Best secondary schools in Kensington and Chelsea
10 of 10 secondary schools ranked by Attainment 8 · all Kensington and Chelsea schools · primary schools
Ranked on Attainment 8, 2025/26 — the most recent year each school has published. Official data, not our opinion — but the ranking is only as good as the measure, and a single number never describes a school.
- 5 of 10 rated Good or Outstanding
- 3 oversubscribed on first preference
- 3 Good or better and undersubscribed — the overlooked ones
- Median Attainment 8: 47.6 (best 61.5)
| # | School | Attainment 8 | Ofsted | Places | Catchment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial RC School London | 61.5 | — | oversubscribed 1.98 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 2 | Holland Park School London | 58.2 | — | oversubscribed 1.22 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 3 | Chelsea Academy London hidden gem | 53.3 | Good declining | undersubscribed 0.64 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 4 | Kensington Aldridge Academy London hidden gem | 53.1 | Outstanding | about even 0.89 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 5 | All Saints Catholic College London | 49.9 | Outstanding improving | oversubscribed 1.38 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 6 | St. Thomas More Language College London hidden gem | 45.3 | Good | undersubscribed 0.34 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 7 | Collingham London | 20.8 | — | — | approximate |
| 8 | Arden House London | 7.3 | — | — | approximate |
| 9 | Mander Portman Woodward School LONDON | 6.8 | — | — | approximate |
| 10 | Ashbourne College London | 3.1 | Outstanding improving | — | approximate |
Applying in Kensington and Chelsea
Knowing which school is best is only half of it — these are the deadlines that decide whether you can apply at all.
- Secondary application deadline 31 October 2026 · 2027 entry Secondary Common Application Form (CAF) deadline for September 2027 entry (Year 7). National statutory deadline 31 October 2026; apply via your home local authority. Selective/grammar registration, if any, is a separate earlier deadline.
- Primary (Reception) application deadline 15 January 2027 · 2027 entry Primary (Reception) application deadline for September 2027 entry. National statutory deadline 15 January 2027; apply via your home local authority.
- Secondary National Offer Day 1 March 2027 · 2027 entry Secondary National Offer Day for September 2027 entry — state school Year 7 place offers (1 March).
- Primary National Offer Day 16 April 2027 · 2027 entry Primary National Offer Day for September 2027 entry — Reception place offers (16 April).
- Secondary application deadline 31 October 2027 · 2028 entry Secondary Common Application Form (CAF) deadline for September 2028 entry (Year 7). National statutory deadline 31 October 2027; apply via your home local authority. Selective/grammar registration, if any, is a separate earlier deadline.
- Primary (Reception) application deadline 15 January 2028 · 2028 entry Primary (Reception) application deadline for September 2028 entry. National statutory deadline 15 January 2028; apply via your home local authority.
Rankings compare published results. They do not tell you which school your child will get into — that depends on where you live, sibling and faith priority, and how many people apply this year. Ask below, or check the Kensington and Chelsea admission criteria.
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