In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, fewer than across England. Results at 11 are below England, and results at 16 were above England in 2026. Attendance is close to the England figure.
Gloucester at a glance
Strong results at 16, weaker primary inspections
How Gloucester's schools compare with England, area by area.
Schools and nurseries8228 primary · 8 secondary · 39 nurseries
Primaries Good or better88%England 96%
Met the standard at 1157%England 62%
Grade 5 in English and maths63%Attainment 8 56.1, England 46.2
Free school meals, primary26%A sign of family income
Missed a lot of school19%England 18%
Top-rated
The highest-rated schools in Gloucester
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 Gloucester
GloucesterEngland
Primaries rated Good or Outstanding
Latest Ofsted grade, 24 primaries with one.
88%
England 96%
Below England
Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding
3 of the 3 with a grade.
100%
England 93%
Above 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.
63%
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.
19%
England 18%
Close to England
Primary pupils on free school meals
A sign of family income, not of school quality.
26%
Ofsted grades
Latest graded inspection for the 28 schools that have one.
89%
Good or Outstanding
Outstanding2
Good23
Requires improvement3
Inadequate0
How it has changed
Gloucester in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.
Met the expected standard at 1157% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).Grade 5 or above in English and maths63% in 2026.Pupils who miss a lot of school19% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here
What it's like for families
Gloucester has 82 schools and nurseries.
There are 9% more pupils than in 2018.
26% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.
Pupil numbers
Pupils in Gloucester's state schools each January.
17.7k2018
17.9k2019
17.9k2021
18.1k2022
18.5k2023
18.8k2024
18.9k2025
19.4k2026
Up 9% 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.
Gloucester26%
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 Gloucester
Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.
Gloucester has 82 schools, including 34 primary schools, 14 secondary schools, 39 nurseries, 5 independent schools, 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 Gloucester?+
The highest-ranked schools in Gloucester on Eduscope are The Crypt School, Sir Thomas Rich's School, Denmark Road High 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 Gloucester are rated Good or Outstanding?+
89% of inspected schools in Gloucester hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is below the England average of 94.8%. This includes 2 schools rated Outstanding and 23 rated Good.
How do primary schools in Gloucester perform at Key Stage 2?+
Across primary schools in Gloucester, 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 Gloucester?+
The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Gloucester is 17.7:1. 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 Gloucester schools?+
The persistent absence rate across schools in Gloucester is 19.0%. 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 Gloucester?+
There are 19,363 pupils enrolled across schools in Gloucester, with 9,682 in primary and 9,681 in secondary. 22.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.
How many private schools are in Gloucester?+
There are 5 independent schools in Gloucester. 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 Gloucester on Eduscope, including ISI inspection ratings where available.
How do I choose the right school in Gloucester?+
Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 82 schools in Gloucester 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.
