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Schools in Doncaster

A town in Doncaster

  • Town
  • 58 schools and nurseries
  • 14,399 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. 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

Doncaster at a glance

Behind England on results at 11

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

DfE and Ofsted data, 2014 to 2026How we work this out
  • Schools and nurseries5821 primary · 7 secondary · 20 nurseries
  • Primaries Good or better100%England 96%
  • Met the standard at 1157%England 62%
  • Grade 5 in English and maths44%Attainment 8 44.7, England 46.2
  • Free school meals, primary30%A sign of family income
  • Missed a lot of school20%England 18%
Top-rated

The highest-rated schools in Doncaster

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 Doncaster primary schools

Top Primary Schools in Doncaster

21 mainstream schools in Doncaster, best first

Willow Primary School

Doncaster, DN4 7EZ · Academy · Primary · Ages 4 to 11

  • Ofsted:Good

Results well above the England average.

61 first choices, 60 offers made

Met the standard at 1179%

England 62%

Days missed
3.7%
Pupils
417
Pupils per teacher
27.8
View school Willow Primary School

Bessacarr Primary

Doncaster, DN4 7DT · Academy · Primary · Ages 3 to 11

  • Ofsted:Good

Results well above the England average.

49 first choices, 53 offers made

Met the standard at 1175%

England 62%

Days missed
3.7%
Pupils
462
Pupils per teacher
20.9
View school Bessacarr Primary

Carr Lodge Academy

Doncaster, DN4 8GA · Academy · Primary · Ages 3 to 11

  • Ofsted:Good

Results above the England average.

61 first choices, 57 offers made

Met the standard at 1167%

England 62%

Days missed
4.7%
Pupils
448
Pupils per teacher
23.4
View school Carr Lodge Academy

Top Secondary Schools in Doncaster

7 mainstream schools in Doncaster, best first

Hall Cross Academy

Doncaster, DN1 2HY · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Good

Results close to the England average.

407 first choices, 301 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1647.6

England 46.2

Days missed
7.0%
Pupils
2,039
Pupils per teacher
15.3
View school Hall Cross Academy

Doncaster UTC

Doncaster, DN1 3BF · UTC · Secondary · Ages 13 to 19

  • Ofsted:Good

Results above the England average.

Attainment 8 at 1649.1

England 46.2

Days missed
5.2%
Pupils
770
Pupils per teacher
16.0
View school Doncaster UTC

XP School

Doncaster, DN4 5NG · Secondary · Ages 11 to 19

  • Ofsted:Good

Results below the England average.

125 first choices, 50 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1640.4

England 46.2

Days missed
7.8%
Pupils
246
Pupils per teacher
12.7
View school XP School

Nurseries in Doncaster

20 in Doncaster, highest Ofsted grade first

Seedlings

Doncaster, DN4 9HT · Nursery

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

Nurseries don't sit tests, so there are no results to compare.

View school Seedlings

Sixth Forms in Doncaster

9 in Doncaster, by the school's Eduscope score

Hall Cross Academy

Doncaster, DN1 2HY · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Good

Results close to the England average.

407 first choices, 301 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1647.6

England 46.2

Days missed
7.0%
Pupils
2,039
Pupils per teacher
15.3
View school Hall Cross Academy

Doncaster UTC

Doncaster, DN1 3BF · UTC · Secondary · Ages 13 to 19

  • Ofsted:Good

Results above the England average.

Attainment 8 at 1649.1

England 46.2

Days missed
5.2%
Pupils
770
Pupils per teacher
16.0
View school Doncaster UTC

XP School

Doncaster, DN4 5NG · Secondary · Ages 11 to 19

  • Ofsted:Good

Results below the England average.

125 first choices, 50 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1640.4

England 46.2

Days missed
7.8%
Pupils
246
Pupils per teacher
12.7
View school XP School

Special Schools in Doncaster

7 in Doncaster. Eduscope doesn't rank these.

Heatherwood School

Doncaster, DN2 6HQ · Academy · All-through · Ages 3 to 19

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

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

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
24.1%
Pupils
99
Pupils per teacher
8.3
View school Heatherwood School

Journey Education Group

Doncaster, DN4 8QN · Independent · All-through · Ages 5 to 18

  • Ofsted:Expected standard or better

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

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
15
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Journey Education Group

Private Schools in Doncaster

4 in Doncaster. Eduscope doesn't rank these.

