Skip to main content

Essential cookies keep you signed in. May we also set optional analytics cookies (Google Analytics 4, US-based)?

Rejecting is just as easy, and nothing else changes. Cookie details

Explore League Tables Compare Guides

Privacy·Terms·Accessibility·About·FAQ·Refunds··Safeguarding·Status

© 2026 Stephen Spence trading as School Atlas. All rights reserved.

ICO registration: ZC133193

School Atlas

Helping parents make informed decisions about their children's education across the UK.

hello@schoolatlas.co.uk

Browse by Area

Search and filter schools across 218 areas in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Explore all 218 areas →

Schools near a station
Schools by town

Tools

Explore Schools
Compare Schools
League Tables
Tightest Catchments
Browse All Schools
Academy Trusts
Admissions Calendar
Admissions Deadlines
Journey Planner
School Matcher
All Tools

Data Sources

DfE (GIAS & Performance Data)
Ofsted (England)
Estyn (Wales)
HM Inspectorate of Education (Scotland)
ETI (Northern Ireland)
Charity Commission
Companies House
Postcodes.io (ONS)
OpenStreetMap & Stadia Maps
View all sources & licences →

Browse by Area

Search and filter schools across 218 areas.

Explore all areas →

Schools near a station
Schools by town

Tools

Explore Schools
Compare Schools
League Tables
Tightest Catchments
Browse All Schools
Academy Trusts
Admissions Calendar
Admissions Deadlines
Journey Planner
School Matcher
Glossary
What's New
All Tools
School Guides
Private Schools
Schools in London
Tightest Catchments
Pricing
For Schools
Blog
Estate Agent Widget

Parent Guides

Catchment Areas
Grammar School Entry
SEND Rights
Post-16 Choices
Inspections Deep Dive
Ofsted Reform Explained
Prep School System
Independent School Fees
All 80 guides →

Data Sources

DfE (GIAS & Performance Data)
Ofsted (England)
Estyn (Wales)
HM Inspectorate of Education (Scotland)
ETI (Northern Ireland)
Charity Commission
Companies House
Postcodes.io (ONS)
OpenStreetMap & Stadia Maps
View all sources & licences →

© 2026 Stephen Spence trading as School Atlas. All rights reserved.

ICO registration: ZC133193

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 from the Department for Education (England), Ofsted, Welsh Government, Estyn, Scottish Government, Education Scotland, HM Inspectorate of Education (Scotland), Department of Education (Northern Ireland), Education & Training Inspectorate, and the Office for National Statistics (Crown Copyright reserved). Independent-school inspection grades and dates published by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) are shown as factual information about each school; ISI reports remain the copyright of the Independent Schools Inspectorate and are not reproduced in full on this site. Rights-holders wishing to query specific content should contact us at legal@schoolatlas.co.uk. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. School Atlas is an independent project and is not affiliated with any government body or inspectorate.

Privacy Policy·Terms of Service·Accessibility·Data Sources·State of UK Schools·How We Write·FAQ·Refund Policy··Moderation Policy·Institution DPA·Safeguarding·Illegal Content Risk Assessment·Children's Access Assessment·Image Sources·Records of Processing·DPIA Summary·Breach Response·System Status

How this guide was written

Editorial guides on School Atlas are drafted with AI assistance and reviewed by Stephen Spence (founder) before publication. Location pages — like “best primary schools in X” — are generated from our verified dataset of official inspection and admissions data.

We do not invent parent stories, fabricate expert quotes, or present opinion as lived experience. Where a guide names a source or an expert, it is real and attributable. Read our full methodology. Last reviewed April 2026.

Spotted something that needs correcting? Tell us — we fix errors visibly and note the change.

HomeGuidesBest Primary Schools in Orkney Islands (2026)

Page updated 3 Oct 2026

Generated from our verified dataset of official inspection and admissions data · Reviewed April 2026 · How we write

Top-Rated Primary Schools in Orkney Islands

The 17 highest-rated state primary schools in Orkney Islands, sorted by their most recentHM Inspectorate of Education inspection grade. Use our league tables to compare inspection grades and our interactive map to find schools near you.

