 2 independent, 4 special and 2 others.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Which schools in Isle of Wight are rated Outstanding?

1 school in Isle of Wight was rated Outstanding at its most recent graded Ofsted inspection: Nine Acres Primary School. Counting Good as well, 80% of the 46 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.

Nine Acres Primary School

Source: Ofsted

Which secondary schools in Isle of Wight get the best GCSE results?

Of the 8 schools in Isle of Wight with 2026 GCSE results, the highest Attainment 8 scores - the average grade across a pupil's best eight GCSEs - were at The Island Free School, with an Attainment 8 score of 45.8 and 47% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; Lift Ryde, with an Attainment 8 score of 43.2 and 42% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; and Cowes Enterprise College, An Ormiston Academy, with an Attainment 8 score of 42.5 and 44% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above. Progress 8, the DfE's value-added measure, was not published for 2026.

The Island Free SchoolLift RydeCowes Enterprise College, An Ormiston Academy

Source: DfE school performance data

Which primary schools in Isle of Wight have the best SATs results?

Of the 36 primary schools in Isle of Wight with 2025 Key Stage 2 results, the highest shares of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading and maths were at Dover Park Primary School (80% in reading, 87% in maths); Shalfleet Church of England Primary School (75% in reading, 92% in maths); and Carisbrooke Church of England Controlled Primary School (78% in reading, 88% 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.

Dover Park Primary SchoolShalfleet Church of England Primary SchoolCarisbrooke Church of England Controlled Primary School

Source: DfE school performance data

Are there grammar schools in Isle of Wight?

Yes. St George's School is a state grammar school in Isle of Wight. Grammar schools admit pupils by ability through an entrance test, usually sat at the start of Year 6.

St George's School

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Do schools in Isle of Wight have catchment areas?

Most state schools in Isle of Wight have no fixed catchment boundary. When a school is oversubscribed, Isle of Wight allocates places on its published criteria - usually looked-after children first, then siblings, then home-to-school distance - so the practical cut-off moves each year. Each school's page here shows an estimate of its catchment radius.

How do I apply for a school place in Isle of Wight?

Apply to Isle of Wight 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.