Best Secondary Schools in Cheshire East 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 23 schools across Cheshire East. Updated with 2025–26 data.

Cheshire East has 23 open secondary schools. Of the 23 with a published Ofsted inspection, 1 (4%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 91% 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, Sandbach High School and Sixth Form College 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 Cheshire East 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.

23
Total schools
1
Outstanding (historic grade)
4%
of inspected schools (pre-Nov-2025)
65.4%
Avg KS2 SATs
37.7
Avg GCSE A8
All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score
🥇 Sandbach High School and Sixth Form College
Secondary
 Good 72 View school
🥈 Knutsford Academy
Secondary
 Good 71 View school
🥉 The Fallibroome Academy
Secondary
 Good 69 View school
4. Poynton High School
Secondary
 Good 69 View school
5. Alsager School
Secondary
 Good 67 View school
6. Wilmslow High School
Secondary
 Good 67 View school
7. Tytherington School
Secondary
 Good 65 View school
8. Brine Leas School
Secondary
 Good 65 View school
9. Holmes Chapel Comprehensive School
Secondary
 Good 63 View school
10. Shavington Academy
Secondary
 Good 62 View school
11. Congleton High School
Secondary
 Good 59 View school
12. Middlewich High School
Secondary
 Good 54 View school
13. Malbank School and Sixth Form College
Secondary
 Good 50 View school
14. Ruskin Community High School
Secondary
 Good 50 View school
15. All Hallows Catholic College
Secondary
 Outstanding 49 View school
16. Sandbach School
Secondary
 Good 48 View school
17. St Thomas More Catholic High School
Secondary
 Good 47 View school
18. The Oaks Academy
Secondary
 Good 47 View school
19. Eaton Bank Academy
Secondary
 Good 46 View school
20. The Macclesfield Academy
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 46 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 Cheshire East

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

Nearby areas

Schools in Stoke-on-TrentCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in StockportCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in TraffordCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in WarringtonCompare neighbouring authority

See full data for any school in Cheshire East

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 Cheshire East?
There are 23 open secondary schools in Cheshire East (closed schools are excluded). 1 of the 23 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 Cheshire East?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked secondary school in Cheshire East is Sandbach High School and Sixth Form College. 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 Cheshire East?
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 Cheshire East?
Primary and secondary applications in Cheshire East 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 Cheshire East 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.