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 close to England in 2026. Attendance is close to the England figure.
Schools and nurseries22389 primary · 13 secondary · 103 nurseries
Primaries Good or better99%England 96%
Met the standard at 1166%England 62%
Grade 5 in English and maths44%Attainment 8 44.2, England 46.2
Free school meals, primary25%A sign of family income
Missed a lot of school18%England 18%
Top-rated
The highest-rated schools in Milton Keynes
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 Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes is a unitary authority in the South East with 89 mainstream primary schools and 13 mainstream secondary schools. Towns with the most schools include Milton Keynes, Bletchley and Newport Pagnell. Pupil numbers have grown 11% since 2018.
Good to know in Milton Keynes
Some Milton Keynes children transfer to a junior school or a Central Bedfordshire middle school, and the council has a guide for these applications. Source
From Milton Keynes 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.
95.0%got their first-choice primary school in Milton Keynes in 2026. England: 92.4%. Ranked 36 of 151 councils. 99.3% got one of their top three.2.7% were offered a primary school in another council. England: 3.6%.
82.2%got their first-choice secondary school in Milton Keynes in 2026. England: 83.6%. Ranked 89 of 151 councils. 94.7% got one of their top three.5.0% 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.
24 of 80 primary appeals heard in Milton Keynes succeeded in 2025. 13 of 129 secondary appeals heard in Milton Keynes 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 Milton Keynes
Milton KeynesEngland
Primaries rated Good or Outstanding
Latest Ofsted grade, 76 primaries with one.
99%
England 96%
Close to England
Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding
8 of the 8 with a grade.
100%
England 93%
Above England
Met the expected standard at 11
Reading, writing and maths.
66%
England 62%
Above England
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
At GCSE.
44%
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.
18%
England 18%
Close to England
Primary pupils on free school meals
A sign of family income, not of school quality.
25%
Ofsted grades
Latest graded inspection for the 91 schools that have one.
99%
Good or Outstanding
Outstanding12
Good78
Requires improvement1
Inadequate0
How it has changed
Milton Keynes in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.
Met the expected standard at 1166% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).Grade 5 or above in English and maths44% in 2026.Pupils who miss a lot of school18% 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
Milton Keynes
England
Good or Outstanding (Ofsted)
99%
95%
Met the expected standard at 11 (KS2)
66%
62%
Attainment 8
44.2
46.2
Persistent absence
18%
18%
Pupils per teacher
18.0:1
17.9:1
Spending per pupil
£7,777
£8,120
In education or work after 16
91%
91%
Went on to higher education
59%
56%
Pupils with special educational needs
18%
21%
Pupils with English as an additional language
30%
22%
Pupils on free school meals
25%
27%
DfE local authority code 826, ONS code E06000042.
Living here
What it's like for families
Milton Keynes has 223 schools and nurseries across 3 towns and villages, the biggest being Milton Keynes, Bletchley and Newport Pagnell.
There are 11% more pupils than in 2018.
25% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.
Pupil numbers
Pupils in Milton Keynes's state schools each January.
46.8k2018
47.5k2019
48.6k2021
49.8k2022
51.1k2023
52.1k2024
52.3k2025
52.0k2026
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.
Milton Keynes25%
Keep up with schools in Milton Keynes
Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.
Milton Keynes has 223 schools, including 105 primary schools, 29 secondary schools, 103 nurseries, 8 independent schools, 10 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 Milton Keynes?+
The highest-ranked schools in Milton Keynes on Eduscope are Middleton Primary School, Caroline Haslett Primary School, Priory Rise 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 Milton Keynes are rated Good or Outstanding?+
99% of inspected schools in Milton Keynes hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 12 schools rated Outstanding and 78 rated Good.
How do primary schools in Milton Keynes perform at Key Stage 2?+
Across primary schools in Milton Keynes, 66% 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 Milton Keynes?+
The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Milton Keynes is 18.0:1. 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 Milton Keynes schools?+
The persistent absence rate across schools in Milton Keynes is 17.7%. 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 Milton Keynes?+
There are 52,026 pupils enrolled across schools in Milton Keynes, with 26,432 in primary and 25,485 in secondary. 25.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.
How many private schools are in Milton Keynes?+
There are 8 independent schools in Milton Keynes. 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 Milton Keynes on Eduscope, including ISI inspection ratings where available.
How do I choose the right school in Milton Keynes?+
Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 223 schools in Milton Keynes 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.
