In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, fewer than across England. Results at 11 are close to England, and results at 16 were above England in 2026. Attendance is close to the England figure.
Stockport at a glance
Strong results at 16, weaker primary inspections
How Stockport's schools compare with England, area by area.
Schools and nurseries9035 primary · 4 secondary · 37 nurseries
Primaries Good or better88%England 96%
Met the standard at 1162%England 62%
Grade 5 in English and maths54%Attainment 8 49.7, England 46.2
Free school meals, primary30%A sign of family income
Missed a lot of school18%England 18%
Top-rated
The highest-rated schools in Stockport
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 Stockport
StockportEngland
Primaries rated Good or Outstanding
Latest Ofsted grade, 24 primaries with one.
88%
England 96%
Below England
Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding
2 of the 3 with a grade.
67%
England 93%
Below England
Met the expected standard at 11
Reading, writing and maths.
62%
England 62%
Close to England
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
At GCSE.
54%
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.
30%
Ofsted grades
Latest graded inspection for the 38 schools that have one.
87%
Good or Outstanding
Outstanding5
Good28
Requires improvement5
Inadequate0
How it has changed
Stockport in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.
Met the expected standard at 1162% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).Grade 5 or above in English and maths51% in 2026.Pupils who miss a lot of school18% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here
What it's like for families
Stockport has 90 schools and nurseries.
There are 5% more pupils than in 2018, but numbers have fallen since 2025.
30% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.
Pupil numbers
Pupils in Stockport's state schools each January.
14.6k2018
15.2k2019
15.4k2021
15.5k2022
15.6k2023
15.6k2024
15.5k2025
15.3k2026
Up 5% 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.
Stockport30%
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 Stockport
Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.
Stockport has 90 schools, including 41 primary schools, 15 secondary schools, 37 nurseries, 7 independent schools, 6 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 Stockport?+
The highest-ranked schools in Stockport on Eduscope are Alexandra Park Primary School, St John's Church of England Primary School, Norris Bank 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 Stockport are rated Good or Outstanding?+
87% of inspected schools in Stockport hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is below the England average of 94.8%. This includes 5 schools rated Outstanding and 28 rated Good.
How do primary schools in Stockport perform at Key Stage 2?+
Across primary schools in Stockport, 62% 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 Stockport?+
The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Stockport is 17.1:1. 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 Stockport schools?+
The persistent absence rate across schools in Stockport 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 Stockport?+
There are 15,347 pupils enrolled across schools in Stockport, with 10,167 in primary and 4,989 in secondary. 30.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.
How many private schools are in Stockport?+
There are 7 independent schools in Stockport. 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 Stockport on Eduscope, including ISI inspection ratings where available.
How do I choose the right school in Stockport?+
Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 90 schools in Stockport 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.
