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. Attendance is close to the England figure.
Southwark at a glance
Ahead of England on results at 11
How Southwark's schools compare with England, area by area.
Schools and nurseries22166 primary · 19 secondary · 108 nurseries
Primaries Good or better100%England 96%
Met the standard at 1170%England 62%
Grade 5 in English and maths55%Attainment 8 51.4, England 46.2
Free school meals, primary41%A sign of family income
Missed a lot of school17%England 18%
Top-rated
The highest-rated schools in Southwark
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 Southwark
Southwark is a London borough with 66 mainstream primary schools and 19 mainstream secondary schools. 72.1% got their first-choice secondary school, against 83.6% across England.
Good to know in Southwark
Southwark applications are made through the eAdmissions website, and you must register again if you have not used your account in the last three years because it will have been deleted. Source
Southwark's family information service gives free, confidential information on childcare, children's centres, childminders, nurseries and breakfast and after school clubs. Source
Southwark Inclusive Learning Service offers full-time education to excluded children. Source
Every Southwark secondary school sets its own admission arrangements. Source
From Southwark 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.
84.3%got their first-choice primary school in Southwark in 2026. England: 92.4%. Ranked 144 of 151 councils. 95.7% got one of their top three.7.3% were offered a primary school in another council. England: 3.6%.
72.1%got their first-choice secondary school in Southwark in 2026. England: 83.6%. Ranked 129 of 151 councils. 91.6% got one of their top three.16.2% 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 8 primary appeals heard in Southwark succeeded in 2025. 28 of 182 secondary appeals heard in Southwark succeeded in 2025.
Inspections, exam results and attendance, next to the figure for England where we have it.
Numbers that sum up Southwark
SouthwarkEngland
Primaries rated Good or Outstanding
Latest Ofsted grade, 53 primaries with one.
100%
England 96%
Close to England
Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding
12 of the 12 with a grade.
100%
England 93%
Above England
Met the expected standard at 11
Reading, writing and maths.
70%
England 62%
Above England
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
At GCSE.
55%
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.
17%
England 18%
Close to England
Primary pupils on free school meals
A sign of family income, not of school quality.
41%
Ofsted grades
Latest graded inspection for the 82 schools that have one.
100%
Good or Outstanding
Outstanding23
Good59
Requires improvement0
Inadequate0
How it has changed
Southwark in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.
Met the expected standard at 1170% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).Grade 5 or above in English and maths55% 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
Southwark
England
Good or Outstanding (Ofsted)
100%
95%
Met the expected standard at 11 (KS2)
70%
62%
Attainment 8
51.4
46.2
Persistent absence
17%
18%
Pupils per teacher
16.5:1
17.9:1
Spending per pupil
£10,693
£8,120
In education or work after 16
94%
91%
Went on to higher education
66%
56%
Pupils with special educational needs
23%
21%
Pupils with English as an additional language
32%
22%
Pupils on free school meals
41%
27%
DfE local authority code 210, ONS code E09000028.
Living here
What it's like for families
Southwark has 221 schools and nurseries.
There are 2% more pupils than in 2018, but numbers have fallen since 2025.
41% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.
Pupil numbers
Pupils in Southwark's state schools each January.
39.8k2018
41.3k2019
41.7k2021
41.7k2022
41.7k2023
41.8k2024
41.1k2025
40.6k2026
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.
Southwark41%
Keep up with schools in Southwark
Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.
Southwark has 221 schools, including 81 primary schools, 38 secondary schools, 108 nurseries, 14 independent schools, 18 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 Southwark?+
The highest-ranked schools in Southwark on Eduscope are Charles Dickens Primary School, Dulwich Hamlet Junior School, The St Thomas the Apostle College. 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 Southwark are rated Good or Outstanding?+
100% of inspected schools in Southwark hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 23 schools rated Outstanding and 59 rated Good.
How do primary schools in Southwark perform at Key Stage 2?+
Across primary schools in Southwark, 70% 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 Southwark?+
The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Southwark is 16.5:1. 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 Southwark schools?+
The persistent absence rate across schools in Southwark is 17.2%. 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 Southwark?+
There are 40,635 pupils enrolled across schools in Southwark, with 19,931 in primary and 20,354 in secondary. 41.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.
How many private schools are in Southwark?+
There are 14 independent schools in Southwark. 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 Southwark on Eduscope, including ISI inspection ratings where available.
How do I choose the right school in Southwark?+
Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 221 schools in Southwark 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.
