Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 508 schools across Birmingham. Updated with 2025–26 data.
Birmingham has 508 open primary & secondary schools. Of the 485 with a published Ofsted inspection, 82 (17%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 90% held Good or Outstanding — these are the last single-word grades from before Ofsted retired them on 10 November 2025 (how we treat Ofsted data). On our composite Schools Near Me score, St Paul's School for Girls currently leads the local rankings. Closed schools are excluded from every list on this page.
Use the ranked table below to compare schools side by side, then open any school for the full picture. Application deadlines in Birmingham follow the national calendar: 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively.
Frequently asked questions
How many primary & secondary schools are there in Birmingham?
There are 508 open primary & secondary schools in Birmingham (closed schools are excluded). 82 of the 485 with a published inspection held a historic Ofsted grade of Outstanding (the last single-word grade before single-word grades were retired on 10 November 2025).
What are the best-rated primary & secondary schools in Birmingham?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked primary & secondary school in Birmingham is St Paul's School for Girls. The full ranked table above lists the top 20 schools with their score and last historic Ofsted grade. We never list closed schools.
How is the Schools Near Me score calculated?
The Schools Near Me score is a 0–100 composite combining the school's last historic Ofsted grade, published exam and assessment results, attendance and pupil–teacher ratio. It is not an Ofsted rating. Full methodology: https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#score
Are Ofsted single-word grades still current in Birmingham?
No. Ofsted retired single-word overall grades (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate) on 10 November 2025 and replaced them with report cards. Any single-word grade shown on this page is the school's last historic grade from before that date and is not comparable to the new report cards. See https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#ofsted
How do I apply for a school place in Birmingham?
Primary and secondary applications in Birmingham are coordinated by the local authority on the national timetable: apply by 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and by 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively. Check the Birmingham council website for local forms and any in-year rules.
What is the top-ranked primary school in Birmingham?
On the Schools Near Me score, the highest-ranked open primary school in Birmingham is St Matthew's CofE Primary School. The "Top primary schools in Birmingham" list on this page shows the leading 8 primary schools with their score and last historic Ofsted grade (pre-Nov-2025). Closed schools are never included.
What is the top-ranked secondary school in Birmingham?
On the Schools Near Me score, the highest-ranked open secondary school in Birmingham is St Paul's School for Girls. See the "Top secondary schools in Birmingham" list on this page for the leading 8 secondary schools, each with its score and last historic single-word Ofsted grade (from before Ofsted retired single-word grades on 10 November 2025).
Is Birmingham a good place to find a school?
Birmingham is one of England's largest urban authorities, with 508 open primary & secondary schools to choose from, 82 of them holding a historic Ofsted grade of Outstanding (the last single-word grade before those grades were retired on 10 November 2025). Because choice is wide, compare schools on the ranked tables above and open any school for catchment areas, results trends and more. See how we score schools: https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#score
Data sourced from Ofsted, Department for Education, and ISI. School rankings reflect the Schools Near Me composite score combining Ofsted ratings, exam results, attendance, and pupil-teacher ratios. Last updated April 2026.