Summary:
ZIP code 03885, which includes Stratham, has one public middle school serving grades 6–8: Cooperative Middle School, part of the Exeter Region Cooperative School District. The school enrolls about 945 students, or approximately 315 students per grade on average, and has a reported student-teacher ratio of 9.5 to 1. It received four stars and ranked 31st out of 138 New Hampshire schools for 2025–2026, placing it in the 78th percentile statewide. Its 9.21% free- or reduced-price lunch rate provides additional context about the student population, although this measure does not describe every aspect of students’ needs or backgrounds.
For parents comparing schools in this area, Cooperative Middle School’s strongest results are in reading and mathematics. Overall, 65% of students were proficient in reading and 56% in mathematics, compared with 55% and 44% statewide. Mathematics was also 3 percentage points above the district rate, while reading was just 1 point below the district. Grade 6 and grade 7 results are particularly strong: reading proficiency was 70% and 71%, respectively, while mathematics proficiency was 60% and 56%. These results suggest that many students enter the middle school years performing well in core subjects.
The main areas for parents to examine are eighth-grade performance and science. Reading proficiency fell to 54% in grade 8, and mathematics declined to 50%, although both remained above state results. Science was the school’s weakest subject at 41% proficient, compared with 47% in the district and 38% statewide. Science also declined from 48% the previous year, while mathematics improved by 5 points and reading remained nearly stable. The school’s statewide ranking has slipped modestly from 24th to 31st over three years, but it remains a strong, above-average option. Families may want to ask about eighth-grade support, science instruction, and how the school addresses these recent performance patterns.
Thank you for your feedback!