Faith schools in England
How many faith schools there are by denomination, how their pupils differ, and how they score against schools with a similar intake. 6,764 state schools match, teaching 1,877,008 pupils.
The score compares every school with the 50 schools most like it, but it still rewards strong results and inspections, so a group of schools that picks pupils by ability or attracts better-off families will sit high. Read the average alongside the low-income figure.
By denomination
| Denomination | Schools | Pupils | Low income | Average score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Church of England | 4,533 | 1,035,124 | 20% | 50 (4299 scored) |
| Roman Catholic | 1,895 | 689,015 | 25% | 57 (1722 scored) |
| Christian | 59 | 48,394 | 29% | 51 (54 scored) |
| Jewish | 54 | 19,811 | 8% | 75 (51 scored) |
| Catholic | 48 | 13,267 | 24% | 61 (44 scored) |
| Church of England/Methodist | 38 | 9,107 | 24% | 45 (36 scored) |
| Muslim | 35 | 19,146 | 34% | 89 (34 scored) |
| Methodist | 25 | 4,114 | 25% | 42 (25 scored) |
| Church of England/Roman Catholic | 18 | 11,544 | 34% | 43 (18 scored) |
| Sikh | 13 | 8,686 | 18% | 76 (12 scored) |
| Church of England/Christian | 9 | 3,623 | 26% | 38 (9 scored) |
| Hindu | 7 | 4,542 | 5% | 89 (7 scored) |
| Roman Catholic/Church of England | 6 | 4,396 | 30% | 41 (6 scored) |
| Church of England/United Reformed Church | 3 | 521 | 29% | 59 (2 scored) |
| Multi-faith | 3 | 1,599 | 21% | 79 (3 scored) |
| Anglican/Church of England | 3 | 1,498 | 34% | 22 (3 scored) |
Highest scoring
Against schools with a similar intake, so these are the ones getting the most out of their pupils.
| # | School | Phase | Ofsted | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Richard Reynolds Catholic Primary SchoolLondon, Richmond upon Thames | Primary | Outstanding 2024 | 100 |
| 2 | Tauheedul Islam Girls' High SchoolBlackburn, Blackburn with Darwen | Secondary | Outstanding 2022 | 100 |
| 3 | St Michael's Catholic CollegeLondon, Southwark | Secondary | No overall grade 2025 | 100 |
| 4 | St Michael and St Martin Catholic Primary SchoolHounslow, Hounslow | Primary | Outstanding 2023 | 100 |
| 5 | St Edmund Campion Catholic Primary School and NurseryMaidenhead, Windsor and Maidenhead | Primary | No overall grade 2025 | 100 |
| 6 | Two Rivers Church of England PrimaryBristol, Bath and North East Somerset | Primary | Outstanding 2023 | 100 |
| 7 | St Elizabeth's Catholic Primary SchoolRichmond-upon-Thames, Richmond upon Thames | Primary | Outstanding 2023 | 100 |
| 8 | The Willows Catholic Primary School, KirkhamPreston, Lancashire | Primary | Outstanding 2022 | 100 |
| 9 | St Stephen's CofE Primary SchoolLondon, Hammersmith and Fulham | Primary | Outstanding 2023 | 100 |
| 10 | St Andrew's Catholic Primary SchoolLondon, Lambeth | Primary | Outstanding 2024 | 100 |
| 11 | Shenfield St. Mary's Church of England Primary SchoolBrentwood, Essex | Primary | Outstanding 2023 | 100 |
| 12 | Finstock Church of England Primary SchoolChipping Norton, Oxfordshire | Primary | Outstanding 2024 | 100 |
| 13 | St Mary's CofE Primary SchoolLondon, Waltham Forest | Primary | Outstanding 2022 | 100 |
| 14 | St Peter's Church of England Primary SchoolLeeds, Leeds | Primary | Outstanding 2023 | 100 |
| 15 | Colchester Royal Grammar SchoolColchester, Essex | Secondary | Report card 2026 | 100 |
How to read this
A faith school is one with a religious character registered with the Department for Education; most are voluntary aided or voluntary controlled Church of England and Catholic primaries. They can give priority to families of the faith when oversubscribed, which is one reason their intake often has fewer pupils from low-income families than nearby schools.