Best Secondary Schools in Oxfordshire 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 39 schools across Oxfordshire. Updated with 2025–26 data.

How many schools?
39
Open secondary schools in Oxfordshire
Closed schools excluded
Inspection picture
36 Good or better
of 38 with a historic Ofsted grade
Historic single-word grades · pre-Nov-2025
How is this list ordered?
SNM score
Gillotts School currently leads
Methodology

Oxfordshire has 39 open secondary schools. Of the 38 with a published Ofsted inspection, 4 (11%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 95% 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, Gillotts 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 Oxfordshire 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.

All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score Profile
1. Gillotts School
Secondary
 Outstanding 82 View school
2. The Cherwell School
Secondary
 Outstanding 81 View school
3. Didcot Girls' School
Secondary
 Outstanding 78 View school
4. Langtree School
Secondary
 Good 74 View school
5. Bartholomew School
Secondary
 Outstanding 72 View school
6. The Swan School
Secondary
 Good 68 View school
7. The Marlborough Church of England School
Secondary
 Good 66 View school
8. Wheatley Park School
Secondary
 Good 61 View school
9. Matthew Arnold School
Secondary
 Good 60 View school
10. Icknield Community College
Secondary
 Good 60 View school
11. Blessed George Napier Catholic School and Sixth Form
Secondary
 Good 59 View school
12. Wallingford School
Secondary
 Good 58 View school
13. Burford School
Secondary
 Good 56 View school
14. Chipping Norton School
Secondary
 Good 55 View school
15. The Bicester School
Secondary
 Good 54 View school
16. Cheney School
Secondary
 Good 52 View school
17. Whitelands Academy
Secondary
 Good 52 View school
18. Fitzharrys School
Secondary
 Good 51 View school
19. Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge
Secondary
 Good 51 View school
20. St Birinus School
Secondary
 Good 51 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 Oxfordshire

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

Nearby areas

Schools in West BerkshireCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in SwindonCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in BuckinghamshireCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in ReadingCompare neighbouring authority

See full data for any school in Oxfordshire

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 Oxfordshire?
There are 39 open secondary schools in Oxfordshire (closed schools are excluded). 4 of the 38 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 Oxfordshire?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked secondary school in Oxfordshire is Gillotts 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 Oxfordshire?
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 Oxfordshire?
Primary and secondary applications in Oxfordshire 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 Oxfordshire 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.