Best schools in East Midlands (2025)
The top five of 2,037 schools in each category, with links to the full top 100. Rankings use the Success Index (England), built only from official English data.
East Midlands has 2,037 schools educating 729,198 students in 2025: 1,210 academy, 742 local authority, 85 independent.
The median Pupils on roll across East Midlands is 231. Number of pupils in the latest school census.
Browse every school in East Midlands →
Best primary schools in East Midlands
Primary, infant, junior and all-through schools teaching Key Stages 1 and 2.
Woodthorpe Infant School
Nottingham · Local authority primary · Ages 4–7
175 students
Swithland St Leonard's Church of England Primary School
Loughborough · Local authority primary · Ages 4–11
90 students
Kinoulton Primary School
Nottingham · Academy primary · Ages 3–11
141 students
Hartwell Primary School
Northampton · Academy primary · Ages 4–11
200 students
West Bridgford Infant School
Nottingham · Local authority primary · Ages 4–7
240 students
Best secondary schools in East Midlands
Secondary and all-through schools teaching Key Stages 3 and 4.
The King's School, Grantham
Grantham · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,221 students
Nottingham Girls' High School GDST
Nottingham · Independent all-through · Ages 3–19
625 students
Bourne Grammar School
Bourne · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,718 students
Caistor Grammar School
Market Rasen · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
690 students
Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School
Grantham · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,238 students
Best state schools in East Midlands
Academies, free schools and local-authority maintained schools.
Woodthorpe Infant School
Nottingham · Local authority primary · Ages 4–7
175 students
Swithland St Leonard's Church of England Primary School
Loughborough · Local authority primary · Ages 4–11
90 students
Kinoulton Primary School
Nottingham · Academy primary · Ages 3–11
141 students
Hartwell Primary School
Northampton · Academy primary · Ages 4–11
200 students
West Bridgford Infant School
Nottingham · Local authority primary · Ages 4–7
240 students
Best academies & free schools in East Midlands
State-funded schools run by academy trusts.
Kinoulton Primary School
Nottingham · Academy primary · Ages 3–11
141 students
Hartwell Primary School
Northampton · Academy primary · Ages 4–11
200 students
St Michael & All Angels Church of England Primary School
Leicester · Academy primary · Ages 5–11
72 students
Muskham Primary School
Newark · Academy primary · Ages 3–11
139 students
The Pastures Primary School
Leicester · Academy primary · Ages 4–11
330 students
Best independent schools in East Midlands
Fee-paying schools, scored only where they publish results in the performance tables.
Nottingham Girls' High School GDST
Nottingham · Independent all-through · Ages 3–19
625 students
Al-Aqsa Schools Trust
Leicester · Independent all-through · Ages 3–16
297 students
Darul Uloom Leicester
Leicester · Independent secondary · Ages 11–23
142 students
Twycross House School
Atherstone · Independent all-through · Ages 3–18
383 students
Derby High School
Derby · Independent all-through · Ages 3–19
679 students
Best grammar schools in East Midlands
State schools with selective admissions.
The King's School, Grantham
Grantham · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,221 students
Nottingham Girls' High School GDST
Nottingham · Independent all-through · Ages 3–19
625 students
Bourne Grammar School
Bourne · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,718 students
Caistor Grammar School
Market Rasen · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
690 students
Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School
Grantham · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,238 students
Best girls' schools in East Midlands
Single-sex girls' schools.
Nottingham Girls' High School GDST
Nottingham · Independent all-through · Ages 3–19
625 students
Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School
Grantham · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,238 students
Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy
Sleaford · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
747 students
Spalding High School
Spalding · Local authority secondary · Ages 11–18
970 students
Jameah Academy
Leicester · Independent all-through · Ages 5–16
217 students
Best boys' schools in East Midlands
Single-sex boys' schools.
The King's School, Grantham
Grantham · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,221 students
Darul Uloom Leicester
Leicester · Independent secondary · Ages 11–23
142 students
Northampton School for Boys
Northampton · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,756 students
Spalding Grammar School
Spalding · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,023 students
Madani Boys School
Leicester · Local authority secondary · Ages 11–16
450 students
Best secondary schools by attainment 8 in East Midlands
Secondary schools ranked by Attainment 8, the average GCSE points per pupil across eight subjects.
The King's School, Grantham
Grantham · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,221 students
Nottingham Girls' High School GDST
Nottingham · Independent all-through · Ages 3–19
625 students
Caistor Grammar School
Market Rasen · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
690 students
Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School
Grantham · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,238 students
Bourne Grammar School
Bourne · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,718 students
Best primary schools by ks2 results in East Midlands
Primary schools ranked by the percentage of Year 6 pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.
The Minster School
Southwell · Academy secondary · Ages 7–18
1,616 students
Swithland St Leonard's Church of England Primary School
Loughborough · Local authority primary · Ages 4–11
90 students
Tugby Church of England Primary School
Leicester · Academy primary · Ages 4–11
50 students
Redhill Primary School
Derby · Academy primary · Ages 5–11
215 students
Bunny CofE Primary and Nursery School
Nottingham · Local authority primary · Ages 3–11
104 students
Best sixth forms by a level results in East Midlands
Schools ranked by average A level points per entry.
Nottingham High School
Nottingham · Independent all-through · Ages 3–19
1,178 students
Loughborough High School
Loughborough · Independent secondary · Ages 11–19
564 students
Leicester Grammar School Trust
Leicester · Independent all-through · Ages 3–19
1,265 students
Oundle School
Northamptonshire · Independent all-through · Ages 10–19
1,163 students
Uppingham School
Rutland · Independent secondary · Ages 11–18
819 students
Best largest schools in East Midlands
Schools with the most pupils on roll.
Ashfield Comprehensive School
Nottingham · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
2,601 students
Beauchamp College
Leicester · Academy secondary · Ages 11–19
2,309 students
St George's Academy
Sleaford · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
2,281 students
The Duston School
Northampton · Academy all-through · Ages 4–18
2,064 students
Caroline Chisholm School
Northampton · Academy all-through · Ages 4–18
2,049 students
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best primary school in East Midlands?
Woodthorpe Infant School in Nottingham ranks first among primary schools in East Midlands with a Success Index (England) of 99.4 out of 100 (Pupils on roll: 175).
How are primary schools in East Midlands ranked?
Each school's Success Index (England) combines 9 factors: ks2: reading, writing & maths expected standard (35%), ks2: higher standard (20%), ks2: reading progress (10%), ks2: maths progress (10%), progress 8 (20%), attainment 8 (30%), grade 5+ in english & maths (15%), a level points per entry (10%), community advantage (fewer pupils on free school meals) (15%). Each factor is a percentile against schools of the same type across England. Schools with fewer than 60 students are excluded from rankings.
Are these 2025 rankings official?
No. They are computed by Success Tutoring from official English data (DfE – Get Information About Schools; DfE – Compare school and college performance). Independent schools rarely appear in the performance tables, so most receive no attainment components and no score.