Best Schools in Washington

How many schools are there in Washington?

Washington has 24 open schools: 17 state primary, 4 state secondary or all-through, 1 special and 2 others.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Which schools in Washington are rated Outstanding?

2 schools in Washington were rated Outstanding at their most recent graded Ofsted inspection: St John Boste Catholic Primary School, Washington; and Oxclose Nursery School. Counting Good as well, 91% of the 23 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.

St John Boste Catholic Primary School, WashingtonOxclose Nursery School

Source: Ofsted

Which secondary schools in Washington get the best GCSE results?

Of the 4 schools in Washington with 2026 GCSE results, the highest Attainment 8 scores - the average grade across a pupil's best eight GCSEs - were at Biddick Academy, with an Attainment 8 score of 48.2 and 56% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; St Robert of Newminster Catholic School and Sixth Form College, Washington, with an Attainment 8 score of 44.8 and 42% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; and Oxclose Community Academy, with an Attainment 8 score of 42.7 and 40% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above. Progress 8, the DfE's value-added measure, was not published for 2026.

Biddick AcademySt Robert of Newminster Catholic School and Sixth Form College, WashingtonOxclose Community Academy

Source: DfE school performance data

Which primary schools in Washington have the best SATs results?

Of the 17 primary schools in Washington with 2025 Key Stage 2 results, the highest shares of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading and maths were at Rickleton Primary School (96% in reading, 96% in maths); St Bede's Catholic Primary School, Washington (93% in reading, 97% in maths); and St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Washington (94% 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.

Rickleton Primary SchoolSt Bede's Catholic Primary School, WashingtonSt Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Washington

Source: DfE school performance data

Are there grammar schools in Washington?

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

It depends on the school, and the cut-off moves every year with the number of applications. Sunderland published how far the last place offered went at this school: Biddick Academy, 4.14 miles for 2024 entry. These are the authority's own figures, not fixed boundaries.

Biddick Academy

Source: Sunderland admissions booklets

How do I apply for a school place in Washington?

Apply to Sunderland 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.