Best Postcodes for Schools in North West
Ordered by how many state-funded schools are recorded in each postcode sector.
What this ranks on: the number of state-funded schools recorded at an address in each sector. The Department for Education register carries no overall inspection grade, so nothing on this page measures how good those schools are. It is not a judgement about where is a good place to live, and AreaIQ Places does not score areas. School inspection reports (Ofsted) →
| # | Sector | Schools recorded | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PR3 0Preston | 10 state schools recorded | Open report → |
| 2 | WA7 2Runcorn | 10 state schools recorded | Open report → |
| 3 | BL3 3Bolton | 9 state schools recorded | Open report → |
| 4 | WA8 7Widnes | 9 state schools recorded | Open report → |
| 5 | BB5 3Accrington | 8 state schools recorded | Open report → |
| 6 | BL4 0Bolton | 8 state schools recorded | Open report → |
| 7 | CW8 1Northwich | 8 state schools recorded | Open report → |
| 8 | FY6 7Poulton-Le-Fylde | 8 state schools recorded | Open report → |
| 9 | PR2 3Preston | 8 state schools recorded | Open report → |
| 10 | PR7 3Chorley | 8 state schools recorded | Open report → |
| 11 | SK11 8Macclesfield | 8 state schools recorded | Open report → |
| 12 | SK16 5Dukinfield | 8 state schools recorded | Open report → |
| 13 | WN2 4Wigan | 8 state schools recorded | Open report → |
| 14 | WN8 6Skelmersdale | 8 state schools recorded | Open report → |
| 15 | BB10 2Burnley | 7 state schools recorded | Open report → |
| 16 | BB12 0Burnley | 7 state schools recorded | Open report → |
| 17 | BB12 6Burnley | 7 state schools recorded | Open report → |
| 18 | BB2 4Blackburn | 7 state schools recorded | Open report → |
| 19 | BB2 6Blackburn | 7 state schools recorded | Open report → |
| 20 | BB3 0Darwen | 7 state schools recorded | Open report → |
| 21 | BB5 2Accrington | 7 state schools recorded | Open report → |
| 22 | BL3 1Bolton | 7 state schools recorded | Open report → |
| 23 | BL3 4Bolton | 7 state schools recorded | Open report → |
| 24 | BL3 5Bolton | 7 state schools recorded | Open report → |
| 25 | BL4 8Bolton | 7 state schools recorded | Open report → |
Source: DfE Get Information About Schools, Open Government Licence v3. Data file refreshed 21 June 2026. Figures describe whole postcode sectors, never a single address or street.
Other rankings for North West
Best Postcodes for Schools elsewhere
Questions
What are the best postcodes for schools in North West?
This page lists postcode sectors in North West by how many state-funded schools are recorded at an address in the sector, using the Department for Education register. That register carries no overall inspection grade, so this is a count of schools and not a measure of their quality. Read each school's latest report on the Ofsted site, and confirm catchment with the local authority: a school being in a postcode sector does not give a child a place at it.
How does AreaIQ rank school quality?
It does not. Ofsted no longer publishes a single overall grade for schools in England, and the Department for Education register this list is built from carries none, so no quality ranking can honestly be derived from it. Every school shown on an AreaIQ Places page reads "Rating unavailable" and links to its inspection reports.