Carr Lodge Academy

About Carr Lodge Academy

Carr Lodge Academy in Doncaster is a state primary school that is clearly in demand. With 454 pupils on roll against a capacity of 420, the school is oversubscribed, and the numbers back that up: for 2025/26 entry, there were 96 total applications for 59 places, with 66 families listing it as their first preference. That gives an oversubscription ratio of 1.63, meaning for every place available, more than one and a half families wanted it. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals sits at 17.8%, which is slightly above the national average for primary schools (around 14%) but not dramatically so, suggesting a broadly mixed intake. The school serves children aged 3 to 11 and has a nursery provision, so it caters to families from the earliest stages. Headteacher Sarah Crampton leads a school with no religious character, and the most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2024 rated it Good overall, with an ungraded outcome noting it remains Good and is improving.

Academically, Carr Lodge performs well above the local authority average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 70% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared to the Doncaster average of 61%. That places the school 21st out of 87 primaries in the local authority, putting it in the top quarter locally and in the top 30% nationally. Individual subject scores are solid: 83% hit the expected standard in maths, 82% in reading and 77% in writing. At the higher standard, 32% achieved that in maths and 30% in reading, though the combined higher score was just 7%. The school’s Ofsted breakdown from the 2019 graded inspection gave top marks of Good for overall effectiveness, leadership and management, and early years provision, with no outstanding grades but a clear trajectory of improvement noted in the 2024 ungraded visit.

The school offers a practical range of facilities including a sensory room, ICT suite, library, art studios and playing fields, plus a dining hall and outdoor playground. Sports provision is strong with netball, athletics, swimming, cricket, tennis, football and rounders, and there are clubs for chess, coding and choir. For families with children who have additional needs, Carr Lodge has a broad SEND offer covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, speech and language needs, hearing impairment, physical disability and autistic spectrum disorder. The nearest outstanding-rated primary is Hill Top Academy, 4.2 km away, so for families who want a Good-rated school that is oversubscribed for good reason and sits above the local average in outcomes, Carr Lodge is a strong, well-regarded choice in Doncaster.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Carr Lodge Academy

Helpful Guides for Parents