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.
Schools and nurseries22685 primary · 14 secondary · 95 nurseries
Primaries Good or better95%England 96%
Met the standard at 1166%England 62%
Grade 5 in English and maths52%Attainment 8 48.8, England 46.2
Free school meals, primary21%A sign of family income
Missed a lot of school17%England 18%
Top-rated
The highest-rated schools in Stockport
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 Stockport
Stockport is a metropolitan borough in the North West with 85 mainstream primary schools and 14 mainstream secondary schools. Towns with the most schools include Stockport, Cheadle Hulme and Hazel Grove. 79.9% got their first-choice secondary school, against 83.6% across England.
Good to know in Stockport
When a school is oversubscribed, children in each priority category are ranked by straight-line distance from home to school. Source
Every address in Stockport lies within the catchment area of one primary and one secondary school. Source
Catholic schools in Stockport use different admission arrangements, some based on parish boundaries. Source
Places at Stockport's maintained nursery classes are 15 hours a week. Source
Stockport has a separate application process for junior school places. Source
From Stockport 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.
94.1%got their first-choice primary school in Stockport in 2026. England: 92.4%. Ranked 57 of 151 councils. 98.8% got one of their top three.3.2% were offered a primary school in another council. England: 3.6%.
79.9%got their first-choice secondary school in Stockport in 2026. England: 83.6%. Ranked 98 of 151 councils. 91.6% got one of their top three.8.3% 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.
0 of 33 primary appeals heard in Stockport succeeded in 2025. 39 of 272 secondary appeals heard in Stockport 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 Stockport
StockportEngland
Primaries rated Good or Outstanding
Latest Ofsted grade, 60 primaries with one.
95%
England 96%
Close to England
Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding
5 of the 6 with a grade.
83%
England 93%
Below 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.
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.
21%
Ofsted grades
Latest graded inspection for the 86 schools that have one.
93%
Good or Outstanding
Outstanding13
Good67
Requires improvement6
Inadequate0
How it has changed
Stockport 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 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
Stockport
England
Good or Outstanding (Ofsted)
93%
95%
Met the expected standard at 11 (KS2)
66%
62%
Attainment 8
48.8
46.2
Persistent absence
17%
18%
Pupils per teacher
17.9:1
17.9:1
Spending per pupil
£7,834
£8,120
In education or work after 16
91%
91%
Went on to higher education
64%
56%
Pupils with special educational needs
22%
21%
Pupils with English as an additional language
14%
22%
Pupils on free school meals
23%
27%
DfE local authority code 356, ONS code E08000007.
Living here
What it's like for families
Stockport has 226 schools and nurseries across 10 towns and villages, the biggest being Stockport, Cheadle Hulme, Hazel Grove and Cheadle (Stockport).
There are 5% more pupils than in 2018.
21% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.
Pupil numbers
Pupils in Stockport's state schools each January.
40.8k2018
41.8k2019
42.7k2021
43.2k2022
43.5k2023
43.5k2024
43.2k2025
42.8k2026
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.
Stockport21%
Keep up with schools in Stockport
Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.
Stockport has 226 schools, including 101 primary schools, 38 secondary schools, 95 nurseries, 17 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 Stockport?+
The highest-ranked schools in Stockport on Eduscope are Queensgate Primary School, Gatley Primary School, St Peter's Catholic Primary 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 Stockport are rated Good or Outstanding?+
93% of inspected schools in Stockport hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is below the England average of 94.8%. This includes 13 schools rated Outstanding and 67 rated Good.
How do primary schools in Stockport perform at Key Stage 2?+
Across primary schools in Stockport, 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 Stockport?+
The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Stockport is 17.9:1. 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 Stockport schools?+
The persistent absence rate across schools in Stockport is 16.7%. 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 Stockport?+
There are 42,836 pupils enrolled across schools in Stockport, with 25,254 in primary and 17,278 in secondary. 22.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.
How many private schools are in Stockport?+
There are 17 independent schools in Stockport. 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 Stockport on Eduscope, including ISI inspection ratings where available.
How do I choose the right school in Stockport?+
Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 226 schools in Stockport 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.
