Best Schools in Northwich

How many schools are there in Northwich?

Northwich has 43 open schools: 26 state primary, 5 state secondary or all-through, 3 independent, 8 special and 1 other.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Which schools in Northwich are rated Outstanding?

5 schools in Northwich were rated Outstanding at their most recent graded Ofsted inspection: Barnton Community Nursery and Primary School; Sir John Deane's Sixth Form College; The County High School, Leftwich; The Russett School; and Cloughwood Academy. Counting Good as well, 90% of the 31 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.

Barnton Community Nursery and Primary SchoolSir John Deane's Sixth Form CollegeThe County High School, LeftwichThe Russett SchoolCloughwood Academy

Source: Ofsted

Which secondary schools in Northwich get the best GCSE results?

Of the 7 schools in Northwich with 2026 GCSE results, the highest Attainment 8 scores - the average grade across a pupil's best eight GCSEs - were at Weaverham High School, with an Attainment 8 score of 53.5 and 59% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; The County High School, Leftwich, with an Attainment 8 score of 50.1 and 52% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; and St Nicholas Catholic High School, with an Attainment 8 score of 49.7 and 48% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above. Progress 8, the DfE's value-added measure, was not published for 2026.

Weaverham High SchoolThe County High School, LeftwichSt Nicholas Catholic High School

Source: DfE school performance data

Which primary schools in Northwich have the best SATs results?

Of the 24 primary schools in Northwich with 2025 Key Stage 2 results, the highest shares of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading and maths were at Antrobus St Mark's CofE Primary School (100% in reading, 100% in maths); Barnton Community Nursery and Primary School (88% in reading, 90% in maths); and Charles Darwin Community Primary School (89% in reading, 89% 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.

Antrobus St Mark's CofE Primary SchoolBarnton Community Nursery and Primary SchoolCharles Darwin Community Primary School

Source: DfE school performance data

Are there grammar schools in Northwich?

No. None of the state secondary schools in Northwich selects pupils by ability, so every state secondary here is comprehensive.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Do schools in Northwich have catchment areas?

Most state schools in Northwich have no fixed catchment boundary. When a school is oversubscribed, Cheshire West and Chester 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 Northwich?

Apply to Cheshire West and Chester 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.