Best secondary schools in Milton Keynes
11 of 13 secondary schools ranked by Progress 8 · all Milton Keynes schools · primary schools
Ranked on Progress 8, 2023/24 — 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.
- 7 of 13 rated Good or Outstanding
- 1 oversubscribed on first preference
- 3 Good or better and undersubscribed — the overlooked ones
- Median Progress 8: -0.1 (best 0.3)
| # | School | Progress 8 | Ofsted | Places | Catchment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denbigh School Milton Keynes | 0.3 | Good | oversubscribed 1.27 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 2 | The Hazeley Academy Milton Keynes hidden gem | 0.08 | Good | undersubscribed 0.79 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 3 | E-Act Ousedale School Newport Pagnell | 0.05 | Not judged | about even 1.1 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 4 | St Paul's Catholic School Milton Keynes | 0.03 | Good declining | about even 1.06 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 5 | Walton High Milton Keynes hidden gem | 0.02 | Good | undersubscribed 0.75 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 6 | Lord Grey Academy Milton Keynes hidden gem | -0.1 | Good | about even 0.98 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 7 | Shenley Brook End School Milton Keynes | -0.25 | Good | about even 1.01 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 8 | The Milton Keynes Academy Milton Keynes | -0.35 | Not judged declining | undersubscribed 0.54 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 9 | The Radcliffe School Milton Keynes | -0.62 | Not judged improving | about even 0.87 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 10 | Stantonbury School Milton Keynes | -0.89 | Requires improvement | undersubscribed 0.66 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 11 | Lift Sir Herbert Leon Milton Keynes | -1.02 | Not judged declining | undersubscribed 0.7 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
Also in Milton Keynes
2 further secondary schools with no published Progress 8 for the latest year — usually too small a cohort to report, newly opened, or a special school. Listed because leaving them out would make this a misleading picture of Milton Keynes, not a fairer one.
- Baytul Ilm Secondary School
- Watling Academy Ofsted: Outstanding
Applying in Milton Keynes
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 2026-10-31 · 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 2027-01-15 · 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 2027-03-01 · 2027 entry Secondary National Offer Day for September 2027 entry — state school Year 7 place offers (1 March).
- Primary National Offer Day 2027-04-16 · 2027 entry Primary National Offer Day for September 2027 entry — Reception place offers (16 April).
- Secondary application deadline 2027-10-31 · 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 2028-01-15 · 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 Milton Keynes admission criteria.
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