Schools in Lincolnshire
347 schools in 27 towns: how they were inspected, the best by phase, where places ran out, and the dates to apply.
Lincolnshire at a glance
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SourceSchools: DfE Get Information about Schools, 17 October 2026.
Good or Outstanding: Ofsted, latest inspections.
Oversubscribed in 2026: DfE, school applications and offers, 2026.
Offer distances held: Lincolnshire's published offer-day figures.
- Schools
- 347 279 state primary, 54 state secondary, 3 sixth-form or college and 11 private.
- Good or Outstanding
- 88% 254 of the 289 state schools whose latest Ofsted inspection gave a grade. 30 more have the new report card, which gives no single grade.
- Oversubscribed in 2026
- 62 Of 320 state schools with DfE figures for 2026: more first preferences than places at entry (Reception or Year 7).
- Offer distances held
- 0% How far the last place reached on offer day: held for 0 of 333 state schools that take an intake.
The best schools in Lincolnshire
Primary
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SourceDfE, key stage 2 school performance tables; table built 16 October 2026.
How it is worked outRanked on 2025 KS2 results: the share reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. The same rank as the full Lincolnshire primary table (how it is worked out).
| Place in Lincolnshire | School | Town | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quadring Cowley & Brown's Primary School | Spalding | 1st (1/252) |
| 2 | Denton CofE School | Grantham | Top 1% (2/252) |
| 3 | The Edward Richardson Primary School, Tetford | Horncastle | Top 2% (3/252) |
| 4 | The Hackthorn Church of England Primary School | Lincoln | Top 2% (4/252) |
| 5 | The St Margaret's Church of England School, Withern | Alford | Top 2% (5/252) |
| 6 | Digby Church of England School | Lincoln | Top 3% (6/252) |
| 7 | The Claypole Church of England Primary School | Newark | Top 3% (7/252) |
| 8 | Osgodby Primary School | Market Rasen | Top 4% (8/252) |
| 9 | Hogsthorpe Primary Academy | Skegness | Top 4% (9/252) |
| 10 | Ling Moor Primary Academy | Lincoln | Top 4% (10/252) |
Secondary (GCSE)
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SourceDfE, key stage 4 school performance tables; table built 16 October 2026.
How it is worked outRanked on 2026 GCSE results: Attainment 8, the average grade across eight GCSEs. The same rank as the full Lincolnshire secondary table (how it is worked out).
| Place in Lincolnshire | School | Town | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The King's School, Grantham | Grantham | 1st (1/54) |
| 2 | Caistor Grammar School | Market Rasen | Top 4% (2/54) |
| 3 | Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School | Grantham | Top 6% (3/54) |
| 4 | Bourne Grammar School | Bourne | Top 8% (4/54) |
| 5 | Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy | Sleaford | Top 10% (5/54) |
| 6 | Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Horncastle | Horncastle | Top 12% (6/54) |
| 7 | Spalding High School | Spalding | Top 13% (7/54) |
| 8 | The Queen Elizabeth's High School, Gainsborough | Gainsborough | Top 15% (8/54) |
| 9 | Carre's Grammar School | Sleaford | Top 17% (9/54) |
| 10 | Spalding Grammar School | Spalding | Top 19% (10/54) |
Towns
- Alford 6 schools · best schools
- Boston 32 schools · best schools
- Bourne 9 schools · best schools
- GAINSBOROUGH 20 schools · best schools
- Grantham 37 schools · best schools
- Lincoln 92 schools · best schools
- Louth 17 schools · best schools
- Market Rasen 15 schools · best schools
- Peterborough 6 schools · best schools
- Skegness 12 schools · best schools
- Sleaford 19 schools · best schools
- Spalding 41 schools · best schools
Getting in
Starting Reception in September 2027
| Date | What | What to do | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 November 2026 | Reception applications open | The council's application form opens. Look at your schools' admission rules and open days now. | Lincolnshire council |
| 15 January 2027 | Primary applications close | Apply to your home council (where you live), listing your schools in order of preference. A late application is looked at after every on-time one. | Lincolnshire council |
| 16 April 2027 | Primary offer day | Offers arrive by email from your home council. Check which school you were offered. | Lincolnshire council |
Starting secondary school (Year 7) in September 2027
| Date | What | What to do | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 September 2026 | Year 7 applications open | The council's application form opens. Look at your schools' admission rules and open days now. | Lincolnshire council |
| 31 October 2026 | Secondary applications close | Apply to your home council (where you live), listing your schools in order of preference. A late application is looked at after every on-time one. | Lincolnshire council |
| 1 March 2027 | Secondary offer day | Offers arrive by email from your home council. Check which school you were offered. | Lincolnshire council |
Every Lincolnshire admission date · After offer day in Lincolnshire: replies, waiting lists and appeals
We hold no catchment maps for Lincolnshire. Many schools here admit by distance; the catchment finder says which maps cover a postcode.
Offer-day distances (how far the last place reached) are held for 0 of 333 state schools (0%). Could we get in? sets your distance beside them.
Private schools, fees and childcare
Private school fees in Lincolnshire: we hold checked fees for 7 of 11 private schools.
Childcare costs, town by town: 234 nurseries and pre-schools in Lincolnshire, with fees held for 25. Nurseries in Lincolnshire by Ofsted rating.
Every school in Lincolnshire
Your children and your home, with the schools, the distances and the dates that are yours.Open your plan
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Sources and methods: tap the (i) on each section. How we know · All sources.