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Schools in Wantage

A town in Oxfordshire

  • Town
  • 11 schools and nurseries
  • 3,238 pupils

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. Missing school is a bigger problem than across England.

Three children with backpacks crossing a street
A red-brick school building under a blue sky

Wantage at a glance

Behind England on results at 16

How Wantage's schools compare with England, area by area.

DfE and Ofsted data, 2014 to 2026How we work this out
  • Schools and nurseries114 primary · 1 secondary · 4 nurseries
  • Primaries Good or better100%England 96%
  • Met the standard at 1164%England 62%
  • Grade 5 in English and maths44%Attainment 8 43.4, England 46.2
  • Free school meals, primary17%A sign of family income
  • Missed a lot of school23%England 18%
Top-rated

The highest-rated schools in Wantage

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.

All Wantage primary schools

Top Primary Schools in Wantage

4 mainstream schools in Wantage, best first

Wantage Primary Academy

Wantage, OX12 7GQ · Primary · Ages 2 to 11

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

Results well above the England average.

75 first choices, 61 offers made

Met the standard at 1170%

England 62%

Days missed
8.2%
Pupils
322
Pupils per teacher
21.2
View school Wantage Primary Academy

Charlton Primary School

Wantage, OX12 7HG · Academy · Primary · Ages 2 to 11

  • Ofsted:Good

Results well above the England average.

52 first choices, 57 offers made

Met the standard at 1172%

England 62%

Days missed
4.6%
Pupils
444
Pupils per teacher
22.5
View school Charlton Primary School

Top Secondary Schools in Wantage

1 mainstream schools in Wantage, best first

King Alfred's

Wantage, OX12 9BY · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Needs attention in 5 areas

Results below the England average.

167 first choices, 222 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1643.4

England 46.2

Days missed
11.9%
Pupils
1,708
Pupils per teacher
16.3
View school King Alfred's

Nurseries in Wantage

4 in Wantage, highest Ofsted grade first

Sixth Forms in Wantage

2 in Wantage, by the school's Eduscope score

King Alfred's

Wantage, OX12 9BY · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Needs attention in 5 areas

Results below the England average.

167 first choices, 222 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1643.4

England 46.2

Days missed
11.9%
Pupils
1,708
Pupils per teacher
16.3
View school King Alfred's

Fitzwaryn School

Wantage, OX12 9ET · Academy · All-through · Ages 3 to 19

  • Ofsted:Strong standard or better

Specialist provision. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
9.3%
Pupils
126
Pupils per teacher
8.9
View school Fitzwaryn School

Special Schools in Wantage

2 in Wantage. Eduscope doesn't rank these.

Fitzwaryn School

Wantage, OX12 9ET · Academy · All-through · Ages 3 to 19

  • Ofsted:Strong standard or better

Specialist provision. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
9.3%
Pupils
126
Pupils per teacher
8.9
View school Fitzwaryn School

Private Schools in Wantage

1 in Wantage. Eduscope doesn't rank these.

The map

Every school in Wantage, on one map

Each dot is a school or nursery, coloured by its latest Ofsted grade. Point at a dot to see its name, or use the list.

See them as a list
Show
Stockham Primary School, Needs attention in 5 areasKing Alfred's, Needs attention in 5 areasFitzwaryn School, Strong standard or betterCharlton Primary School, GoodWantage Church of England Primary School, GoodWantage Primary Academy, OutstandingHuckleberry Therapeutic School, GoodRockwell House Day Nursery And Nursery School, Expected standard in every areaThe Ark Pre-School Wantage, GoodCamel Pre-School, GoodThe Wantage Nursery & Preschool
  • Outstanding1
  • Good5
  • Not graded yet5
Before you apply

Apply through the council where you live

Your home council handles your application, wherever the school is. Living nearby doesn't guarantee a place: each school's admission rules decide.

Postcodes

Browse Wantage by postcode

Some areas, like parts of a bigger town, are easiest to find by postcode.

Wantage vs England

How good are Wantage's schools?

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 Wantage

WantageEngland

  • Primaries rated Good or Outstanding

    Latest Ofsted grade, 3 primaries with one.

    100%

    England 96%

    Close to England

  • Met the expected standard at 11

    Reading, writing and maths.

    64%

    England 62%

    Close to England

  • Grade 5 or above in English and maths

    At GCSE.

    44%

  • Pupils who miss a lot of school

    Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.

    23%

    England 18%

    Worse than England

  • Primary pupils on free school meals

    A sign of family income, not of school quality.

    17%

Ofsted grades

Latest graded inspection for the 4 schools that have one.

100%

Good or Outstanding

  • Outstanding1
  • Good3
  • Requires improvement0
  • Inadequate0

How it has changed

Wantage in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.

Met the expected standard at 11
Covid gap40%60%80%20182019202320242025
64% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
Covid gap30%45%60%2018201920222023202420252026
44% in 2026.
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Covid gap0%15%30%20142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
23% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here

What it's like for families

Wantage has 11 schools and nurseries.

There are 11% more pupils than in 2018.

17% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.

Pupil numbers

Pupils in Wantage's state schools each January.

Up 11% 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.

Wantage17%

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 Wantage

Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.

Questions

Questions parents ask about Wantage

How many schools are in Wantage?

Wantage has 11 schools, including 6 primary schools, 2 secondary schools, 4 nurseries, 1 independent school, 2 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 Wantage?

The highest-ranked schools in Wantage on Eduscope are Wantage Primary Academy, Wantage Church of England Primary School, Charlton 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 Wantage are rated Good or Outstanding?

100% of inspected schools in Wantage hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 1 school rated Outstanding and 3 rated Good.

How do primary schools in Wantage perform at Key Stage 2?

Across primary schools in Wantage, 64% 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 Wantage?

The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Wantage is 17.6:1. 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 Wantage schools?

The persistent absence rate across schools in Wantage is 23.0%. 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 Wantage?

There are 3,238 pupils enrolled across schools in Wantage, with 1,404 in primary and 1,834 in secondary. 16.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.

How many private schools are in Wantage?

There is 1 independent school in Wantage, a special school for children with special educational needs, where councils usually pay the fees. You can compare it on Eduscope, including inspection reports where available.

How do I choose the right school in Wantage?

Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 11 schools in Wantage 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.

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