Schools in Oxfordshire
328 schools in 35 towns: how they were inspected, the best by phase, where places ran out, and the dates to apply.
Oxfordshire at a glance
- Schools
- 328 242 state primary, 42 state secondary, 4 sixth-form or college and 40 private. DfE Get Information about Schools, 17 October 2026.
- Good or Outstanding
- 95% 220 of the 232 state schools whose latest Ofsted inspection gave a grade. 21 more have the new report card, which gives no single grade. Ofsted, latest inspections.
- Oversubscribed in 2026
- 72 Of 282 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
- 99% How far the last place reached on offer day: held for 281 of 284 state schools that take an intake. Oxfordshire's published offer-day figures.
The best schools in Oxfordshire
Primary
| Place in Oxfordshire | School | Town | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nettlebed Community School | Henley-on-Thames | 1st (1/231) |
| 1 | Sunningwell Church of England Primary School | Oxon | 1st (1/231) |
| 3 | RAF Benson Community Primary School | Wallingford | Top 2% (3/231) |
| 4 | Valley Road School | Henley-on-Thames | Top 2% (4/231) |
| 5 | Buckland Church of England Primary School | Faringdon | Top 3% (5/231) |
| 6 | St Peter's Church of England Primary School, Cassington | Witney | Top 3% (6/231) |
| 7 | Stanton Harcourt CofE Primary School | Witney | Top 4% (7/231) |
| 8 | Cropredy Church of England Primary School | Banbury | Top 4% (8/231) |
| 9 | Kingham Primary School | Kingham | Top 4% (9/231) |
| 10 | Eynsham Community Primary School | Witney | Top 5% (10/231) |
Ranked on 2025 KS2 results: the share reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. The same rank as the full Oxfordshire primary table (method). Source: DfE, key stage 2 school performance tables; table built 16 October 2026.
Secondary (GCSE)
| Place in Oxfordshire | School | Town | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gillotts School | Henley-on-Thames | 1st (1/41) |
| 2 | The Swan School | Oxford | Top 5% (2/41) |
| 3 | Didcot Girls' School | Didcot | Top 8% (3/41) |
| 4 | The Cherwell School | Oxford | Top 10% (4/41) |
| 5 | Wheatley Park School | Oxford | Top 13% (5/41) |
| 6 | Bartholomew School | Witney | Top 15% (6/41) |
| 7 | Langtree School | Reading | Top 18% (7/41) |
| 8 | The Marlborough Church of England School | Woodstock | Top 20% (8/41) |
| 9 | St Birinus School | Didcot | Top 22% (9/41) |
| 10 | Burford School | Burford | Top 25% (10/41) |
Ranked on 2026 GCSE results: Attainment 8, the average grade across eight GCSEs. The same rank as the full Oxfordshire secondary table (method). Source: DfE, key stage 4 school performance tables; table built 16 October 2026.
Towns
- Abingdon 30 schools · best schools
- Banbury 34 schools · best schools
- Bicester 21 schools · best schools
- Carterton 7 schools · best schools
- Chipping Norton 11 schools · best schools
- Didcot 18 schools · best schools
- Faringdon 8 schools · best schools
- Henley-on-Thames 11 schools · best schools
- Kidlington 9 schools · best schools
- Oxford 73 schools · best schools
- Wallingford 15 schools · best schools
- Wantage 13 schools · best schools
Getting in
Starting Reception in September 2027
| Date | What | What to do | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 November 2026 | Reception applications open | The council's application form opens. Look at your schools' admission rules and open days now. | Oxfordshire council |
| 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. | Oxfordshire council |
| 16 April 2027 | Primary offer day | Offers arrive by email from your home council. Check which school you were offered. | Oxfordshire council |
Starting secondary school (Year 7) in September 2027
| Date | What | What to do | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 September 2026 | Year 7 applications open | The council's application form opens. Look at your schools' admission rules and open days now. | Oxfordshire council |
| 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. | Oxfordshire council |
| 1 March 2027 | Secondary offer day | Offers arrive by email from your home council. Check which school you were offered. | Oxfordshire council |
Every Oxfordshire admission date · After offer day in Oxfordshire: replies, waiting lists and appeals
We hold no catchment maps for Oxfordshire. 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 281 of 284 state schools (99%). Could we get in? sets your distance beside them.
Private schools, fees and childcare
Private school fees in Oxfordshire: we hold checked fees for 25 of 40 private schools.
Childcare costs, town by town: 240 nurseries and pre-schools in Oxfordshire, with fees held for 74. Nurseries in Oxfordshire by Ofsted rating.
Every school in Oxfordshire
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.