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. Fewer pupils miss a lot of school than across England.
Newcastle-under-Lyme at a glance
Strong attendance, weaker results at 16
How Newcastle-under-Lyme's schools compare with England, area by area.
Schools and nurseries6422 primary · 5 secondary · 29 nurseries
Primaries Good or better94%England 96%
Met the standard at 1163%England 62%
Grade 5 in English and maths33%Attainment 8 42.0, England 46.2
Free school meals, primary21%A sign of family income
Missed a lot of school17%England 18%
Top-rated
The highest-rated schools in Newcastle-under-Lyme
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 Newcastle-under-Lyme
Newcastle-under-LymeEngland
Primaries rated Good or Outstanding
Latest Ofsted grade, 17 primaries with one.
94%
England 96%
Close to England
Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding
3 of the 4 with a grade.
75%
England 93%
Below England
Met the expected standard at 11
Reading, writing and maths.
63%
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.
17%
England 18%
Better than England
Primary pupils on free school meals
A sign of family income, not of school quality.
21%
Ofsted grades
Latest graded inspection for the 27 schools that have one.
93%
Good or Outstanding
Outstanding2
Good23
Requires improvement2
Inadequate0
How it has changed
Newcastle-under-Lyme in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.
Met the expected standard at 1163% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).Grade 5 or above in English and maths33% in 2026.Pupils who miss a lot of school17% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here
What it's like for families
Newcastle-under-Lyme has 64 schools and nurseries.
There are 6% more pupils than in 2018.
21% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.
Pupil numbers
Pupils in Newcastle-under-Lyme's state schools each January.
10.1k2018
10.3k2019
10.2k2021
10.4k2022
10.4k2023
10.4k2024
10.4k2025
10.7k2026
Up 6% 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.
Newcastle-under-Lyme21%
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 Newcastle-under-Lyme
Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.
Newcastle-under-Lyme has 64 schools, including 27 primary schools, 12 secondary schools, 29 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 Newcastle-under-Lyme?+
The highest-ranked schools in Newcastle-under-Lyme on Eduscope are Co-op Academy Friarswood, Our Lady and St Werburgh's Catholic Primary School, St Margaret's CofE (VC) Junior 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 Newcastle-under-Lyme are rated Good or Outstanding?+
93% of inspected schools in Newcastle-under-Lyme 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 Newcastle-under-Lyme perform at Key Stage 2?+
Across primary schools in Newcastle-under-Lyme, 63% 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 Newcastle-under-Lyme?+
The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Newcastle-under-Lyme is 18.8:1. 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 Newcastle-under-Lyme schools?+
The persistent absence rate across schools in Newcastle-under-Lyme is 16.6%. 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 Newcastle-under-Lyme?+
There are 10,711 pupils enrolled across schools in Newcastle-under-Lyme, with 6,372 in primary and 4,302 in secondary. 23.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.
How many private schools are in Newcastle-under-Lyme?+
There are 4 independent schools in Newcastle-under-Lyme. 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 Newcastle-under-Lyme on Eduscope, including ISI inspection ratings where available.
How do I choose the right school in Newcastle-under-Lyme?+
Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 64 schools in Newcastle-under-Lyme 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.
