In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, about the same as across England. Results at 11 are close to England, and results at 16 were above England in 2026. Fewer pupils miss a lot of school than across England.
Schools and nurseries15863 primary · 14 secondary · 67 nurseries
Primaries Good or better98%England 96%
Met the standard at 1163%England 62%
Grade 5 in English and maths52%Attainment 8 49.2, England 46.2
Free school meals, primary18%A sign of family income
Missed a lot of school17%England 18%
Top-rated
The highest-rated schools in Bath and North East Somerset
Primary and secondary schools are ranked by Eduscope score, which weighs up results, inspections, attendance and more. Nurseries, special and independent schools aren't ranked. A high score isn't everything: always visit.
How school places work in Bath and North East Somerset
Apply through the council where you live, even for a school in another council's area. Independent schools take applications directly.
About Bath and North East Somerset
Bath and North East Somerset is a unitary authority in the South West with 63 mainstream primary schools and 14 mainstream secondary schools. Towns with the most schools include Bath, Midsomer Norton and Keynsham. Most state schools here are academies or free schools (94%), so many set their own term dates and admissions rules. Faith schools are common, with 42 in the area, and they can put families of their faith first when they're full.
Good to know in Bath and North East Somerset
Bath and North East Somerset has separate application routes for junior (Year 3), middle (Year 5) and Key Stage 4 (Year 10) places as well as primary and secondary. Source
The council provides school transport where it is not reasonable or safe to expect a child to walk to school. Source
For most children changing school at the start of the year, school transport is applied for automatically as part of the admissions process. Source
Free school meal holiday vouchers stopped in September 2026; families on a low income can get other needs-based help instead. Source
From Bath and North East Somerset council's website, checked 7 November 2026. Check the council's pages before you apply.
Key dates each year
31 October
Secondary school applications close
15 January
Primary school applications close
1 March
Secondary school offers
16 April
Primary school offers
If a date falls on a weekend or bank holiday, offers go out the next working day.
94.1%got their first-choice primary school in Bath and North East Somerset in 2026. England: 92.4%. Ranked 55 of 151 councils. 98.8% got one of their top three.2.2% were offered a primary school in another council. England: 3.6%.
88.4%got their first-choice secondary school in Bath and North East Somerset in 2026. England: 83.6%. Ranked 55 of 151 councils. 96.9% got one of their top three.1.6% were offered a secondary school in another council. England: 8.0%.
Source: DfE applications and offers, 2026. A low rate shows high demand, not poor schools.
1 of 4 primary appeals heard in Bath and North East Somerset succeeded in 2025. 23 of 39 secondary appeals heard in Bath and North East Somerset succeeded in 2025.
For schools that follow the council's dates. Academies, faith and foundation schools can set their own, and schools add training days. Source, checked 6 November 2026.
How good are Bath and North East Somerset's schools?
Inspections, exam results and attendance, next to the figure for England where we have it.
Numbers that sum up Bath and North East Somerset
Bath and North East SomersetEngland
Primaries rated Good or Outstanding
Latest Ofsted grade, 46 primaries with one.
98%
England 96%
Close to England
Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding
11 of the 11 with a grade.
100%
England 93%
Above England
Met the expected standard at 11
Reading, writing and maths.
63%
England 62%
Close to England
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
At GCSE.
52%
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.
17%
England 18%
Better than England
Primary pupils on free school meals
A sign of family income, not of school quality.
18%
Ofsted grades
Latest graded inspection for the 58 schools that have one.
98%
Good or Outstanding
Outstanding4
Good53
Requires improvement1
Inadequate0
How it has changed
Bath and North East Somerset in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.
Met the expected standard at 1163% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).Grade 5 or above in English and maths52% in 2026.Pupils who miss a lot of school17% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
The figures in full
The latest published year for each measure. Sources and years are on our data sources page.
Measure
Bath and North East Somerset
England
Good or Outstanding (Ofsted)
98%
95%
Met the expected standard at 11 (KS2)
63%
62%
Attainment 8
49.2
46.2
Persistent absence
17%
18%
Pupils per teacher
18.4:1
17.9:1
Spending per pupil
£7,427
£8,120
In education or work after 16
93%
91%
Went on to higher education
40%
56%
Pupils with special educational needs
22%
21%
Pupils with English as an additional language
8%
22%
Pupils on free school meals
18%
27%
DfE local authority code 800, ONS code E06000022.
Living here
What it's like for families
Bath and North East Somerset has 158 schools and nurseries across 5 towns and villages, the biggest being Bath, Midsomer Norton, Keynsham and Radstock.
There are 2% more pupils than in 2018.
18% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.
Pupil numbers
Pupils in Bath and North East Somerset's state schools each January.
26.4k2018
26.7k2019
27.1k2021
27.2k2022
27.2k2023
27.4k2024
27.2k2025
27.1k2026
Up 2% since 2018. More children can mean popular schools fill up faster.
Free school meals
Out of every 10 primary pupils, how many get free school meals. It's a sign of family income, not of school quality.
Bath and North East Somerset18%
Keep up with schools in Bath and North East Somerset
Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.
Questions parents ask about Bath and North East Somerset
How many schools are in Bath and North East Somerset?+
Bath and North East Somerset has 158 schools, including 72 primary schools, 24 secondary schools, 67 nurseries, 10 independent schools, 6 special schools. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.
What are the best schools in Bath and North East Somerset?+
The highest-ranked schools in Bath and North East Somerset on Eduscope are Saltford CofE Primary School, High Littleton CofE VC Primary School, Widcombe CofE Junior School. We rank each state school against schools of the same phase across England on its Ofsted inspection, results and attendance. Independent, special and nursery schools aren't ranked.
What percentage of schools in Bath and North East Somerset are rated Good or Outstanding?+
98% of inspected schools in Bath and North East Somerset hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 4 schools rated Outstanding and 53 rated Good.
How do primary schools in Bath and North East Somerset perform at Key Stage 2?+
Across primary schools in Bath and North East Somerset, 63% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths at Key Stage 2. This is based on the latest published results from the Department for Education.
What is the average pupil-teacher ratio in Bath and North East Somerset?+
The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Bath and North East Somerset is 18.4:1. While not a direct measure of class size, this indicates the level of teaching resource available per pupil. Across England it is 17.9:1.
What is the persistent absence rate in Bath and North East Somerset schools?+
The persistent absence rate across schools in Bath and North East Somerset is 16.8%. A pupil is classed as persistently absent if they miss 10% or more of school sessions. Across England it is 18.1%.
How many pupils attend schools in Bath and North East Somerset?+
There are 27,058 pupils enrolled across schools in Bath and North East Somerset, with 13,264 in primary and 13,794 in secondary. 17.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.
How many private schools are in Bath and North East Somerset?+
There are 10 independent schools in Bath and North East Somerset. Fees vary by school and age group, with day school fees typically ranging from £10,000 to £20,000 per year. You can compare all private schools in Bath and North East Somerset on Eduscope, including ISI inspection ratings where available.
How do I choose the right school in Bath and North East Somerset?+
Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 158 schools in Bath and North East Somerset by Ofsted ratings, exam results, and distance. Filter by school type, gender, religious character, and admissions policy to narrow your options.
Sources: DfE school performance tables, DfE school census and workforce, DfE pupil absence, Ofsted. Photos are stand-ins.
