Best Secondary Schools in Buckinghamshire 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 35 schools across Buckinghamshire. Updated with 2025–26 data.

How many schools?
35
Open secondary schools in Buckinghamshire
Closed schools excluded
Inspection picture
30 Good or better
of 34 with a historic Ofsted grade
Historic single-word grades · pre-Nov-2025
How is this list ordered?
SNM score
Dr Challoner's Grammar School currently leads
Methodology

Buckinghamshire has 35 open secondary schools. Of the 34 with a published Ofsted inspection, 11 (32%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 88% 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, Dr Challoner's Grammar School 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 Buckinghamshire 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.

All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score Profile
1. Dr Challoner's Grammar School
Secondary
 Outstanding 89 View school
2. Wycombe High School
Secondary
 Outstanding 89 View school
3. Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School
Secondary
 Outstanding 89 View school
4. Beaconsfield High School
Secondary
 Outstanding 88 View school
5. Chesham Grammar School
Secondary
 Outstanding 87 View school
6. Dr Challoner's High School
Secondary
 Outstanding 87 View school
7. Aylesbury Grammar School
Secondary
 Outstanding 86 View school
8. Sir William Borlase's Grammar School
Secondary
 Outstanding 86 View school
9. Aylesbury High School
Secondary
 Outstanding 86 View school
10. John Hampden Grammar School
Secondary
 Outstanding 85 View school
11. The Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe
Secondary
 Good 81 View school
12. Royal Latin School
Secondary
 Good 80 View school
13. Burnham Grammar School
Secondary
 Good 78 View school
14. Cressex Community School
Secondary
 Good 62 View school
15. Great Marlow School
Secondary
 Good 59 View school
16. Waddesdon Church of England School
Secondary
 Outstanding 58 View school
17. Amersham School
Secondary
 Good 55 View school
18. John Colet School
Secondary
 Good 54 View school
19. Holmer Green Senior School
Secondary
 Good 52 View school
20. The Misbourne School
Secondary
 Good 50 View school

Ranked by the Schools Near Me score. Ofsted grades shown are each school's last single-word grade from before 10 November 2025, when Ofsted retired single-word overall judgements — they are historic and not comparable to the new report cards. How we use Ofsted data. Closed schools are excluded.

Related lists for Buckinghamshire

Best primary schools in BuckinghamshireTop-ranked Reception–Year 6 Best secondary schools in BuckinghamshireTop-ranked Year 7 onwards All schools in BuckinghamshirePrimary & secondary combined Primary schools in BuckinghamshireReception–Year 6 only How the Schools Near Me score worksOur ranking methodology, explained

Nearby areas

Schools in SloughCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in Windsor and MaidenheadCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in HillingdonCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in LutonCompare neighbouring authority

See full data for any school in Buckinghamshire

Catchment distances, exam trends, SEN data, attendance, and more — all in one place.

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Frequently asked questions

How many secondary schools are there in Buckinghamshire?
There are 35 open secondary schools in Buckinghamshire (closed schools are excluded). 11 of the 34 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 secondary schools in Buckinghamshire?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked secondary school in Buckinghamshire is Dr Challoner's Grammar School. 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 Buckinghamshire?
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 Buckinghamshire?
Primary and secondary applications in Buckinghamshire 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 Buckinghamshire council website for local forms and any in-year rules.

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.