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Schools in Bicester

A town in Oxfordshire

  • Town
  • 25 schools and nurseries
  • 6,359 pupils

In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, about the same as across England. Results at 11 are below England, and results at 16 were close to England in 2026. Attendance is close to the England figure.

Three children with backpacks crossing a street
A red-brick school building under a blue sky

Bicester at a glance

Behind England on results at 11

How Bicester's schools compare with England, area by area.

DfE and Ofsted data, 2014 to 2026How we work this out
  • Schools and nurseries259 primary · 3 secondary · 12 nurseries
  • Primaries Good or better100%England 96%
  • Met the standard at 1158%England 62%
  • Grade 5 in English and maths44%Attainment 8 45.5, England 46.2
  • Free school meals, primary14%A sign of family income
  • Missed a lot of school18%England 18%
Top-rated

The highest-rated schools in Bicester

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.

All Bicester primary schools

Top Primary Schools in Bicester

9 mainstream schools in Bicester, best first

Southwold Primary School

Bicester, OX26 3UU · Academy · Primary · Ages 2 to 11

  • Ofsted:Good

Results close to the England average.

36 first choices, 36 offers made

Met the standard at 1160%

England 62%

Days missed
5.5%
Pupils
315
Pupils per teacher
20.6
View school Southwold Primary School

Top Secondary Schools in Bicester

3 mainstream schools in Bicester, best first

The Bicester School

Bicester, OX26 2NS · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Good

Results close to the England average.

184 first choices, 233 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1647.3

England 46.2

Days missed
8.7%
Pupils
1,176
Pupils per teacher
17.7
View school The Bicester School

Whitelands Academy

Bicester, OX26 1AY · Secondary · Ages 11 to 16

  • Ofsted:Good

Results close to the England average.

145 first choices, 104 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1645.5

England 46.2

Days missed
9.9%
Pupils
565
Pupils per teacher
17.0
View school Whitelands Academy

The Cooper School

Bicester, OX26 4RS · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Requires improvement in 2 areas

Results close to the England average.

120 first choices, 184 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1643.9

England 46.2

Days missed
8.8%
Pupils
1,118
Pupils per teacher
15.9
View school The Cooper School

Nurseries in Bicester

12 in Bicester, highest Ofsted grade first

Sixth Forms in Bicester

3 in Bicester, by the school's Eduscope score

The Bicester School

Bicester, OX26 2NS · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Good

Results close to the England average.

184 first choices, 233 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1647.3

England 46.2

Days missed
8.7%
Pupils
1,176
Pupils per teacher
17.7
View school The Bicester School

The Cooper School

Bicester, OX26 4RS · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Requires improvement in 2 areas

Results close to the England average.

120 first choices, 184 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1643.9

England 46.2

Days missed
8.8%
Pupils
1,118
Pupils per teacher
15.9
View school The Cooper School

Bardwell School

Bicester, OX26 4RZ · Academy · All-through · Ages 2 to 19

  • Ofsted:Strong standard in every area

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

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
8.6%
Pupils
121
Pupils per teacher
9.0
View school Bardwell School

Special Schools in Bicester

1 in Bicester. Eduscope doesn't rank these.

Bardwell School

Bicester, OX26 4RZ · Academy · All-through · Ages 2 to 19

  • Ofsted:Strong standard in every area

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

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
8.6%
Pupils
121
Pupils per teacher
9.0
View school Bardwell School
The map

Every school in Bicester, on one map

Each dot is a school or nursery, coloured by its latest Ofsted grade. Point at a dot to see its name, or use the list.

See them as a list
Show
Brookside Primary School, Good in every areaLongfields Primary and Nursery School, Needs attention in 3 areasKing's Meadow Primary School, GoodSt Edburg's Church of England (VA) School, GoodLangford Village Community Primary School, GoodBure Park Primary School, GoodGlory Farm Primary School, GoodThe Cooper School, Requires improvement in 2 areasThe Bicester School, GoodSouthwold Primary School, GoodBardwell School, Strong standard in every areaWhitelands Academy, GoodSt Mary's Catholic Primary School, Bicester, GoodJack And Jill Preschool, OutstandingLittle Acorns Pre-School Kingsmere, GoodCourtyard Preschool, GoodBusy Bees Day Nursery at Bicester, GoodBambooh Bicester, GoodCygnets Pre-school, GoodFundamentals Childcare Limited, GoodBusy Bees at Bicester Kingsmere, GoodChild First Bicester, Needs attention in 5 areasToad Hall Day Nursery (Bicester) Ltd, GoodImpact Montessori NurseryBubbles Pre-School, Outstanding
  • Outstanding2
  • Good17
  • Not graded yet6
Before you apply

Apply through the council where you live

Your home council handles your application, wherever the school is. Living nearby doesn't guarantee a place: each school's admission rules decide.

Postcodes

Browse Bicester by postcode

Some areas, like parts of a bigger town, are easiest to find by postcode.

Bicester vs England

How good are Bicester's schools?

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

Worked out by Eduscope from each school's published figures. Not an official statistic for this town.

Numbers that sum up Bicester

BicesterEngland

  • Primaries rated Good or Outstanding

    Latest Ofsted grade, 7 primaries with one.

    100%

    England 96%

    Close to England

  • Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding

    2 of the 2 with a grade.

    100%

    England 93%

    Above England

  • Met the expected standard at 11

    Reading, writing and maths.

    58%

    England 62%

    Below 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.

    14%

Ofsted grades

Latest graded inspection for the 9 schools that have one.

100%

Good or Outstanding

  • Outstanding0
  • Good9
  • Requires improvement0
  • Inadequate0

How it has changed

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

Met the expected standard at 11
Covid gap50%60%70%20182019202320242025
58% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
Covid gap30%45%60%2018201920222023202420252026
44% in 2026.
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Covid gap0%15%30%20142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
18% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here

What it's like for families

Bicester has 25 schools and nurseries.

There are 13% more pupils than in 2018, but numbers have fallen since 2025.

14% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.

Pupil numbers

Pupils in Bicester's state schools each January.

Up 13% 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.

Bicester14%

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 Bicester

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

Questions

Questions parents ask about Bicester

How many schools are in Bicester?

Bicester has 25 schools, including 10 primary schools, 4 secondary schools, 12 nurseries, 1 special school. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.

What are the best schools in Bicester?

The highest-ranked schools in Bicester on Eduscope are St Edburg's Church of England (VA) School, St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Bicester, Southwold 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 Bicester are rated Good or Outstanding?

100% of inspected schools in Bicester hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 0 schools rated Outstanding and 9 rated Good.

How do primary schools in Bicester perform at Key Stage 2?

Across primary schools in Bicester, 58% 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 Bicester?

The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Bicester is 18.6:1. 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 Bicester schools?

The persistent absence rate across schools in Bicester 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 Bicester?

There are 6,359 pupils enrolled across schools in Bicester, with 3,379 in primary and 2,980 in secondary. 14.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.

How do I choose the right school in Bicester?

Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 25 schools in Bicester 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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