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Milton Keynes’s best secondary schools 2025

Trying to find the right school for your child in Milton Keynes? You’re in the right place.

With so many options, many parents find themselves drowning in league tables and Ofsted reports. That’s exactly why we’ve done the heavy lifting for you. Our expert team has analysed the latest 2023/2024 Department for Education data to bring you a list of the top-performing state secondary schools in Milton Keynes.

We show two ranking tables, one for Progress 8 and one for GCSE 9–7 results, and also provide a complete list of all secondary schools in Milton Keynes. This full list includes Progress 8 scores, GCSE 9–7 percentages, and Ofsted ratings where available. The schools in this table are ordered alphabetically rather than ranked, so you can easily see every school in one place, even if some data points are missing.

Top secondary schools in Milton Keynes by Progress 8

St Paul's Catholic School is currently ranked #1 in Milton Keynes based on its published Progress 8 score of +1.18. Progress 8 is a headline accountability measure used by the Department for Education to show how much progress pupils make between the end of primary school and their GCSEs, compared to students with similar prior attainment nationally.

RankSchool nameTypeGenderProgress 8Ofsted ratingGCSE 9-7%
1St Paul's Catholic SchoolVoluntary aided schoolMixed+1.18Good15.37%
2Shenley Brook End SchoolAcademy converterMixed+1.11Good20.77%
3KWS Milton KeynesOther independent special schoolBoys+0.84--
4The Redway SchoolCommunity special schoolMixed+0.48Good-
5The Woodlands SchoolCommunity special schoolMixed+0.4Good-
6Thornton CollegeOther independent schoolGirls+0.34-38.13%
7The Radcliffe SchoolFoundation schoolMixed+0.11-8.33%
8Stephenson AcademyAcademy special sponsor ledMixed+0.07-0%
9Walton HighAcademy converterMixed-0.02Good17.54%
10Sir Herbert Leon AcademyAcademy sponsor ledMixed-0.18-10.69%
11Denbigh SchoolAcademy converterMixed-0.3Good31.88%
12White Spire SchoolCommunity special schoolMixed-0.39Outstanding-
13Lord Grey AcademyAcademy sponsor ledMixed-0.45Good9.8%
14The Hazeley AcademyAcademy converterMixed-0.54Good20.4%
15Stantonbury SchoolAcademy sponsor ledMixed-1.5Requires improvement13.71%
16The Milton Keynes AcademyAcademy sponsor ledMixed-2.96-10.81%

Note: Rankings use 2023/2024 CSP data for state-funded schools and may not reflect recent changes, check school websites for the latest information.

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Top secondary schools in Milton Keynes by GCSE % 9–7

The Webber Independent School is currently ranked #1 in Milton Keynes based on the percentage of GCSE grades awarded at 9–7. This measure highlights how many pupils achieve the very top exam results, giving a clear picture of each school’s academic excellence.

RankSchool nameTypeGenderProgress 8Ofsted ratingGCSE 9-7%
1The Webber Independent SchoolOther independent schoolMixed--46.45%
2Thornton CollegeOther independent schoolGirls+0.34-38.13%
3Denbigh SchoolAcademy converterMixed-0.3Good31.88%
4Oakgrove SchoolAcademy converterMixed-Good26.07%
5Shenley Brook End SchoolAcademy converterMixed+1.11Good20.77%
6The Hazeley AcademyAcademy converterMixed-0.54Good20.4%
7Kents Hill Park all-through schoolFree schoolsMixed-Good19.56%
8Walton HighAcademy converterMixed-0.02Good17.54%
9Elizabeth Woodville SchoolAcademy converterMixed--17.46%
10St Paul's Catholic SchoolVoluntary aided schoolMixed+1.18Good15.37%
11Stantonbury SchoolAcademy sponsor ledMixed-1.5Requires improvement13.71%
12The Milton Keynes AcademyAcademy sponsor ledMixed-2.96-10.81%
13Sir Herbert Leon AcademyAcademy sponsor ledMixed-0.18-10.69%
14Lord Grey AcademyAcademy sponsor ledMixed-0.45Good9.8%
15The Radcliffe SchoolFoundation schoolMixed+0.11-8.33%
16Stephenson AcademyAcademy special sponsor ledMixed+0.07-0%

Note: Rankings use 2023/2024 CSP data for state-funded schools and may not reflect recent changes, check school websites for the latest information.

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All secondary schools in Milton Keynes

Below is the complete list of secondary schools in Milton Keynes, including both state-funded and independent schools where data is available. This table provides an at-a-glance view of each school’s key performance metrics, including Progress 8 scores, the percentage of GCSE grades awarded at 9–7, and Ofsted ratings, where published.

