Carlton Road Academy

About Carlton Road Academy

Carlton Road Academy’s headline KS2 results sit slightly below the Lincolnshire local authority average, with 53% of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined against an LA average of 57%. That places the school 151st out of 280 primary schools in the county, putting it in the bottom half of the local league table. Within the Boston district, it ranks 9th out of 15 schools, which is a middling position. The school’s reading and maths average scores are 103 and 102 respectively, while 71% of pupils met the expected standard in maths and 76% did so in writing. Reading was the weaker area, with 69% hitting the expected mark. At the higher standard, the picture is mixed: 21% reached the higher threshold in reading, 14% in maths, but just 2% in writing. The school’s ranking score of 53 places it in the bottom 50% nationally, though it’s worth noting that the school serves a community where 41% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average.

In its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2025, the school was judged Good overall, with personal development rated Outstanding. Behaviour and attitudes, quality of education, early years provision, and leadership and management all received Good grades. This represents a change from the school’s previous inspection in 2014, when it was rated Outstanding across the board. The parent view survey, based on 17 responses collected between September 2024 and September 2025, shows strong satisfaction: 94% of parents agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy at the school, and 100% felt their child is safe. However, concerns about how complaints are handled were more mixed, with 30% of parents disagreeing or strongly disagreeing that concerns are dealt with properly. The school’s SEND provisions cover moderate and severe learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication issues, and autistic spectrum disorder.

The school is heavily oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 academic year, there were 87 applications for 45 places, a ratio of nearly two to one, and all 45 first-preference applicants were offered a place. Facilities include a Forest School, playing fields, an ICT suite, music rooms and a chapel. Sports on offer include netball, tennis, football, gymnastics, dance and cricket, while clubs range from film and art to coding, science and chess. The school has a nursery provision for children from age three. Given its strong pastoral ratings and the Outstanding personal development grade, Carlton Road Academy is likely to suit families who prioritise a supportive, inclusive environment over top-tier academic results. The high proportion of pupils on free school meals and the broad SEND offer suggest a genuinely comprehensive intake, and the oversubscription figures indicate strong local demand despite the academic results being below the LA average.

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