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 close to England in 2026. Fewer pupils miss a lot of school than across England.
Schools and nurseries9129 primary · 6 secondary · 45 nurseries
Primaries Good or better100%England 96%
Met the standard at 1160%England 62%
Grade 5 in English and maths49%Attainment 8 47.6, England 46.2
Free school meals, primary12%A sign of family income
Missed a lot of school14%England 18%
Top-rated
The highest-rated schools in Bracknell Forest
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.
Apply through the council where you live, even for a school in another council's area. Independent schools take applications directly.
About Bracknell Forest
Bracknell Forest is a unitary authority in the South East with 29 mainstream primary schools and 6 mainstream secondary schools. Towns with the most schools include Bracknell, Sandhurst and Crowthorne. Pupil numbers have grown 11% since 2018. Independent schools are common too, with 8 in the area.
Good to know in Bracknell Forest
Entry tests for selective schools happen early in Year 6. Source
The council runs a tool to find your designated area school. Source
Council-funded mainstream school transport is free for eligible children, with no parental contribution. Source
For pupils aged 11 to 16, transport is considered if the child attends the designated area school or the nearest suitable school. Source
Transport can take up to 10 working days to start once approved. Source
From Bracknell Forest council's website, checked 7 November 2026. Check the council's pages before you apply.
If a date falls on a weekend or bank holiday, offers go out the next working day.
89.1%got their first-choice primary school in Bracknell Forest in 2026. England: 92.4%. Ranked 125 of 151 councils. 96.8% got one of their top three.5.1% were offered a primary school in another council. England: 3.6%.
82.7%got their first-choice secondary school in Bracknell Forest in 2026. England: 83.6%. Ranked 86 of 151 councils. 95.0% got one of their top three.7.3% 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.
3 of 14 primary appeals heard in Bracknell Forest succeeded in 2025. 3 of 33 secondary appeals heard in Bracknell Forest 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.
Inspections, exam results and attendance, next to the figure for England where we have it.
Numbers that sum up Bracknell Forest
Bracknell ForestEngland
Primaries rated Good or Outstanding
Latest Ofsted grade, 19 primaries with one.
100%
England 96%
Close to England
Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding
5 of the 5 with a grade.
100%
England 93%
Above England
Met the expected standard at 11
Reading, writing and maths.
60%
England 62%
Close to England
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
At GCSE.
49%
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.
14%
England 18%
Better than England
Primary pupils on free school meals
A sign of family income, not of school quality.
12%
Ofsted grades
Latest graded inspection for the 26 schools that have one.
100%
Good or Outstanding
Outstanding4
Good22
Requires improvement0
Inadequate0
How it has changed
Bracknell Forest in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.
Met the expected standard at 1160% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).Grade 5 or above in English and maths49% in 2026.Pupils who miss a lot of school14% 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
Bracknell Forest
England
Good or Outstanding (Ofsted)
100%
95%
Met the expected standard at 11 (KS2)
60%
62%
Attainment 8
47.6
46.2
Persistent absence
14%
18%
Pupils per teacher
18.3:1
17.9:1
Spending per pupil
£7,614
£8,120
In education or work after 16
92%
91%
Went on to higher education
54%
56%
Pupils with special educational needs
18%
21%
Pupils with English as an additional language
17%
22%
Pupils on free school meals
14%
27%
DfE local authority code 867, ONS code E06000036.
Living here
What it's like for families
Bracknell Forest has 91 schools and nurseries across 5 towns and villages, the biggest being Bracknell, Sandhurst, Crowthorne and North Ascot.
There are 11% more pupils than in 2018.
12% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.
Pupil numbers
Pupils in Bracknell Forest's state schools each January.
17.1k2018
17.3k2019
18.4k2021
18.7k2022
18.8k2023
18.9k2024
19.0k2025
18.9k2026
Up 11% 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.
Bracknell Forest12%
Keep up with schools in Bracknell Forest
Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.
Bracknell Forest has 91 schools, including 35 primary schools, 15 secondary schools, 45 nurseries, 8 independent schools, 3 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 Bracknell Forest?+
The highest-ranked schools in Bracknell Forest on Eduscope are Crowthorne Church of England Primary School, St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Bracknell, Ranelagh 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 Bracknell Forest are rated Good or Outstanding?+
100% of inspected schools in Bracknell Forest hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 4 schools rated Outstanding and 22 rated Good.
How do primary schools in Bracknell Forest perform at Key Stage 2?+
Across primary schools in Bracknell Forest, 60% 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 Bracknell Forest?+
The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Bracknell Forest is 18.3:1. 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 Bracknell Forest schools?+
The persistent absence rate across schools in Bracknell Forest is 14.1%. 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 Bracknell Forest?+
There are 18,944 pupils enrolled across schools in Bracknell Forest, with 10,110 in primary and 8,834 in secondary. 13.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.
How many private schools are in Bracknell Forest?+
There are 8 independent schools in Bracknell Forest. 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 Bracknell Forest on Eduscope, including ISI inspection ratings where available.
How do I choose the right school in Bracknell Forest?+
Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 91 schools in Bracknell Forest 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.
