Best schools in South West (2025)
The top five of 2,350 schools in each category, with links to the full top 100. Rankings use the Success Index (England), built only from official English data.
South West has 2,350 schools educating 779,808 students in 2025: 1,574 academy, 646 local authority, 130 independent.
The median Pupils on roll across South West is 207. Number of pupils in the latest school census.
Browse every school in South West →
Best primary schools in South West
Primary, infant, junior and all-through schools teaching Key Stages 1 and 2.
Marwood School
Barnstaple · Academy primary · Ages 4–11
72 students
Freshford Church School
Bath · Academy primary · Ages 4–11
159 students
Bromley Heath Infant School
Bristol · Local authority primary · Ages 4–7
181 students
West Leigh Infant School
Bristol · Academy primary · Ages 5–7
135 students
Springdale First School
Broadstone · Academy primary · Ages 5–9
300 students
Best secondary schools in South West
Secondary and all-through schools teaching Key Stages 3 and 4.
Pate's Grammar School
Cheltenham · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,288 students
Cheltenham Ladies' College
Cheltenham · Independent secondary · Ages 11–18
814 students
Colyton Grammar School
Colyton · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,083 students
Sir Thomas Rich's School
Gloucester · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,240 students
Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School
Salisbury · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,193 students
Best state schools in South West
Academies, free schools and local-authority maintained schools.
Marwood School
Barnstaple · Academy primary · Ages 4–11
72 students
Freshford Church School
Bath · Academy primary · Ages 4–11
159 students
Bromley Heath Infant School
Bristol · Local authority primary · Ages 4–7
181 students
Pate's Grammar School
Cheltenham · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,288 students
West Leigh Infant School
Bristol · Academy primary · Ages 5–7
135 students
Best academies & free schools in South West
State-funded schools run by academy trusts.
Marwood School
Barnstaple · Academy primary · Ages 4–11
72 students
Freshford Church School
Bath · Academy primary · Ages 4–11
159 students
Pate's Grammar School
Cheltenham · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,288 students
West Leigh Infant School
Bristol · Academy primary · Ages 5–7
135 students
Springdale First School
Broadstone · Academy primary · Ages 5–9
300 students
Best independent schools in South West
Fee-paying schools, scored only where they publish results in the performance tables.
Cheltenham Ladies' College
Cheltenham · Independent secondary · Ages 11–18
814 students
The Maynard School
Exeter · Independent all-through · Ages 4–19
410 students
Talbot Heath School
Bournemouth · Independent all-through · Ages 2–19
427 students
Queen's College
Taunton · Independent all-through · Ages 3–19
613 students
West Buckland School
Barnstaple · Independent all-through · Ages 3–18
499 students
Best grammar schools in South West
State schools with selective admissions.
Pate's Grammar School
Cheltenham · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,288 students
Cheltenham Ladies' College
Cheltenham · Independent secondary · Ages 11–18
814 students
Colyton Grammar School
Colyton · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,083 students
Sir Thomas Rich's School
Gloucester · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,240 students
Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School
Salisbury · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,193 students
Best girls' schools in South West
Single-sex girls' schools.
Cheltenham Ladies' College
Cheltenham · Independent secondary · Ages 11–18
814 students
Stroud High School
Stroud · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,144 students
South Wilts Grammar School
Salisbury · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,200 students
Parkstone Grammar School
Poole · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,241 students
Torquay Girls' Grammar School
Torquay · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,058 students
Best boys' schools in South West
Single-sex boys' schools.
Sir Thomas Rich's School
Gloucester · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,240 students
Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School
Salisbury · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,193 students
Bournemouth School
Bournemouth · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,320 students
Poole Grammar School
Poole · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,224 students
Marling School
Stroud · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,082 students
Best secondary schools by attainment 8 in South West
Secondary schools ranked by Attainment 8, the average GCSE points per pupil across eight subjects.
Pate's Grammar School
Cheltenham · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,288 students
Colyton Grammar School
Colyton · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,083 students
Cheltenham Ladies' College
Cheltenham · Independent secondary · Ages 11–18
814 students
Sir Thomas Rich's School
Gloucester · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,240 students
South Wilts Grammar School
Salisbury · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,200 students
Best primary schools by ks2 results in South West
Primary schools ranked by the percentage of Year 6 pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.
Christow Primary School
Exeter · Academy primary · Ages 2–11
100 students
Trythall Community Primary School
Penzance · Local authority primary · Ages 2–11
72 students
Coaley Church of England Primary Academy
Dursley · Academy primary · Ages 4–11
86 students
Stoke St Gregory Church of England Primary School
Taunton · Academy primary · Ages 4–11
57 students
Meysey Hampton Church of England Primary School
Cirencester · Local authority primary · Ages 4–11
109 students
Best sixth forms by a level results in South West
Schools ranked by average A level points per entry.
Pate's Grammar School
Cheltenham · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,288 students
Redmaids' High School
Bristol · Independent all-through · Ages 6–19
789 students
Cheltenham Ladies' College
Cheltenham · Independent secondary · Ages 11–18
814 students
The Maynard School
Exeter · Independent all-through · Ages 4–19
410 students
Colyton Grammar School
Colyton · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,083 students
Best largest schools in South West
Schools with the most pupils on roll.
Ivybridge Community College
Ivybridge · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
2,262 students
Exmouth Community College
Exmouth · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
2,031 students
Gordano School
Bristol · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
2,029 students
The Thomas Hardye School
Dorchester · Academy secondary · Ages 13–18
2,014 students
St Peter's Catholic Comprehensive School
Bournemouth · Academy all-through · Ages 4–18
1,967 students
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best primary school in South West?
Marwood School in Barnstaple ranks first among primary schools in South West with a Success Index (England) of 99.5 out of 100 (Pupils on roll: 72).
How are primary schools in South West 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.