Best secondary schools in Nottingham (2026)
Nottingham has 16 ranked secondary schools with published results. The top-ranked is Fernwood School, in the top 11% in England. The average Attainment 8 here in 2025 was 44.5, against 46.1 for England. 0 are in England's top 10%, and 2 are rated Outstanding by Ofsted. Nottingham has no grammar schools.
| Rank | School | Attainment 8 (2023–2025 average) | Attainment 8 2025 | Trend | Grade 5+ Eng & maths | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Top 11% in England |
Fernwood School Nottingham |
56.9 | 53.8 | 63% | Outstanding | |
2 Top 19% in England |
The Trinity Catholic School A Voluntary Academy Nottingham · Roman Catholic |
54.0 | 55.3 | 59% | No rating | |
3 Top 24% in England |
Nottingham Free School Nottingham |
51.6 | 51.5 | 55% | No rating | |
4 Top 30% in England |
Bluecoat Wollaton Academy Nottingham · Church of England |
50.1 | 49.4 | 52% | No rating | |
5 Top 34% in England |
Nottingham University Academy of Science and Technology Nottingham |
48.9 | 51.1 | 52% | Good | |
6 Top 40% in England |
Bluecoat Aspley Academy Nottingham · Church of England |
47.9 | 48.6 | 47% | No rating | |
7 Top 46% in England |
Nottingham Girls' Academy Nottingham · Girls |
47.2 | 47.7 | 43% | Outstanding | |
8 Bottom 29% in England |
Park Vale Academy Nottingham |
42.4 | 42.8 | 37% | Good | |
9 Bottom 25% in England |
Nottingham Academy Nottingham |
41.1 | 42.1 | 36% | Report card | |
10 Bottom 21% in England |
The Oakwood Academy Nottingham |
40.5 | 41.3 | 33% | Good | |
11 Bottom 19% in England |
Djanogly City Academy Nottingham |
39.5 | 38.0 | 30% | Not judged | |
12 Bottom 16% in England |
Nottingham University Samworth Academy Nottingham |
38.9 | 40.5 | 35% | No rating | |
13 Bottom 15% in England |
The Wells Academy Nottingham |
38.6 | 43.1 | 35% | Report card | |
14 Bottom 10% in England |
Ellis Guilford School Nottingham |
37.1 | 37.1 | 28% | Good | |
15 Bottom 10% in England |
The Bulwell Academy Nottingham |
36.2 | 36.1 | 29% | Report card | |
16 Bottom 3% in England |
Bluecoat Beechdale Academy Nottingham |
33.4 | 34.0 | 21% | No rating |
Other towns in Nottinghamshire
Also see
Questions
What is the best secondary school in Nottingham?
On exam results over the last three years, Fernwood School is the top-ranked secondary school in Nottingham, in the top 11% of schools in England.
How are the schools ranked?
By published Department for Education exam results averaged over three years: for secondary schools, Attainment 8 plus a quarter of the share getting grade 5+ in English and maths; for primary schools, the share reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths plus half the share reaching the higher standard. The order uses the three-year average, so a school can rank above one with a higher single-year result. Schools with fewer than 10 pupils taking the tests are not ranked. Exam results are only part of the picture: visit, read the Ofsted report and check admissions rules, as living nearby does not guarantee a place.