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Schools in North West

A region of England

  • Region
  • 5,668 schools and nurseries
  • 1,150,397 pupils

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 are below England. Attendance is close to the England figure.

Three children with backpacks crossing a street
A red-brick school building under a blue sky
  • Schools and nurseries5,6682,767 primary · 900 secondary · 2,192 nurseries
  • Primaries Good or better92%England 90%
  • Met the standard at 1160%England 61%
  • Grade 5 in English and maths45%Progress 8 -0.13
  • Free school meals, primary29%A sign of family income
  • Missed a lot of school20%England 20%
By age

What's on offer for each age

Pick a stage to see every North West school for that age, with filters for type, faith and Ofsted grade.

More ways to narrow it down

Here's how North West's schools break down by type, faith and more.

North West vs England

How good are North West's schools?

Inspections, exam results and attendance, next to the figure for England where we have it.

Numbers that sum up North West

North WestEngland

  • Primaries rated Good or Outstanding

    Latest Ofsted grade, 2359 primaries with one.

    92%

    England 90%

    Close to England

  • Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding

    288 of the 366 with a grade.

    79%

  • Met the expected standard at 11

    Reading, writing and maths.

    60%

    England 61%

    Close to England

  • Grade 5 or above in English and maths

    At GCSE.

    45%

  • Pupils who miss a lot of school

    Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.

    20%

    England 20%

    Close to England

  • Primary pupils on free school meals

    A sign of family income, not of school quality.

    29%

Ofsted grades

Latest graded inspection for the 2843 schools that have one.

90%

Good or Outstanding

Each square is 1% of schools.

  • Outstanding395
  • Good2152
  • Requires improvement272
  • Inadequate24

How it has changed

North West in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.

Met the expected standard at 11

Covid gap50%65%80%2018201920232024
60% in 2024. England now 61% (dashed line).

Grade 5 or above in English and maths

Covid gap30%45%60%20182019202220232024
42% in 2024.

Pupils who miss a lot of school

Covid gap0%15%30%20182019202220232024
20% in 2024. England now 20% (dashed line).
Top-rated

The highest-rated schools in North West

Ranked by Eduscope score, which weighs up results, inspections, attendance and more. A high score isn't everything: always visit.

All North West primary schools

Top Primary Schools in North West

2,767 in North West, best first

Bidston Avenue Primary School

Birkenhead, CH41 0DQ · Academy · Primary · Ages 3 to 11

  • Ofsted:Good

No published results yet.

65 first choices for 60 places last year

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
446
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Bidston Avenue Primary School

Bleasdale School

Carnforth, LA5 0RG · Special · All-through · Ages 2 to 19

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

Specialist provision. Results aren't published in the same way.

Met the standard at 110%

England 61%

Days missed
16.0%
Pupils
59
Pupils per teacher
5.4
View school Bleasdale School

Bridgeway School

Lancashire, PR5 6EP · Independent · All-through · Ages 9 to 18

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

Independent school. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
56
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Bridgeway School

Cadishead Primary Academy

Manchester, M44 5JD · Academy · Primary · Ages 3 to 11

  • Ofsted:Inadequate

No published results yet.

20 first choices for 20 places last year

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
210
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Cadishead Primary Academy

Cambian Whinfell School

Kendal, LA9 5EZ · Independent · All-through · Ages 7 to 19 · Boys

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

Independent school. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
12
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Cambian Whinfell School
See all 2,767 primary schools

Top Secondary Schools in North West

900 in North West, best first

Denton Community Academy

Manchester, M34 3NG · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 16

  • Ofsted:Inadequate

Results close to the England average.

92 first choices for 142 places last year

Attainment 8 at 1646.1

England 46.1

Days missed
–
Pupils
1,107
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Denton Community Academy

Hyde High School

Hyde, SK14 4SP · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 16

  • Ofsted:Requires improvement

Results below the England average.

187 first choices for 194 places last year

Attainment 8 at 1639.8

England 46.1

Days missed
–
Pupils
1,134
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Hyde High School

Marple Hall School

Stockport, SK6 6LB · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 16

  • No Ofsted grade yet

Results well above the England average.

387 first choices for 320 places last year

Attainment 8 at 1653.6

England 46.1

Days missed
–
Pupils
1,590
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Marple Hall School

South Wirral High School

Wirral, CH62 8EH · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Good

Results well below the England average.

164 first choices for 178 places last year

Attainment 8 at 1638.1

England 46.1

Days missed
–
Pupils
1,019
Pupils per teacher
–
View school South Wirral High School

Co-op Academy Belle Vue

Manchester, M12 4BA · Secondary · Ages 11 to 16

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

Results above the England average.

