Best Primary Schools in Leicester 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 82 schools across Leicester. Updated with 2025–26 data.

Leicester has 82 open primary schools. Of the 81 with a published Ofsted inspection, 7 (9%) 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, Catherine Infant 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 Leicester 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.

82
Total schools
7
Outstanding (historic grade)
9%
of inspected schools (pre-Nov-2025)
61.1%
Avg KS2 SATs
46.3
Avg GCSE A8
All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score
🥇 Catherine Infant School
Primary
 Outstanding 95 View school
🥈 Humberstone Junior School
Primary
 Outstanding 88 View school
🥉 St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy
Primary
 Good 84 View school
4. Queensmead Primary Academy
Primary
 Good 84 View school
5. Abbey Mead Primary Academy
Primary
 Outstanding 83 View school
6. Caldecote Community Primary School
Primary
 Good 81 View school
7. Imperial Avenue Infant School
Primary
 Good 80 View school
8. Merrydale Infant School
Primary
 Good 80 View school
9. Humberstone Infant Academy
Primary
 Good 80 View school
10. Green Lane Infant School
Primary
 Good 80 View school
11. Uplands Infant School
Primary
 Good 80 View school
12. Beaumont Lodge Primary School
Primary
 Good 80 View school
13. Kestrel Mead Primary Academy
Primary
 Good 80 View school
14. Evington Valley Primary School
Primary
 Good 79 View school
15. Rowlatts Mead Primary Academy
Primary
 Good 78 View school
16. Linden Primary School
Primary
 Good 78 View school
17. Braunstone Community Primary School
Primary
 Good 78 View school
18. Krishna Avanti Primary School
Primary
 Good 77 View school
19. Willowbrook Mead Primary Academy
Primary
 Good 77 View school
20. Uplands Junior L.E.A.D. Academy
Primary
 Good 76 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 Leicester

Best primary schools in LeicesterTop-ranked Reception–Year 6 Best secondary schools in LeicesterTop-ranked Year 7 onwards All schools in LeicesterPrimary & secondary combined Secondary schools in LeicesterYear 7 onwards How the Schools Near Me score worksOur ranking methodology, explained

Nearby areas

Schools in LeicestershireCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in RutlandCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in CoventryCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in NottinghamCompare neighbouring authority

See full data for any school in Leicester

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

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Frequently asked questions

How many primary schools are there in Leicester?
There are 82 open primary schools in Leicester (closed schools are excluded). 7 of the 81 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 schools in Leicester?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked primary school in Leicester is Catherine Infant 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 Leicester?
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 Leicester?
Primary and secondary applications in Leicester 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 Leicester 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.