Elliston Primary Academy

About Elliston Primary Academy

Elliston Primary Academy in North East Lincolnshire is a state primary for mixed pupils aged 3 to 11, currently home to 346 children against a capacity of 393. That leaves a little headroom, but the school is clearly in demand: for the 2025/26 intake, it received 69 applications for 41 places, with all 41 first-preference families offered a spot. That oversubscription ratio of 1.68 tells you this is a school local families are keen to get into. The pupil body is notably diverse in terms of disadvantage — 56.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average and a strong signal that the school serves a community with significant economic challenges. It is a non-religious, co-educational academy with nursery provision, and is led by headteacher Caroline Patterson.

Academically, Elliston has made a remarkable turnaround. In its most recent graded Ofsted inspection, it received an overall rating of Outstanding, a dramatic improvement from the Requires Improvement it was given in its previous graded inspection. The inspection also rated early years provision, leadership and management as Outstanding. At Key Stage 2, 66% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, just above the local authority average of 64%. Reading scores were a particular strength, with an average scaled score of 106 and 82% reaching the expected standard. Maths followed closely with an average score of 103 and 77% at expected. The school ranks 23rd out of 42 primaries in North East Lincolnshire on the KS2 combined measure, placing it in the top half of the LA. Only two primaries in the borough share its Outstanding rating.

The school offers a solid range of facilities including a sports hall, playing fields, library, art studios, ICT suite and a sensory room. Sports provision covers football, cricket, tennis, athletics, rounders and dance, while clubs include gardening, drama, film club and choir. For SEND, the school supports pupils with moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. Parent feedback is overwhelmingly positive: 93% of respondents would recommend the school, and 92% agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy here. The nearest other Outstanding-rated primary is Middlethorpe Primary Academy, 2.5 km away. Elliston is a strong fit for families in the area who want a high-performing, inclusive school that reflects the local community and has proven it can deliver strong outcomes despite challenging demographics.

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