Clapham Manor primary school in south London, which features "pocket gardens", and Christ's College school in Guildford, with its "subtle, grown-up and calming finish", are two of the six finalists. Christ's College was failing until architects DSDHA transformed it to instil a sense of community.
The nominations come days after hundreds of teachers protested at the axing of England's school rebuilding programme, with 735 projects being halted.
Ruth Reed, president of the architects' institute said: "Investment in well-designed schools demonstrates to teachers and pupils how much they are valued and has measurable impact. Attendance and results rise, truancy and bullying fall."