School nameTypeGenderProgress 8Ofsted ratingGCSE 9-7%
Baytul Ilm Secondary SchoolOther independent schoolBoys---
Cambian Bletchley Park SchoolOther independent special schoolMixed---
Denbigh SchoolAcademy converterMixed-0.3Good31.88%
Elizabeth Woodville SchoolAcademy converterMixed--17.46%
Fulbrook SchoolAcademy converterMixed-Requires improvement-
Glebe Farm SchoolFree schoolsMixed---
KWS Milton KeynesOther independent special schoolBoys+0.84--
Kents Hill Park all-through schoolFree schoolsMixed-Good19.56%
Lord Grey AcademyAcademy sponsor ledMixed-0.45Good9.8%
Oakgrove SchoolAcademy converterMixed-Good26.07%
Romans Field SchoolCommunity special schoolMixed-Good-
Shenley Brook End SchoolAcademy converterMixed+1.11Good20.77%
Sir Herbert Leon AcademyAcademy sponsor ledMixed-0.18-10.69%
Slated Row SchoolCommunity special schoolMixed-Outstanding-
St Paul's Catholic SchoolVoluntary aided schoolMixed+1.18Good15.37%
Stantonbury SchoolAcademy sponsor ledMixed-1.5Requires improvement13.71%
Stephenson AcademyAcademy special sponsor ledMixed+0.07-0%
Swanbourne House SchoolOther independent schoolMixed---
The Hazeley AcademyAcademy converterMixed-0.54Good20.4%
The Milton Keynes AcademyAcademy sponsor ledMixed-2.96-10.81%
The Radcliffe SchoolFoundation schoolMixed+0.11-8.33%
The Redway SchoolCommunity special schoolMixed+0.48Good-
The Webber Independent SchoolOther independent schoolMixed--46.45%
The Woodlands SchoolCommunity special schoolMixed+0.4Good-
Thornton CollegeOther independent schoolGirls+0.34-38.13%
Walton HighAcademy converterMixed-0.02Good17.54%
Watling AcademyFree schoolsMixed-Outstanding-
White Spire SchoolCommunity special schoolMixed-0.39Outstanding-
Willow Park SchoolOther independent special schoolMixed---

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Disclaimer

All data on this page is sourced from the Department for Education’s 2023/2024 Compare School Performance dataset. It includes state-funded and, where available, independent secondary schools. Some schools may be missing data for Progress 8 scores, GCSE 9–7 results, or Ofsted ratings due to unpublished or unavailable figures. Rankings are based only on schools with published data and may not reflect recent changes. Please check school websites for the latest information.

How we ranked the best schools in Milton Keynes?

Why trust our rankings? Our analysis is based on the latest 2023/2024 data from the Department for Education’s Compare School Performance (CSP) database, which publishes official performance data for all secondary schools in England, including both state-funded and independent schools where available.

We’ve created separate tables to highlight top performers in three key areas:

  • Progress 8 (pupil progress from KS2 to GCSE)
  • GCSE 9–7 grades (academic excellence)
  • Overall school listings, with available Ofsted ratings

Schools are primarily ranked by their Progress 8 score. This clever metric doesn’t just reward schools with high-attaining intakes – it highlights the ones that genuinely support student growth by measuring progress from the end of primary school to GCSEs. It adjusts for prior attainment, making it one of the fairest ways to compare schools.

Where available, we also show the percentage of GCSE grades at 9–7 to reflect high academic achievement, and Ofsted ratings for added context. All figures come directly from CSP’s official dataset.

Where Progress 8 data is not available for any schools in Milton Keynes, the corresponding table will not be shown. This simply means that no schools in this area had published Progress 8 scores at the time of the latest dataset, it does not reflect on the quality of the schools themselves.

How to support your child at home

Helping your child succeed at school doesn’t just happen in the classroom, the right support at home can make a big difference. Encourage a regular study routine, provide a quiet space for learning, and take an interest in what they’re covering in lessons. Even small actions, like checking in on homework or discussing what they learned that day, can build motivation and accountability.

If you’re looking for extra structure, our GCSE Revision Resources are designed to make studying easier. With expert-written notes, topic-by-topic exam questions, and mark schemes, your child can practise exactly what they need to know, when they need to know it.

Boosting confidence before exams

Confidence can make a huge difference to exam performance. Start by helping your child identify their strengths and weaknesses, then focus revision time on areas that need improvement. Practising under timed conditions can reduce exam-day nerves, while celebrating small wins along the way builds self-belief.

Our GCSE Exam Practice pages include hundreds of past-paper style questions and worked solutions, so students can walk into their exams knowing exactly what to expect. By building familiarity with the question styles and formats, they’ll feel prepared and ready to perform at their best.

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FAQs - best secondary schools in Milton Keynes

Based on the latest Department for Education CSP data, the highest-rated secondary school in Milton Keynes is St Paul's Catholic School by Progress 8 and The Webber Independent School by GCSE 9–7 results. In the case of an exact tie across these measures, the first school in alphabetical order is shown here. For full details and to compare all schools, please refer to the performance tables above.
No. This guide covers state-funded secondary schools only, including grammar, comprehensive, academy, and free schools. Independent/private schools are not included in our rankings.
Applications are usually managed by Buckinghamshire County Council. You can find deadlines, admissions policies, and catchment area maps on the council’s official website.
Use Ofsted inspection reports, the Department for Education’s CSP performance tables, and our rankings to compare schools side by side. Visit schools during open days for first-hand impressions.
Ofsted rates secondary schools as Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, or Inadequate. Outstanding secondary schools excel in teaching quality, student behaviour, leadership, and outcomes.
A Progress 8 score above 0 means students make better progress than the national average. Scores above +0.5 indicate well above average progress, while top-performing secondary schools typically achieve +0.7 or higher. The best schools in Milton Keynes consistently score above +0.8.

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