Best Secondary Schools in Nottinghamshire 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 43 schools across Nottinghamshire. Updated with 2025–26 data.

Nottinghamshire has 43 open secondary schools. Of the 43 with a published Ofsted inspection, 4 (9%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 84% 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, The West Bridgford 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 Nottinghamshire 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.

43
Total schools
4
Outstanding (historic grade)
9%
of inspected schools (pre-Nov-2025)
63.7%
Avg KS2 SATs
41
Avg GCSE A8
All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score
🥇 The West Bridgford School
Secondary
 Outstanding 89 View school
🥈 The Becket School
Secondary
 Good 74 View school
🥉 Redhill Academy
Secondary
 Outstanding 73 View school
4. Toot Hill School
Secondary
 Good 72 View school
5. Alderman White School
Secondary
 Good 69 View school
6. South Nottinghamshire Academy
Secondary
 Good 67 View school
7. All Saints' Catholic Voluntary Academy
Secondary
 Good 67 View school
8. George Spencer Academy
Secondary
 Good 67 View school
9. Bramcote College
Secondary
 Good 67 View school
10. The Newark Academy
Secondary
 Good 67 View school
11. The Kimberley School
Secondary
 Good 66 View school
12. Chilwell School
Secondary
 Good 65 View school
13. Outwood Academy Valley
Secondary
 Good 65 View school
14. Christ The King Voluntary Academy
Secondary
 Good 64 View school
15. Ashfield Comprehensive School
Secondary
 Good 62 View school
16. Colonel Frank Seely Academy
Secondary
 Good 62 View school
17. The Suthers School
Secondary
 Good 60 View school
18. Rushcliffe Spencer Academy
Secondary
 Outstanding 60 View school
19. Tuxford Academy
Secondary
 Good 60 View school
20. Carlton Academy
Secondary
 Good 59 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 Nottinghamshire

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

Nearby areas

Schools in NottinghamCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in DerbyshireCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in DerbyCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in RotherhamCompare neighbouring authority

See full data for any school in Nottinghamshire

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 Nottinghamshire?
There are 43 open secondary schools in Nottinghamshire (closed schools are excluded). 4 of the 43 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 Nottinghamshire?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked secondary school in Nottinghamshire is The West Bridgford 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 Nottinghamshire?
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 Nottinghamshire?
Primary and secondary applications in Nottinghamshire 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 Nottinghamshire 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.