Best Secondary Schools in Somerset 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 28 schools across Somerset. Updated with 2025–26 data.

How many schools?
28
Open secondary schools in Somerset
Closed schools excluded
Inspection picture
19 Good or better
of 28 with a historic Ofsted grade
Historic single-word grades · pre-Nov-2025
How is this list ordered?
SNM score
The Castle School currently leads
Methodology

Somerset has 28 open secondary schools. Of the 28 with a published Ofsted inspection, 1 (4%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 68% 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 Castle 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 Somerset 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. The Castle School
Secondary
 Outstanding 72 View school
2. Sexey's School
Secondary
 Good 61 View school
3. Huish Episcopi Academy
Secondary
 Inadequate 56 View school
4. Brymore Academy
Secondary
 Good 56 View school
5. Bishop Fox's School
Secondary
 Good 55 View school
6. Buckler's Mead School
Secondary
 Good 54 View school
7. Preston School Academy
Secondary
 Good 53 View school
8. The Kings of Wessex Academy
Secondary
 Good 53 View school
9. Westfield Academy
Secondary
 Good 52 View school
10. Haygrove School
Secondary
 Good 51 View school
11. The Blue School
Secondary
 Good 51 View school
12. Court Fields School
Secondary
 Good 51 View school
13. Stanchester Academy
Secondary
 Good 50 View school
14. St Dunstan's School
Secondary
 Good 48 View school
15. Wadham School
Secondary
 Good 48 View school
16. Whitstone
Secondary
 Good 47 View school
17. Crispin School Academy
Secondary
 Good 46 View school
18. Holyrood Academy
Secondary
 Good 46 View school
19. The King Alfred School an Academy
Secondary
 Good 42 View school
20. King Arthur's School
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 42 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 Somerset

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

Nearby areas

Schools in North SomersetCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in Bath and North East SomersetCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in Bristol, City ofCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in Vale of GlamorganCompare neighbouring authority

See full data for any school in Somerset

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 Somerset?
There are 28 open secondary schools in Somerset (closed schools are excluded). 1 of the 28 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 Somerset?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked secondary school in Somerset is The Castle 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 Somerset?
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 Somerset?
Primary and secondary applications in Somerset 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 Somerset 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.