Best Schools in Oxfordshire

How many schools are there in Oxfordshire?

Oxfordshire has 349 open schools: 237 state primary, 41 state secondary or all-through, 35 independent, 22 special and 14 others.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Which schools in Oxfordshire are rated Outstanding?

29 schools in Oxfordshire were rated Outstanding at their most recent graded Ofsted inspection: Northern House Academy, Bartholomew School, Finstock Church of England Primary School, Chilworth House School, Gillotts School and 24 more. Counting Good as well, 95% of the 284 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 AcademyBartholomew SchoolFinstock Church of England Primary SchoolChilworth House SchoolGillotts School

Source: Ofsted

Which secondary schools in Oxfordshire get the best GCSE results?

Of the 41 schools in Oxfordshire with 2026 GCSE results, the highest Attainment 8 scores - the average grade across a pupil's best eight GCSEs - were at Gillotts School, with an Attainment 8 score of 60.2 and 74% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; The Swan School, with an Attainment 8 score of 60.1 and 73% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; and Didcot Girls' School, with an Attainment 8 score of 59.6 and 71% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above. Progress 8, the DfE's value-added measure, was not published for 2026.

Gillotts SchoolThe Swan SchoolDidcot Girls' School

Source: DfE school performance data

Which primary schools in Oxfordshire have the best SATs results?

6 of the 224 primary schools in Oxfordshire with 2025 Key Stage 2 results had every pupil reach the expected standard in both reading and maths, among them Dr South's Church of England Primary School, Fritwell Church of England Primary School and Nettlebed Community School. Small schools can swing a long way from one year to the next, because each pupil is a large share of the result.

Dr South's Church of England Primary SchoolFritwell Church of England Primary SchoolNettlebed Community School

Source: DfE school performance data

Are there grammar schools in Oxfordshire?

No. None of the state secondary schools in Oxfordshire 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 Oxfordshire?

It depends on the school, and the cut-off moves every year with the number of applications. Buckinghamshire published how far the last place offered went at this school: Frieth Church of England Combined School, 0.864 miles for 2020 entry. These are the authority's own figures, not fixed boundaries.

Frieth Church of England Combined School

Source: Buckinghamshire admissions booklets

How do I apply for a school place in Oxfordshire?

Apply to your council - Oxfordshire, West Northamptonshire or Buckinghamshire, depending on your address - 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.