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Schools in Cirencester

A town in Gloucestershire

  • Town
  • 15 schools and nurseries
  • 2,082 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. Fewer pupils miss a lot of school than across England.

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

Cirencester at a glance

Strong attendance, weaker results at 11

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

DfE and Ofsted data, 2014 to 2026How we work this out
  • Schools and nurseries155 primary · 1 secondary · 8 nurseries
  • Primaries Good or better100%England 96%
  • Met the standard at 1155%England 62%
  • Grade 5 in English and maths54%Attainment 8 48.4, 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 Cirencester

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 Cirencester primary schools

Top Primary Schools in Cirencester

5 mainstream schools in Cirencester, best first

See all 6 primary schools

Top Secondary Schools in Cirencester

1 mainstream schools in Cirencester, best first

Cirencester Kingshill School

Cirencester, GL7 1HS · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 16

  • Ofsted:Good in every area

Results close to the England average.

141 first choices, 154 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1648.4

England 46.2

Days missed
8.2%
Pupils
806
Pupils per teacher
15.6
View school Cirencester Kingshill School
See all 2 secondary schools

Nurseries in Cirencester

8 in Cirencester, highest Ofsted grade first

See all 8 nurseries

Special Schools in Cirencester

1 in Cirencester. Eduscope doesn't rank these.

Paternoster School

Cirencester, GL7 1JR · Academy · All-through · Ages 2 to 17

  • Ofsted:Good

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

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
9.5%
Pupils
66
Pupils per teacher
5.8
View school Paternoster School
The map

Every school in Cirencester, 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
Powell's Church of England Primary School, OutstandingCirencester Primary School, GoodCirencester Kingshill School, Good in every areaSiddington Church of England Primary School, GoodChesterton Primary School, Good in every areaPaternoster School, GoodWatermoor Church of England Primary School, Good in every areaSunflowers at St Peter's, GoodTiny Tots Nursery at Rugrats and Half Pints, GoodAcorns Nursery School Ltd, GoodKey Steps Day Nursery, GoodBingham Kindergarten, GoodWild Oaks Early Learning Centre LTD, GoodEdward Bears Private Daycare, GoodCirencester Opportunity Group, Good
  • Outstanding1
  • Good11
  • Not graded yet3
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.

By age

What's on offer for each age

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

More ways to narrow it down

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

Postcodes

Browse Cirencester by postcode

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

Cirencester vs England

How good are Cirencester'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 Cirencester

CirencesterEngland

  • Primaries rated Good or Outstanding

    Latest Ofsted grade, 3 primaries with one.

    100%

    England 96%

    Close to England

  • Met the expected standard at 11

    Reading, writing and maths.

    55%

    England 62%

    Below England

  • Grade 5 or above in English and maths

    At GCSE.

    54%

  • 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 4 schools that have one.

100%

Good or Outstanding

  • Outstanding1
  • Good3
  • Requires improvement0
  • Inadequate0

How it has changed

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

Met the expected standard at 11
Covid gap40%55%70%20182019202320242025
55% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
Covid gap30%50%70%2018201920222023202420252026
54% in 2026.
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Covid gap0%15%30%20142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
16% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here

What it's like for families

Cirencester has 15 schools and nurseries.

There are 4% fewer 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 Cirencester's state schools each January.

Down 4% since 2018.

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.

Cirencester19%

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 Cirencester

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

Find a school to follow
Questions

Questions parents ask about Cirencester

Nearby areas

How many schools are in Cirencester?

Cirencester has 15 schools, including 6 primary schools, 2 secondary schools, 8 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 Cirencester?

The highest-ranked schools in Cirencester on Eduscope are Powell's Church of England Primary School, Cirencester Kingshill School, Siddington Church of England 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 Cirencester are rated Good or Outstanding?

100% of inspected schools in Cirencester hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 1 school rated Outstanding and 3 rated Good.

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

Across primary schools in Cirencester, 55% 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 Cirencester?

The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Cirencester is 17.6:1. 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 Cirencester schools?

The persistent absence rate across schools in Cirencester is 16.4%. 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 Cirencester?

There are 2,082 pupils enrolled across schools in Cirencester, with 1,210 in primary and 872 in secondary. 19.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.

How do I choose the right school in Cirencester?

Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 15 schools in Cirencester 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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