Best Secondary Schools in Nottingham 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 18 schools across Nottingham. Updated with 2025–26 data.

Nottingham has 18 open secondary schools. Of the 18 with a published Ofsted inspection, 3 (17%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 89% 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, Bluecoat Trent Academy 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 Nottingham 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.

18
Total schools
3
Outstanding (historic grade)
17%
of inspected schools (pre-Nov-2025)
61.6%
Avg KS2 SATs
38
Avg GCSE A8
All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score
🥇 Bluecoat Trent Academy
Secondary
 Good 80 View school
🥈 Fernwood School
Secondary
 Outstanding 77 View school
🥉 The Trinity Catholic School A Voluntary Academy
Secondary
 Good 72 View school
4. Bluecoat Wollaton Academy
Secondary
 Outstanding 72 View school
5. Nottingham Girls' Academy
Secondary
 Outstanding 70 View school
6. Nottingham Free School
Secondary
 Good 67 View school
7. Nottingham University Academy of Science and Technology
Secondary
 Good 66 View school
8. Bluecoat Aspley Academy
Secondary
 Good 63 View school
9. Park Vale Academy
Secondary
 Good 56 View school
10. The Oakwood Academy
Secondary
 Good 54 View school
11. Nottingham University Samworth Academy
Secondary
 Good 53 View school
12. Farnborough Spencer Academy
Secondary
 Good 51 View school
13. Ellis Guilford School
Secondary
 Good 49 View school
14. The Wells Academy
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 46 View school
15. Bluecoat Beechdale Academy
Secondary
 Good 45 View school
16. The Nottingham Emmanuel School
Secondary
 Good 43 View school
17. The Bulwell Academy
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 38 View school
18. Djanogly City Academy
Secondary
 Good 35 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 Nottingham

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

Nearby areas

Schools in NottinghamshireCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in DerbyCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in DerbyshireCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in LeicestershireCompare neighbouring authority

See full data for any school in Nottingham

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 Nottingham?
There are 18 open secondary schools in Nottingham (closed schools are excluded). 3 of the 18 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 Nottingham?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked secondary school in Nottingham is Bluecoat Trent Academy. The full ranked table above lists the top 18 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 Nottingham?
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 Nottingham?
Primary and secondary applications in Nottingham 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 Nottingham 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.