Best Secondary Schools in West Berkshire 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 10 schools across West Berkshire. Updated with 2025–26 data.

How many schools?
10
Open secondary schools in West Berkshire
Closed schools excluded
Inspection picture
9 Good or better
of 10 with a historic Ofsted grade
Historic single-word grades · pre-Nov-2025
How is this list ordered?
SNM score
The Downs School currently leads
Methodology

West Berkshire has 10 open secondary schools. Of the 10 with a published Ofsted inspection, 2 (20%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 90% 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 Downs 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 West Berkshire 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 Downs School
Secondary
 Outstanding 74 View school
2. St Bartholomew's School
Secondary
 Outstanding 69 View school
3. The Willink School
Secondary
 Good 65 View school
4. Little Heath School
Secondary
 Good 60 View school
5. Kennet School
Secondary
 Good 57 View school
6. Denefield School
Secondary
 Good 52 View school
7. Trinity School
Secondary
 Good 49 View school
8. Park House School
Secondary
 Inadequate 47 View school
9. John O'Gaunt School
Secondary
 Good 39 View school
10. Theale Green School
Secondary
 Good 27 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 West Berkshire

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

Nearby areas

Schools in ReadingCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in WokinghamCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in Bracknell ForestCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in OxfordshireCompare neighbouring authority

See full data for any school in West Berkshire

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 West Berkshire?
There are 10 open secondary schools in West Berkshire (closed schools are excluded). 2 of the 10 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 West Berkshire?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked secondary school in West Berkshire is The Downs School. The full ranked table above lists the top 10 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 West Berkshire?
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 West Berkshire?
Primary and secondary applications in West Berkshire 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 West Berkshire 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.