Orkney Islands has 17 state primary schools, serving children from P1 through to P7. 2% of all schools in the area hold the top HM Inspectorate of Education grade of Excellent.

How this list is ranked

HMIE grade first (Excellent → Unsatisfactory on the six-point "How good is our school?" scale), with pupil roll as a tiebreaker. Un-inspected schools rank below graded ones. Scotland's inspection cycle is long, so many grades are several years old — each school shows its inspection date; always check the most recent report.

Sources: HM Inspectorate of Education inspection reports · Official school census data (DfE / SG / WG / DENI) · last refreshed monthly from official sources.

Not used in this ranking: Exam results, parent satisfaction, admissions difficulty, fees, scholarship generosity, leaver destinations.

“Best” is a shorthand. The right school for your child depends on their needs, the commute, admissions priority, and many other factors this list cannot capture.

The top 5 in Orkney Islands at a glance

1. Shapinsay Community School — rated Excellent (2015) · 16 pupils
2. Hope Primary School — rated Very Good (2014) · 52 pupils
3. Burray Primary School — rated Very Good (2016) · 38 pupils
4. Papdale Primary School — rated Good (2023) · 407 pupils
5. Glaitness School — rated Good (2023) · 218 pupils

Key Primary Admissions Dates

1
P1/S1 registration — Set by each council; windows run from November to March
2
Placing requests — By 15 March to be answered by 30 April (some councils set an earlier date)
3
Placing-request decisions — By 30 April
4
Term starts — Mid-August

Exact dates vary by local authority. Check your council's website for confirmed deadlines.

17primaries ranked

1Excellent

12Good

Explore these schools on the map

Sort by distance from your home

1

SC

Shapinsay Community School

StatePrimary

HMIE: Excellent

16 pupils

Excellent

2

Hope Primary School

StatePrimary

52 pupils

Very Good

3

Burray Primary School

StatePrimary

38 pupils

Very Good

4

PP

Papdale Primary School

StatePrimary

407 pupils

Good

5

Glaitness School

StatePrimary

218 pupils

Good

6

St Andrew's Primary School

StatePrimary

158 pupils

Good

7

Stromness Primary School

StatePrimary

121 pupils

Good

8

Firth Primary School

StatePrimary

82 pupils

Good

9

Evie Primary School

StatePrimary

37 pupils

Good

10

Orphir Community School

StatePrimary

34 pupils

Good

11

SC

Stenness Community School

StatePrimary

29 pupils

Good

12

North Walls Community School

StatePrimary

16 pupils

Good

13

Papa Westray Community School

StatePrimary

6 pupils

Good

14

DC

Dounby Community School

StatePrimary

118 pupils

Satisfactory

15

Eday Primary School

StatePrimary

11 pupils

Satisfactory

16

RP

Rousay Primary School

StatePrimary

10 pupils

Satisfactory

17

NR

North Ronaldsay Primary School

StatePrimary

5 pupils

Satisfactory

Best primary schools in nearby areas

Part of Best primary schools across Scotland.

Moray
Shetland Islands
Aberdeenshire
Highland
Aberdeen
Angus

Helpful guides for Orkney Islands parents

In-depth reading on the topics that matter when researching a school.

Reception entry & school readiness
Check your school catchment by postcode
School admissions appeals
School waiting lists explained
Summer-born children: deferring entry
Key-stage transitions explained

Schools in Orkney Islands

More Orkney Islands Guides

Top Secondaries Sixth Form Nurseries

What to do next

Found schools that interest you? Here's how to dig deeper.

Save your shortlist — free

Create a free account to save & compare Orkney Islands schools across devices

Explore the map

See all Orkney Islands schools with filters

League tables

Compare exam results and rankings

Compare schools

Side-by-side on admissions, results & more

Application deadlines

Closing dates and offer days in each nation