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 were above England in 2026. Fewer pupils miss a lot of school than across England.
Cheltenham at a glance
Ahead of England on results at 16
How Cheltenham's schools compare with England, area by area.
Schools and nurseries9327 primary · 5 secondary · 47 nurseries
Primaries Good or better96%England 96%
Met the standard at 1159%England 62%
Grade 5 in English and maths56%Attainment 8 54.0, England 46.2
Free school meals, primary19%A sign of family income
Missed a lot of school16%England 18%
Top-rated
The highest-rated schools in Cheltenham
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.
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 Cheltenham
CheltenhamEngland
Primaries rated Good or Outstanding
Latest Ofsted grade, 22 primaries with one.
96%
England 96%
Close to England
Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding
4 of the 4 with a grade.
100%
England 93%
Above England
Met the expected standard at 11
Reading, writing and maths.
59%
England 62%
Close to England
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
At GCSE.
56%
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.
16%
England 18%
Better than England
Primary pupils on free school meals
A sign of family income, not of school quality.
19%
Ofsted grades
Latest graded inspection for the 31 schools that have one.
97%
Good or Outstanding
Outstanding5
Good25
Requires improvement1
Inadequate0
How it has changed
Cheltenham in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.
Met the expected standard at 1159% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).Grade 5 or above in English and maths56% in 2026.Pupils who miss a lot of school16% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here
What it's like for families
Cheltenham has 93 schools and nurseries.
There are 8% more pupils than in 2018.
19% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.
Pupil numbers
Pupils in Cheltenham's state schools each January.
14.0k2018
14.2k2019
14.7k2021
14.8k2022
15.1k2023
15.2k2024
15.2k2025
15.1k2026
Up 8% 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.
Cheltenham19%
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 Cheltenham
Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.
Cheltenham has 93 schools, including 38 primary schools, 13 secondary schools, 47 nurseries, 9 independent schools, 4 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 Cheltenham?+
The highest-ranked schools in Cheltenham on Eduscope are Pate's Grammar School, Balcarras School, Christ Church CofE 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 Cheltenham are rated Good or Outstanding?+
97% of inspected schools in Cheltenham hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 5 schools rated Outstanding and 25 rated Good.
How do primary schools in Cheltenham perform at Key Stage 2?+
Across primary schools in Cheltenham, 59% 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 Cheltenham?+
The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Cheltenham 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 Cheltenham schools?+
The persistent absence rate across schools in Cheltenham is 16.3%. 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 Cheltenham?+
There are 15,105 pupils enrolled across schools in Cheltenham, with 8,260 in primary and 6,845 in secondary. 19.0% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.
How many private schools are in Cheltenham?+
There are 9 independent schools in Cheltenham. 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 Cheltenham on Eduscope, including ISI inspection ratings where available.
How do I choose the right school in Cheltenham?+
Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 93 schools in Cheltenham 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.
