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Schools across Isle of Wight

Local authority · 51 schools across 14 towns

New inspection results and open days, weekly by email.

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 5 days

Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to Isle of Wight (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.

Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days

Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Isle of Wight (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.

Schools in Isle of Wight (51)

Showing 20 of 51 schools

Total Schools

51

36 primary · 6 secondary

Total Pupils

16,601

82% capacity used

Ofsted Rated

16

1 outstanding · 15 good

Capacity

20,197

3,596 spare places

Ofsted Ratings

15
34
Outstanding: 1
Good: 15
Requires Improvement: 1
Not inspected: 34

Area Performance (2026)

Attainment 8

36.7

GCSE Eng+Maths

30.6%

School Capacity

Primary Schools

84% full
7,913 pupils9,445 capacity

1,532 spare places

Secondary Schools

79% full
6,070 pupils7,660 capacity

1,590 spare places

Pupil Absence

Avg Overall Absence

6.8%

2024/25

Avg Persistent Absence

18.8%

2024/25

Schools Reporting

45

2024/25

Absence trend across Isle of Wight schools

4.4%
18/19
4.7%
20/21
6.6%
21/22
6.9%
22/23
6.5%
23/24
6.8%
24/25

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Average across all open schools in this LA.

EHCP Timeliness

EHCP timeliness trend (% issued within 20 weeks)

72%
2019
81%
2020
81%
2021
67%
2022
29%
2024

Source: DfE EHCP timeliness statistics. Shows how quickly this LA issues Education, Health and Care Plans.

Admission Appeals

2026 admission appeals by school phase

Primary

1,329 admissions

33

Lodged

(2.5%)

12

Heard

4

Successful

(33%)

Primary (infant classes)

1,136 admissions

27

Lodged

(2.4%)

8

Heard

1

Successful

(13%)

Secondary

1,531 admissions

35

Lodged

(2.3%)

26

Heard

11

Successful

(42%)

Total

2,860 admissions

68

Lodged

(2.4%)

38

Heard

15

Successful

(40%)

Total appeals lodged per year

270
2019
154
2020
174
2021
184
2022
252
2023
305
2024
195
2025
163
2026

Source: DfE admission appeals statistics. Shows how competitive school places are in this area.

Questions parents ask about schools in Isle of Wight

How many schools are there in Isle of Wight?

Isle of Wight has 51 open schools: 36 state primary, 7 state secondary or all-through, 2 independent, 4 special and 2 others.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Which schools in Isle of Wight are rated Outstanding?

1 school in Isle of Wight was rated Outstanding at its most recent graded Ofsted inspection: Nine Acres Primary School. Counting Good as well, 80% of the 46 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.

Nine Acres Primary School

Source: Ofsted

Which secondary schools in Isle of Wight get the best GCSE results?

Of the 8 schools in Isle of Wight with 2026 GCSE results, the highest Attainment 8 scores - the average grade across a pupil's best eight GCSEs - were at The Island Free School, with an Attainment 8 score of 45.8 and 47% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; Lift Ryde, with an Attainment 8 score of 43.2 and 42% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; and Cowes Enterprise College, An Ormiston Academy, with an Attainment 8 score of 42.5 and 44% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above. Progress 8, the DfE's value-added measure, was not published for 2026.

The Island Free SchoolLift RydeCowes Enterprise College, An Ormiston Academy

Source: DfE school performance data

Which primary schools in Isle of Wight have the best SATs results?

Of the 36 primary schools in Isle of Wight with 2025 Key Stage 2 results, the highest shares of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading and maths were at Dover Park Primary School (80% in reading, 87% in maths); Shalfleet Church of England Primary School (75% in reading, 92% in maths); and Carisbrooke Church of England Controlled Primary School (78% 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.

Dover Park Primary SchoolShalfleet Church of England Primary SchoolCarisbrooke Church of England Controlled Primary School

Source: DfE school performance data

Are there grammar schools in Isle of Wight?

Yes. St George's School is a state grammar school in Isle of Wight. Grammar schools admit pupils by ability through an entrance test, usually sat at the start of Year 6.

St George's School

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Do schools in Isle of Wight have catchment areas?

Most state schools in Isle of Wight have no fixed catchment boundary. When a school is oversubscribed, Isle of Wight 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 Isle of Wight?

Apply to Isle of Wight 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.