In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, about the same as across England. Results at 11 are above England, and results at 16 were close to England in 2026. Attendance is close to the England figure.
Milton Keynes at a glance
Ahead of England on results at 11
How Milton Keynes's schools compare with England, area by area.
Schools and nurseries14657 primary · 9 secondary · 69 nurseries
Primaries Good or better98%England 96%
Met the standard at 1168%England 62%
Grade 5 in English and maths42%Attainment 8 44.0, England 46.2
Free school meals, primary24%A sign of family income
Missed a lot of school18%England 18%
Top-rated
The highest-rated schools in Milton Keynes
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 Milton Keynes
Milton KeynesEngland
Primaries rated Good or Outstanding
Latest Ofsted grade, 50 primaries with one.
98%
England 96%
Close to England
Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding
7 of the 7 with a grade.
100%
England 93%
Above England
Met the expected standard at 11
Reading, writing and maths.
68%
England 62%
Above England
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
At GCSE.
42%
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.
18%
England 18%
Close to England
Primary pupils on free school meals
A sign of family income, not of school quality.
24%
Ofsted grades
Latest graded inspection for the 59 schools that have one.
98%
Good or Outstanding
Outstanding7
Good51
Requires improvement1
Inadequate0
How it has changed
Milton Keynes in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.
Met the expected standard at 1168% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).Grade 5 or above in English and maths44% in 2026.Pupils who miss a lot of school18% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here
What it's like for families
Milton Keynes has 146 schools and nurseries.
There are 16% more pupils than in 2018.
24% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.
Pupil numbers
Pupils in Milton Keynes's state schools each January.
32.3k2018
33.0k2019
34.2k2021
35.2k2022
36.3k2023
37.2k2024
37.5k2025
37.4k2026
Up 16% 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.
Milton Keynes24%
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 Milton Keynes
Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.
Milton Keynes has 146 schools, including 68 primary schools, 19 secondary schools, 69 nurseries, 4 independent schools, 5 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 Milton Keynes?+
The highest-ranked schools in Milton Keynes on Eduscope are Middleton Primary School, Caroline Haslett Primary School, Priory Rise 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 Milton Keynes are rated Good or Outstanding?+
98% of inspected schools in Milton Keynes hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 7 schools rated Outstanding and 51 rated Good.
How do primary schools in Milton Keynes perform at Key Stage 2?+
Across primary schools in Milton Keynes, 68% 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 Milton Keynes?+
The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Milton Keynes is 18.0:1. 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 Milton Keynes schools?+
The persistent absence rate across schools in Milton Keynes is 18.0%. 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 Milton Keynes?+
There are 37,373 pupils enrolled across schools in Milton Keynes, with 18,235 in primary and 19,113 in secondary. 24.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.
How many private schools are in Milton Keynes?+
There are 4 independent schools in Milton Keynes. 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 Milton Keynes on Eduscope, including ISI inspection ratings where available.
How do I choose the right school in Milton Keynes?+
Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 146 schools in Milton Keynes 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.
