Best Primary & Secondary Schools in Wirral 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 136 schools across Wirral. Updated with 2025–26 data.

Wirral has 136 open primary & secondary schools. Of the 129 with a published Ofsted inspection, 16 (12%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 83% 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, Wirral Grammar School for Girls 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 Wirral 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.

136
Total schools
16
Outstanding (historic grade)
12%
of inspected schools (pre-Nov-2025)
56.9%
Avg KS2 SATs
37.3
Avg GCSE A8
All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score Profile
1. Wirral Grammar School for Girls
Secondary
 Outstanding 93 View school
2. Upton Hall School FCJ
Secondary
 Outstanding 91 View school
3. Thornton Hough Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 89 View school
4. Our Lady of Pity Catholic Primary and Nursery School
Primary
 Outstanding 88 View school
5. Calday Grange Grammar School
Secondary
 Good 86 View school
6. Brackenwood Junior School
Primary
 Good 85 View school
7. West Kirby Grammar School
Secondary
 Good 84 View school
8. Mersey Park Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 84 View school
9. Wirral Grammar School for Boys
Secondary
 Good 81 View school
10. Thurstaston Dawpool CofE Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 80 View school
11. Poulton Lancelyn Primary School
Primary
 Good 75 View school
12. Black Horse Hill Infant School
Primary
 Good 74 View school
13. Barnston Primary School
Primary
 Good 74 View school
14. West Kirby Primary School
Primary
 Good 74 View school
15. Heswall St Peter's CofE Primary School
Primary
 Good 73 View school
16. Town Lane Infant School
Primary
 Outstanding 73 View school
17. Gayton Primary School
Primary
 Good 71 View school
18. Thingwall Primary School
Primary
 Good 71 View school
19. Great Meols Primary School
Primary
 Good 70 View school
20. St Anselm's College
Secondary
 Good 69 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 Wirral

Best primary schools in WirralTop-ranked Reception–Year 6 Best secondary schools in WirralTop-ranked Year 7 onwards Primary schools in WirralReception–Year 6 only Secondary schools in WirralYear 7 onwards How the Schools Near Me score worksOur ranking methodology, explained

Nearby areas

Schools in LiverpoolCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in KnowsleyCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in SeftonCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in FlintshireCompare neighbouring authority

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Catchment distances, exam trends, SEN data, attendance, and more — all in one place.

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Frequently asked questions

How many primary & secondary schools are there in Wirral?
There are 136 open primary & secondary schools in Wirral (closed schools are excluded). 16 of the 129 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 primary & secondary schools in Wirral?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked primary & secondary school in Wirral is Wirral Grammar School for Girls. 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 Wirral?
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 Wirral?
Primary and secondary applications in Wirral 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 Wirral 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.