Best Schools in Retford

How many schools are there in Retford?

Retford has 21 open schools: 17 state primary, 2 state secondary or all-through and 2 special.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Which schools in Retford are rated Outstanding?

1 school in Retford was rated Outstanding at its most recent graded Ofsted inspection: North Wheatley Church of England Primary School. Counting Good as well, 95% of the 20 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.

North Wheatley Church of England Primary School

Source: Ofsted

Which secondary schools in Retford get the best GCSE results?

Of the 2 schools in Retford with 2026 GCSE results, the highest Attainment 8 scores - the average grade across a pupil's best eight GCSEs - were at The Elizabethan Academy, with an Attainment 8 score of 42.9 and 46% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; and Retford Oaks Academy, with an Attainment 8 score of 40.8 and 36% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above. Progress 8, the DfE's value-added measure, was not published for 2026.

The Elizabethan AcademyRetford Oaks Academy

Source: DfE school performance data

Which primary schools in Retford have the best SATs results?

Of the 16 primary schools in Retford with 2025 Key Stage 2 results, the highest shares of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading and maths were at Ranskill Primary School (93% in reading, 100% in maths); Leverton Church of England Academy (88% in reading, 88% in maths); and Bracken Lane Primary Academy (86% in reading, 86% 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.

Ranskill Primary SchoolLeverton Church of England AcademyBracken Lane Primary Academy

Source: DfE school performance data

Are there grammar schools in Retford?

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

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Do schools in Retford have catchment areas?

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

Apply to Nottinghamshire 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.