Best Schools in Oxford

How many schools are there in Oxford?

Oxford has 96 open schools: 48 state primary, 9 state secondary or all-through, 17 independent, 11 special and 11 others.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Which schools in Oxford are rated Outstanding?

8 schools in Oxford were rated Outstanding at their most recent graded Ofsted inspection: Northern House Academy, Chilworth House School, The Cherwell School, Oxfordshire Hospital School, Windmill Primary School and 3 more. Counting Good as well, 93% of the 69 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.

Northern House AcademyChilworth House SchoolThe Cherwell SchoolOxfordshire Hospital SchoolWindmill Primary School

Source: Ofsted

Which secondary schools in Oxford get the best GCSE results?

Of the 9 schools in Oxford with 2026 GCSE results, the highest Attainment 8 scores - the average grade across a pupil's best eight GCSEs - were at The Swan School, with an Attainment 8 score of 60.1 and 73% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; The Cherwell School, with an Attainment 8 score of 58.9 and 65% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; and Wheatley Park School, with an Attainment 8 score of 55.8 and 62% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above. Progress 8, the DfE's value-added measure, was not published for 2026.

The Swan SchoolThe Cherwell SchoolWheatley Park School

Source: DfE school performance data

Which primary schools in Oxford have the best SATs results?

Of the 46 primary schools in Oxford with 2025 Key Stage 2 results, the highest shares of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading and maths were at Wootton St Peter's Church of England Primary School (90% in reading, 90% in maths); St Philip and James' Church of England Aided Primary School Oxford (87% in reading, 92% in maths); and East Oxford Primary School (93% in reading, 84% 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.

Wootton St Peter's Church of England Primary SchoolSt Philip and James' Church of England Aided Primary School OxfordEast Oxford Primary School

Source: DfE school performance data

Are there grammar schools in Oxford?

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

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Do schools in Oxford have catchment areas?

Most state schools in Oxford have no fixed catchment boundary. When a school is oversubscribed, Oxfordshire 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 Oxford?

Apply to Oxfordshire 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.