Journey Education Group

Doncaster, DN4 8QN · Independent · All-through · Ages 5 to 18

  • Ofsted:Expected standard or better

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

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
15
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Journey Education Group

More Than Ed Independent School

Doncaster, DN4 8QN · Independent · All-through · Ages 7 to 16

  • ISI:Inspected

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

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
25
Pupils per teacher
–
View school More Than Ed Independent School
The map

Every school in Doncaster, 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
Park Primary School, GoodSt Francis Xavier Catholic Primary School, GoodSycamore Hall Preparatory School, GoodDoncaster School for Deaf Children, GoodYorkshire Rose College, GoodMaple Medical PRU, GoodHall Cross Academy, GoodCarr Lodge Academy, GoodWaterside School, GoodThe McAuley Catholic High School, GoodXP School, GoodSt Wilfrid's Academy, Doncaster, GoodHexthorpe Primary School, GoodWoodfield Primary School, Good in every areaKingfisher Primary Academy, GoodXP East, Requires improvementOutwood Academy Danum, GoodBalby Central Primary Academy, GoodBessacarr Primary, GoodAtlas Academy, Good in every areaIntake Primary Academy, Expected standard or betterHatchell Wood Primary Academy, GoodWaverley Academy, GoodWillow Primary School, GoodAstrea Academy Woodfields, GoodSandringham Primary School, GoodHeatherwood School, OutstandingLakeside Primary Academy, GoodPlover Primary School, Good in every areaHawthorn Primary School, GoodDoncaster UTC, GoodMore Than Ed Independent School, InspectedHarrison CollegeSt Peter's Catholic Primary School, GoodOur Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Primary School, GoodTown Field Primary School, Expected standard or betterThe Mallard Academy, Inadequate in 3 areasJourney Education Group, Expected standard or betterTiddlywinks Pre School (Bessacarr), GoodLittle Einsteins Day Nursery Ltd, Expected standard in every areaPartou St Mary's Day Nursery & Pre-School, GoodLittle Learners Day Nursery, GoodKiddiewinks @ Plover Primary, GoodBright Beginnings Day Nursery and Preschool, GoodPaskals Day Nursery Limited, GoodSt Aidans Day Nursery, GoodSticky Mits Childcare Centre, GoodBlossom Grove Childcare Ltd, GoodSeedlings, OutstandingCavendish House Private Nursery, GoodMD Doncaster Limited T/A Stadium Stars Day Nursery, GoodBuilding Blocks Montessori Ltd, OutstandingClever Clogs Day Nursery Ltd, GoodPaskals Day Nursery Limited, Requires improvementGranby Nursery Intake, GoodLittle Wonders DoncasterSunny Skies AcademyGranby Nursery Doncaster, Strong standard in every area
  • Outstanding3
  • Good40
  • Requires improvement2
  • Not graded yet13
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 Doncaster by postcode

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

Doncaster vs England

How good are Doncaster'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 Doncaster

DoncasterEngland

  • Primaries rated Good or Outstanding

    Latest Ofsted grade, 15 primaries with one.

    100%

    England 96%

    Close to England

  • Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding

    6 of the 7 with a grade.

    86%

    England 93%

    Below England

  • Met the expected standard at 11

    Reading, writing and maths.

    57%

    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.

    20%

    England 18%

    Worse than England

  • Primary pupils on free school meals

    A sign of family income, not of school quality.

    30%

Ofsted grades

Latest graded inspection for the 29 schools that have one.

97%

Good or Outstanding

  • Outstanding1
  • Good27
  • Requires improvement1
  • Inadequate0

How it has changed

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

Met the expected standard at 11
Covid gap40%55%70%20182019202320242025
57% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
Covid gap30%40%50%2018201920222023202420252026
44% in 2026.
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Covid gap0%20%40%20142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
20% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here

What it's like for families

Doncaster has 58 schools and nurseries.

There are 7% more pupils than in 2018.

30% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.

Pupil numbers

Pupils in Doncaster's state schools each January.

Up 7% 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.

Doncaster30%

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 Doncaster

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 Doncaster

How many schools are in Doncaster?

Doncaster has 58 schools, including 28 primary schools, 14 secondary schools, 20 nurseries, 4 independent schools, 7 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 Doncaster?

The highest-ranked schools in Doncaster on Eduscope are Willow Primary School, Bessacarr Primary, Hall Cross 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 Doncaster are rated Good or Outstanding?

97% of inspected schools in Doncaster hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 1 school rated Outstanding and 27 rated Good.

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

Across primary schools in Doncaster, 57% 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 Doncaster?

The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Doncaster is 18.1:1. 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 Doncaster schools?

The persistent absence rate across schools in Doncaster is 19.5%. 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 Doncaster?

There are 14,399 pupils enrolled across schools in Doncaster, with 7,723 in primary and 6,676 in secondary. 30.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.

How many private schools are in Doncaster?

There are 4 independent schools in Doncaster. 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 Doncaster on Eduscope, including ISI inspection ratings where available.

How do I choose the right school in Doncaster?

Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 58 schools in Doncaster 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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