Schools in Isle of Wight
46 schools in 13 towns: how they were inspected, the best by phase, where places ran out, and the dates to apply.
Isle of Wight at a glance
- Schools
- 46 36 state primary, 7 state secondary, 1 sixth-form or college and 2 private. DfE Get Information about Schools, 17 October 2026.
- Good or Outstanding
- 85% 34 of the 40 state schools whose latest Ofsted inspection gave a grade. 2 more have the new report card, which gives no single grade. Ofsted, latest inspections.
- Oversubscribed in 2026
- 10 Of 43 state schools with DfE figures for 2026: more first preferences than places at entry (Reception or Year 7). DfE, school applications and offers, 2026.
- Offer distances held
- 0% How far the last place reached on offer day: held for 0 of 43 state schools that take an intake. Isle of Wight's published offer-day figures.
The best schools in Isle of Wight
Primary
| Place in Isle of Wight | School | Town | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shalfleet Church of England Primary School | Newport | 1st (1/37) |
| 2 | Dover Park Primary School | Ryde, Isle of Wight | Top 6% (2/37) |
| 3 | Carisbrooke Church of England Controlled Primary School | Newport | Top 9% (3/37) |
| 4 | Niton Primary School | Ventnor | Top 11% (4/37) |
| 5 | Queensgate Foundation Primary | East Cowes | Top 14% (5/37) |
| 6 | Nine Acres Primary School | Newport | Top 17% (6/37) |
| 7 | Binstead Primary School | Ryde | Top 19% (7/37) |
| 8 | Gatten and Lake Primary School | Shanklin | Top 22% (8/37) |
| 9 | Nettlestone Primary School | Seaview | Top 25% (9/37) |
| 10 | Gurnard Primary School | Cowes | Top 28% (10/37) |
Ranked on 2025 KS2 results: the share reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. The same rank as the full Isle of Wight primary table (method). Source: DfE, key stage 2 school performance tables; table built 16 October 2026.
Secondary (GCSE)
| Place in Isle of Wight | School | Town | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Island Free School | Ventnor | 1st (1/6) |
| 2 | Cowes Enterprise College, An Ormiston Academy | Cowes | Top 34% (2/6) |
| 3 | Christ The King College | Newport | Top 50% (3/6) |
| 4 | Carisbrooke College | Newport | (4/6) |
| 5 | Medina College | Newport | (5/6) |
| 6 | The Bay Church of England School | Sandown | (6/6) |
Ranked on 2026 GCSE results: Attainment 8, the average grade across eight GCSEs. The same rank as the full Isle of Wight secondary table (method). Source: DfE, key stage 4 school performance tables; table built 16 October 2026.
Towns
- Bembridge 1 school · best schools
- Cowes 4 schools · best schools
- East Cowes 2 schools · best schools
- Freshwater 1 school · best schools
- Newport 14 schools · best schools
- Ryde 9 schools · best schools
- Ryde, Isle of Wight 1 school · best schools
- Sandown 4 schools · best schools
- Seaview 1 school · best schools
- Shanklin 2 schools · best schools
- Totland Bay 1 school · best schools
- Ventnor 5 schools · best schools
Getting in
Starting Reception in September 2027
| Date | What | What to do | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 January 2027 | Primary applications close | Apply to your home council (where you live), listing your schools in order of preference. A late application is looked at after every on-time one. | National rule (School Admissions Code) |
| 16 April 2027 | Primary offer day | Offers arrive by email from your home council. Check which school you were offered. | National rule (School Admissions Code) |
Starting secondary school (Year 7) in September 2027
| Date | What | What to do | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 October 2026 | Secondary applications close | Apply to your home council (where you live), listing your schools in order of preference. A late application is looked at after every on-time one. | National rule (School Admissions Code) |
| 1 March 2027 | Secondary offer day | Offers arrive by email from your home council. Check which school you were offered. | National rule (School Admissions Code) |
Every Isle of Wight admission date · After offer day in Isle of Wight: replies, waiting lists and appeals
We hold no catchment maps for Isle of Wight. Many schools here admit by distance; the catchment finder says which maps cover a postcode.
Offer-day distances (how far the last place reached) are held for 0 of 43 state schools (0%). Could we get in? sets your distance beside them.
Private schools, fees and childcare
Private school fees in Isle of Wight: we hold checked fees for 1 of 2 private schools.
Childcare costs, town by town: 35 nurseries and pre-schools in Isle of Wight, with fees held for 7. Nurseries in Isle of Wight by Ofsted rating.
Every school in Isle of Wight
Your children and your home, with the schools, the distances and the dates that are yours.Open your plan
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Sources are named beside each figure. How we know · All sources.