In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, about the same as across England. Results at 11 are above England, and results at 16 were above England in 2026. Fewer pupils miss a lot of school than across England.
Kingston upon Thames at a glance
Ahead of England on results at 11
How Kingston upon Thames's schools compare with England, area by area.
Schools and nurseries11335 primary · 11 secondary · 51 nurseries
Primaries Good or better100%England 96%
Met the standard at 1167%England 62%
Grade 5 in English and maths68%Attainment 8 59.5, England 46.2
Free school meals, primary17%A sign of family income
Missed a lot of school15%England 18%
Top-rated
The highest-rated schools in Kingston upon Thames
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 Kingston upon Thames
Kingston upon Thames is a London borough with 35 mainstream primary schools and 11 mainstream secondary schools. It has 2 grammar schools, which choose pupils by a test. Independent schools are common too, with 11 in the area. Secondary places are in high demand: 69.3% got their first choice, against 83.6% across England.
Good to know in Kingston upon Thames
Kingston's children's services, including school admissions, are run by Achieving for Children, which also covers Richmond. Source
Kingston has infant, primary, junior, secondary and special schools, and the council has a schools map showing where they are. Source
Kingston has School Streets that prioritise pedestrians and cyclists on the roads outside some schools at start and finish times. Source
Kingston's children's services are provided by Achieving for Children, which also serves Richmond. Source
From Kingston upon Thames 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.
90.0%got their first-choice primary school in Kingston upon Thames in 2026. England: 92.4%. Ranked 116 of 151 councils. 98.8% got one of their top three.8.0% were offered a primary school in another council. England: 3.6%.
69.3%got their first-choice secondary school in Kingston upon Thames in 2026. England: 83.6%. Ranked 133 of 151 councils. 91.2% got one of their top three.17.6% 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.
0 of 2 primary appeals heard in Kingston upon Thames succeeded in 2025. 2 of 31 secondary appeals heard in Kingston upon Thames succeeded in 2025.
Inspections, exam results and attendance, next to the figure for England where we have it.
Numbers that sum up Kingston upon Thames
Kingston upon ThamesEngland
Primaries rated Good or Outstanding
Latest Ofsted grade, 24 primaries with one.
100%
England 96%
Close to England
Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding
10 of the 10 with a grade.
100%
England 93%
Above England
Met the expected standard at 11
Reading, writing and maths.
67%
England 62%
Above England
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
At GCSE.
68%
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.
15%
England 18%
Better than England
Primary pupils on free school meals
A sign of family income, not of school quality.
17%
Ofsted grades
Latest graded inspection for the 40 schools that have one.
100%
Good or Outstanding
Outstanding11
Good29
Requires improvement0
Inadequate0
How it has changed
Kingston upon Thames in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.
Met the expected standard at 1167% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).Grade 5 or above in English and maths68% in 2026.Pupils who miss a lot of school15% 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
Kingston upon Thames
England
Good or Outstanding (Ofsted)
100%
95%
Met the expected standard at 11 (KS2)
67%
62%
Attainment 8
59.5
46.2
Persistent absence
15%
18%
Pupils per teacher
17.5:1
17.9:1
Spending per pupil
£8,863
£8,120
In education or work after 16
96%
91%
Went on to higher education
69%
56%
Pupils with special educational needs
20%
21%
Pupils with English as an additional language
34%
22%
Pupils on free school meals
16%
27%
DfE local authority code 314, ONS code E09000021.
Living here
What it's like for families
Kingston upon Thames has 113 schools and nurseries.
There are 5% more pupils than in 2018, but numbers have fallen since 2025.
17% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.
Pupil numbers
Pupils in Kingston upon Thames's state schools each January.
25.4k2018
26.1k2019
26.7k2021
27.1k2022
27.3k2023
27.1k2024
26.9k2025
26.5k2026
Up 5% 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.
Kingston upon Thames17%
Keep up with schools in Kingston upon Thames
Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.
Kingston upon Thames has 113 schools, including 47 primary schools, 23 secondary schools, 51 nurseries, 11 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 Kingston upon Thames?+
The highest-ranked schools in Kingston upon Thames on Eduscope are Richard Challoner School, The Tiffin Girls' School, The Kingston Academy. 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 Kingston upon Thames are rated Good or Outstanding?+
100% of inspected schools in Kingston upon Thames hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 11 schools rated Outstanding and 29 rated Good.
How do primary schools in Kingston upon Thames perform at Key Stage 2?+
Across primary schools in Kingston upon Thames, 67% 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 Kingston upon Thames?+
The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Kingston upon Thames is 17.5:1. 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 Kingston upon Thames schools?+
The persistent absence rate across schools in Kingston upon Thames is 15.0%. 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 Kingston upon Thames?+
There are 26,513 pupils enrolled across schools in Kingston upon Thames, with 12,705 in primary and 13,686 in secondary. 15.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.
How many private schools are in Kingston upon Thames?+
There are 11 independent schools in Kingston upon Thames. 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 Kingston upon Thames on Eduscope, including ISI inspection ratings where available.
How do I choose the right school in Kingston upon Thames?+
Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 113 schools in Kingston upon Thames 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.
