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Schools in Clifton

A town in Nottingham

  • Town
  • 10 schools and nurseries
  • 3,149 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 were below England in 2026. Missing school is a bigger problem than across England.

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

Clifton at a glance

Behind England on results at 16

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

DfE and Ofsted data, 2014 to 2026How we work this out
  • Schools and nurseries106 primary · 1 secondary · 2 nurseries
  • Primaries Good or better100%England 96%
  • Met the standard at 1160%England 62%
  • Grade 5 in English and maths33%Attainment 8 37.9, England 46.2
  • Free school meals, primary38%A sign of family income
  • Missed a lot of school22%England 18%
Top-rated

The highest-rated schools in Clifton

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 Clifton primary schools

Top Primary Schools in Clifton

6 mainstream schools in Clifton, best first

Blessed Robert Widmerpool Catholic Primary and Nursery School

Nottingham, NG11 9BH · Academy · Primary · Ages 3 to 11

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

Results well above the England average.

45 first choices, 30 offers made

Met the standard at 1175%

England 62%

Days missed
4.9%
Pupils
253
Pupils per teacher
23.4
View school Blessed Robert Widmerpool Catholic Primary and Nursery School

The Glapton Academy

Nottingham, NG11 8EA · Academy · Primary · Ages 3 to 11

  • Ofsted:Good

Results well above the England average.

22 first choices, 25 offers made

Met the standard at 1172%

England 62%

Days missed
5.0%
Pupils
325
Pupils per teacher
21.1
View school The Glapton Academy

Top Secondary Schools in Clifton

1 mainstream schools in Clifton, best first

Farnborough Spencer Academy

Nottingham, NG11 8JW · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 16

  • Ofsted:Good

Results well below the England average.

149 first choices, 177 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1637.9

England 46.2

Days missed
11.1%
Pupils
1,005
Pupils per teacher
18.8
View school Farnborough Spencer Academy

Nurseries in Clifton

2 in Clifton, highest Ofsted grade first

Sixth Forms in Clifton

1 in Clifton, by the school's Eduscope score

Nethergate Academy

Nottingham, NG11 8HX · Academy · All-through · Ages 5 to 19

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

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

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
10.5%
Pupils
174
Pupils per teacher
6.1
View school Nethergate Academy

Special Schools in Clifton

1 in Clifton. Eduscope doesn't rank these.

Nethergate Academy

Nottingham, NG11 8HX · Academy · All-through · Ages 5 to 19

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

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

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
10.5%
Pupils
174
Pupils per teacher
6.1
View school Nethergate Academy
The map

Every school in Clifton, 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
Dovecote Primary and Nursery School, Requires improvement in 5 areasBlessed Robert Widmerpool Catholic Primary and Nursery School, OutstandingNethergate Academy, OutstandingThe Milford Academy, Needs attention in 6 areasHighbank Primary and Nursery School, GoodThe Glapton Academy, GoodWhitegate Primary and Nursery School, GoodFarnborough Spencer Academy, GoodLittle Toes Day Nursery Clifton, GoodWillow Tree Preschool and Holiday Club, Good
  • Outstanding2
  • Good6
  • Not graded yet2
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 Clifton by postcode

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

Clifton vs England

How good are Clifton'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 Clifton

CliftonEngland

  • Primaries rated Good or Outstanding

    Latest Ofsted grade, 4 primaries with one.

    100%

    England 96%

    Close to England

  • Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding

    1 of the 1 with a grade.

    100%

    England 93%

    Above England

  • Met the expected standard at 11

    Reading, writing and maths.

    60%

    England 62%

    Close to England

  • Grade 5 or above in English and maths

    At GCSE.

    33%

  • Pupils who miss a lot of school

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

    22%

    England 18%

    Worse than England

  • Primary pupils on free school meals

    A sign of family income, not of school quality.

    38%

Ofsted grades

Latest graded inspection for the 6 schools that have one.

100%

Good or Outstanding

  • Outstanding2
  • Good4
  • Requires improvement0
  • Inadequate0

How it has changed

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

Met the expected standard at 11
Covid gap50%60%70%20182019202320242025
60% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
Covid gap0%25%50%2018201920222023202420252026
33% in 2026.
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Covid gap0%20%40%20142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
22% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here

What it's like for families

Clifton has 10 schools and nurseries.

There are 3% more pupils than in 2018, but numbers have fallen since 2025.

38% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.

Pupil numbers

Pupils in Clifton's state schools each January.

Up 3% 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.

Clifton38%

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 Clifton

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 Clifton

How many schools are in Clifton?

Clifton has 10 schools, including 7 primary schools, 2 secondary schools, 2 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 Clifton?

The highest-ranked schools in Clifton on Eduscope are Blessed Robert Widmerpool Catholic Primary and Nursery School, Whitegate Primary and Nursery School, The Glapton Academy. 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 Clifton are rated Good or Outstanding?

100% of inspected schools in Clifton hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 2 schools rated Outstanding and 4 rated Good.

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

Across primary schools in Clifton, 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 pupil-teacher ratio in Clifton?

The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Clifton is 18.3:1. 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 Clifton schools?

The persistent absence rate across schools in Clifton is 22.0%. 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 Clifton?

There are 3,149 pupils enrolled across schools in Clifton, with 1,970 in primary and 1,179 in secondary. 39.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.

How do I choose the right school in Clifton?

Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 10 schools in Clifton 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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