Best Secondary Schools in Southampton 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 12 schools across Southampton. Updated with 2025–26 data.

How many schools?
12
Open secondary schools in Southampton
Closed schools excluded
Inspection picture
8 Good or better
of 11 with a historic Ofsted grade
Historic single-word grades · pre-Nov-2025
How is this list ordered?
SNM score
Saint George Catholic Voluntary Aided College Southampton currently leads
Methodology

Southampton has 12 open secondary schools. Of the 11 with a published Ofsted inspection, 3 (27%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 73% 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, Saint George Catholic Voluntary Aided College Southampton 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 Southampton 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. Saint George Catholic Voluntary Aided College Southampton
Secondary
 Outstanding 87 View school
2. St Anne's Catholic School
Secondary
 Outstanding 81 View school
3. Cantell School
Secondary
 Outstanding 69 View school
4. Upper Shirley High School
Secondary
 Good 57 View school
5. Bitterne Park School
Secondary
 Good 52 View school
6. Redbridge Community School
Secondary
 Good 38 View school
7. Woodlands Community College
Secondary
 Good 36 View school
8. Oasis Academy Mayfield
Secondary
 Good 35 View school
9. Oasis Academy Sholing
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 27 View school
10. Weston Secondary School
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 25 View school
11. Oasis Academy Lord's Hill
Secondary
 Inadequate 15 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 Southampton

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

Nearby areas

Schools in HampshireCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in PortsmouthCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in Isle of WightCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and PooleCompare neighbouring authority

See full data for any school in Southampton

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 Southampton?
There are 12 open secondary schools in Southampton (closed schools are excluded). 3 of the 11 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 Southampton?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked secondary school in Southampton is Saint George Catholic Voluntary Aided College Southampton. The full ranked table above lists the top 11 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 Southampton?
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 Southampton?
Primary and secondary applications in Southampton 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 Southampton 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.