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.
Leeds at a glance
Behind England on results at 11
How Leeds's schools compare with England, area by area.
Schools and nurseries322136 primary · 25 secondary · 132 nurseries
Primaries Good or better95%England 96%
Met the standard at 1159%England 62%
Grade 5 in English and maths47%Attainment 8 46.6, England 46.2
Free school meals, primary32%A sign of family income
Missed a lot of school21%England 18%
Top-rated
The highest-rated schools in Leeds
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 Leeds
LeedsEngland
Primaries rated Good or Outstanding
Latest Ofsted grade, 103 primaries with one.
95%
England 96%
Close to England
Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding
22 of the 23 with a grade.
96%
England 93%
Close to England
Met the expected standard at 11
Reading, writing and maths.
59%
England 62%
Below England
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
At GCSE.
47%
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.
21%
England 18%
Worse than England
Primary pupils on free school meals
A sign of family income, not of school quality.
32%
Ofsted grades
Latest graded inspection for the 137 schools that have one.
93%
Good or Outstanding
Each square is 1% of schools.
Outstanding21
Good107
Requires improvement8
Inadequate1
How it has changed
Leeds 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 maths46% in 2026.Pupils who miss a lot of school21% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here
What it's like for families
Leeds has 322 schools and nurseries.
There are 10% more pupils than in 2018.
32% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.
Pupil numbers
Pupils in Leeds's state schools each January.
76.0k2018
78.0k2019
80.0k2021
81.4k2022
82.9k2023
83.8k2024
84.2k2025
83.5k2026
Up 10% 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.
Leeds32%
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 Leeds
Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.
Leeds has 322 schools, including 157 primary schools, 46 secondary schools, 132 nurseries, 11 independent schools, 16 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 Leeds?+
The highest-ranked schools in Leeds on Eduscope are Beecroft Primary School, Horsforth Featherbank Primary School, Wigton Moor 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 Leeds are rated Good or Outstanding?+
93% of inspected schools in Leeds hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is below the England average of 94.8%. This includes 21 schools rated Outstanding and 107 rated Good.
How do primary schools in Leeds perform at Key Stage 2?+
Across primary schools in Leeds, 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 Leeds?+
The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Leeds is 17.8:1. 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 Leeds schools?+
The persistent absence rate across schools in Leeds is 20.6%. 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 Leeds?+
There are 83,483 pupils enrolled across schools in Leeds, with 46,927 in primary and 36,348 in secondary. 34.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.
How many private schools are in Leeds?+
There are 11 independent schools in Leeds. 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 Leeds on Eduscope, including ISI inspection ratings where available.
How do I choose the right school in Leeds?+
Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 322 schools in Leeds 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.