Best Secondary Schools in Stoke-on-Trent 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 15 schools across Stoke-on-Trent. Updated with 2025–26 data.

Stoke-on-Trent has 15 open secondary schools. Of the 14 with a published Ofsted inspection, 1 (7%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 79% 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, St Joseph's College 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 Stoke-on-Trent 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.

15
Total schools
1
Outstanding (historic grade)
7%
of inspected schools (pre-Nov-2025)
61.3%
Avg KS2 SATs
30.4
Avg GCSE A8
All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score
🥇 St Joseph's College
Secondary
 Outstanding 66 View school
🥈 Thistley Hough Academy
Secondary
 Good 62 View school
🥉 Trentham Academy
Secondary
 Good 61 View school
4. St Thomas More Catholic Academy
Secondary
 Good 57 View school
5. St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy
Secondary
 Good 56 View school
6. Co-op Academy Stoke-On-Trent
Secondary
 Good 56 View school
7. Ormiston Sir Stanley Matthews Academy
Secondary
 Good 54 View school
8. Ormiston Meridian Academy
Secondary
 Good 53 View school
9. Co-op Academy Florence MacWilliams
Secondary
 — 50 View school
10. The Excel Academy
Secondary
 Good 49 View school
11. Ormiston Horizon Academy
Secondary
 Good 49 View school
12. Haywood Academy
Secondary
 Good 48 View school
13. Discovery Academy
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 39 View school
14. St Peter's CofE Academy
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 31 View school
15. Birches Head Academy
Secondary
 Inadequate 19 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 Stoke-on-Trent

Best primary schools in Stoke-on-TrentTop-ranked Reception–Year 6 Best secondary schools in Stoke-on-TrentTop-ranked Year 7 onwards All schools in Stoke-on-TrentPrimary & secondary combined Primary schools in Stoke-on-TrentReception–Year 6 only How the Schools Near Me score worksOur ranking methodology, explained

Nearby areas

Schools in Cheshire EastCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in StaffordshireCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in Telford and WrekinCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in StockportCompare neighbouring authority

See full data for any school in Stoke-on-Trent

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 Stoke-on-Trent?
There are 15 open secondary schools in Stoke-on-Trent (closed schools are excluded). 1 of the 14 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 Stoke-on-Trent?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked secondary school in Stoke-on-Trent is St Joseph's College. The full ranked table above lists the top 15 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 Stoke-on-Trent?
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 Stoke-on-Trent?
Primary and secondary applications in Stoke-on-Trent 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 Stoke-on-Trent 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.