Best Primary & Secondary Schools in Liverpool 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 188 schools across Liverpool. Updated with 2025–26 data.

Liverpool has 188 open primary & secondary schools. Of the 175 with a published Ofsted inspection, 34 (19%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 87% 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, University of Liverpool Mathematics 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 Liverpool 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.

188
Total schools
34
Outstanding (historic grade)
19%
of inspected schools (pre-Nov-2025)
58%
Avg KS2 SATs
35.4
Avg GCSE A8
All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score Profile
1. University of Liverpool Mathematics School
16 plus
 — 100 View school
2. Whitefield Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 88 View school
3. The Blue Coat School
Secondary
 Good 82 View school
4. Booker Avenue Infant School
Primary
 Outstanding 82 View school
5. The Belvedere Academy
Secondary
 Outstanding 80 View school
6. Runnymede St Edward's Catholic Primary School
Primary
 Good 80 View school
7. Garston Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Good 80 View school
8. Woolton Primary School
Primary
 Good 77 View school
9. St Patrick's Catholic Primary School
Primary
 Good 77 View school
10. St Anthony of Padua Catholic Primary School
Primary
 Good 77 View school
11. St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary and Nursery School
Primary
 Good 74 View school
12. Barlows Primary School
Primary
 Good 73 View school
13. King David High School
Secondary
 Good 73 View school
14. Bishop Martin Church of England Primary School, Woolton
Primary
 Good 72 View school
15. Emmaus Church of England and Catholic Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 72 View school
16. The Beacon Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 72 View school
17. Mosspits Lane Primary School
Primary
 Good 71 View school
18. Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School and Nursery
Primary
 Good 71 View school
19. Pleasant Street Primary School
Primary
 Good 71 View school
20. St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery
Primary
 Outstanding 71 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.

Top primary & secondary schools in Liverpool

Split by phase and ranked by the Schools Near Me score. Ofsted labels are each school's last single-word grade from before 10 November 2025 (historic, not current). Closed schools are excluded.

Top primary schools in Liverpool

The leading 8 open primary schools by score.

  1. 1 Whitefield Primary School Outstanding 88
  2. 2 Booker Avenue Infant School Outstanding 82
  3. 3 Runnymede St Edward's Catholic Primary School Good 80
  4. 4 Garston Church of England Primary School Good 80
  5. 5 Woolton Primary School Good 77
  6. 6 St Patrick's Catholic Primary School Good 77
  7. 7 St Anthony of Padua Catholic Primary School Good 77
  8. 8 St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary and Nursery School Good 74

Top secondary schools in Liverpool

The leading 8 open secondary schools by score.

  1. 1 The Blue Coat School Good 82
  2. 2 The Belvedere Academy Outstanding 80
  3. 3 King David High School Good 73
  4. 4 Liverpool College Outstanding 70
  5. 5 St Hilda's Church of England High School Good 68
  6. 6 St Margaret's Church of England Academy Good 60
  7. 7 Calderstones School Good 60
  8. 8 St Julie's Catholic High School Good 60

Related lists for Liverpool

Best primary schools in LiverpoolTop-ranked Reception–Year 6 Best secondary schools in LiverpoolTop-ranked Year 7 onwards Primary schools in LiverpoolReception–Year 6 only Secondary schools in LiverpoolYear 7 onwards How the Schools Near Me score worksOur ranking methodology, explained

Nearby areas

Schools in KnowsleyCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in WirralCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in SeftonCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in St. HelensCompare neighbouring authority

See full data for any school in Liverpool

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

Search schools in Liverpool

Frequently asked questions

How many primary & secondary schools are there in Liverpool?
There are 188 open primary & secondary schools in Liverpool (closed schools are excluded). 34 of the 175 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 Liverpool?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked primary & secondary school in Liverpool is University of Liverpool Mathematics 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 Liverpool?
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 Liverpool?
Primary and secondary applications in Liverpool 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 Liverpool council website for local forms and any in-year rules.
What is the top-ranked primary school in Liverpool?
On the Schools Near Me score, the highest-ranked open primary school in Liverpool is Whitefield Primary School. The "Top primary schools in Liverpool" 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 Liverpool?
On the Schools Near Me score, the highest-ranked open secondary school in Liverpool is The Blue Coat School. See the "Top secondary schools in Liverpool" 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 Liverpool a good place to find a school?
Liverpool is one of England's largest urban authorities, with 188 open primary & secondary schools to choose from, 34 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.