364 first choices for 222 places last year

Attainment 8 at 1652.9

England 46.1

Days missed
–
Pupils
946
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Co-op Academy Belle Vue
See all 900 secondary schools

Top Nurseries in North West

2,192 in North West, best first

Walton Lane Nursery School

Nelson, BB9 8BP · State · Nursery · Ages 3 to 5

  • Ofsted:Report card

No published results yet.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
58
Pupils per teacher
14.5
View school Walton Lane Nursery School

Bacup Nursery School

Bacup, OL13 8EF · State · Nursery · Ages 2 to 5

  • Ofsted:Report card

No published results yet.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
77
Pupils per teacher
18.2
View school Bacup Nursery School

Abercromby Nursery School

Liverpool, L8 7QA · State · Nursery · Ages 2 to 5

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

No published results yet.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
71
Pupils per teacher
14.3
View school Abercromby Nursery School

Crossens Nursery School

Southport, PR9 8PA · State · Nursery · Ages 2 to 5

  • Ofsted:Good

No published results yet.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
73
Pupils per teacher
24.8
View school Crossens Nursery School
See all 2,192 nurseries

Top Sixth Form Colleges in North West

40 in North West, best first

The David Lewis Centre

Alderley Edge, SK9 7UD · Special · 16+ · Ages 16 to 25

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

Specialist provision. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
–
Pupils per teacher
–
View school The David Lewis Centre
See all 40 sixth form colleges

Top Special Schools in North West

413 in North West, best first

Bleasdale School

Carnforth, LA5 0RG · Special · All-through · Ages 2 to 19

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

Specialist provision. Results aren't published in the same way.

Met the standard at 110%

England 61%

Days missed
16.0%
Pupils
59
Pupils per teacher
5.4
View school Bleasdale School

Bridgeway School

Lancashire, PR5 6EP · Independent · All-through · Ages 9 to 18

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

Independent school. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
56
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Bridgeway School

Brookhaven School

Bury, BL9 8LP · Secondary · Ages 11 to 16

  • No Ofsted grade yet

No published results yet.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
32.4%
Pupils
74
Pupils per teacher
6.3
View school Brookhaven School

Cambian Whinfell School

Kendal, LA9 5EZ · Independent · All-through · Ages 7 to 19 · Boys

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

Independent school. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
12
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Cambian Whinfell School

Cedar Lodge School

Preston, PR2 2DW · Independent · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18 · Boys

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

Independent school. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
4
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Cedar Lodge School
See all 413 special schools

Top Independent Schools in North West

328 in North West, best first

Bridgeway School

Lancashire, PR5 6EP · Independent · All-through · Ages 9 to 18

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

Independent school. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
56
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Bridgeway School

Cambian Whinfell School

Kendal, LA9 5EZ · Independent · All-through · Ages 7 to 19 · Boys

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

Independent school. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
12
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Cambian Whinfell School

Cedar Lodge School

Preston, PR2 2DW · Independent · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18 · Boys

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

Independent school. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
4
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Cedar Lodge School

Jefferson House

Winsford, CW7 1JT · Independent · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18 · Boys

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

Independent school. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
5
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Jefferson House

Lakeside School

Liverpool, L27 2YA · Independent · All-through · Ages 5 to 17

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

Independent school. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
100
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Lakeside School

Linton School

PR4 1HX · Independent · All-through · Ages 8 to 18

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

Independent school. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
12
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Linton School
See all 328 independent schools
Living here

What it's like for families

North West has 5,668 schools and nurseries.

More families are moving in: there are 28% more pupils than in 2018.

29% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.

Pupil numbers

Pupils in North West's state schools each January.

Up 28% 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.

North West29%

Dates to know

Apply through your local council, even for academies and faith schools.

  • 31 OctSecondary deadlineFor children starting Year 7.
  • 15 JanPrimary deadlineFor children starting Reception.
  • 1 MarSecondary offersOffers day for Year 7 places.
  • 16 AprPrimary offersOffers day for Reception places.

Keep up with schools in North West

Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.

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Questions

Questions parents ask about North West

Areas in North West

How many schools are in North West?

North West has 5,668 schools, including 2767 primary schools, 900 secondary schools, 2192 nurseries, 328 independent schools, 413 special schools. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.

What are the best schools in North West?

The top-rated schools in North West include Walton Lane Nursery School, Bacup Nursery School, Martenscroft Nursery School & Children's Centre, based on a composite score combining Ofsted ratings, exam results, and pupil progress measures. Rankings are updated regularly as new data is published by the Department for Education.

What percentage of schools in North West are rated Good or Outstanding?

90% of inspected schools in North West hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the national average of 89%. This includes 395 schools rated Outstanding and 2152 rated Good.

How do primary schools in North West perform at Key Stage 2?

Across primary schools in North West, 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 Progress 8 score for secondary schools in North West?

The average Progress 8 score across secondary schools in North West is -0.13, which is below the national average. Progress 8 measures how much progress pupils make between Key Stage 2 and their GCSE results, compared to pupils with similar prior attainment nationally.

What is the average pupil-teacher ratio in North West?

The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in North West is 19.4:1. While not a direct measure of class size, this indicates the level of teaching resource available per pupil. The national average for state-funded schools is approximately 17:1.

What is the persistent absence rate in North West schools?

The persistent absence rate across schools in North West is 19.8%. A pupil is classed as persistently absent if they miss 10% or more of school sessions. The national average is approximately 22%.

How many pupils attend schools in North West?

There are 1,150,397 pupils enrolled across schools in North West, with 689,195 in primary and 441,078 in secondary. 29.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.

How many private schools are in North West?

There are 328 independent schools in North West. 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 North West on Eduscope, including ISI inspection ratings where available.

How do I choose the right school in North West?

Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 5,668 schools in North West 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.

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