Spalding Grammar School
93%
Capacity
995
Pupils
1.8x
Demand
About Spalding Grammar School
Spalding Grammar School is a popular choice for families in South Holland, and the numbers back that up. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 262 applications for 147 places, making it officially oversubscribed with a ratio of 1.78 applicants per place. Of those, 151 families put it as their first preference, and 116 of those were successful. While the school doesn't publish a parent satisfaction survey, the high demand suggests a strong local reputation. The school is a state-funded boys' secondary with a co-educational sixth form, and it has a Good rating from Ofsted across all categories in its most recent inspection in 2024. That inspection found the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management all to be Good, with the sixth form provision also rated Good.
Academically, Spalding Grammar School performs well above the local average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.3 is rated 'Above average' by the Department for Education, meaning pupils make significantly more progress than similar students nationally. This is a strong contrast to the Lincolnshire local authority average of -0.06. In the East Midlands, the school ranks 59th out of 273 schools, placing it in the top 22% regionally. At GCSE, 94% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, and the average Attainment 8 score was 59.8. The school also has a strong focus on the English Baccalaureate, with 56.4% of pupils entering the EBacc combination of subjects. At A-level, the average points per entry was 35.3, equivalent to a B- grade, and the school's value-added score of 0.06 is rated as 'Average', indicating that sixth-form students make expected progress.
The school offers a solid range of facilities, including a swimming pool, sports hall, astro turf, playing fields, a theatre, and a dedicated sixth form centre. Sports on offer include hockey, cricket, basketball, gymnastics, martial arts, and dance, while extracurricular clubs cover drama, choir, orchestra, the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Young Enterprise, and debate. For families with children who have additional needs, the school has a broad SEND register, supporting conditions including dyslexia, autism spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities. With 8.4% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school is slightly below the national average for disadvantage, but the strong Progress 8 score suggests it supports its pupils well. This school will suit families looking for a high-performing, oversubscribed boys' grammar school with a strong academic record and a wide range of enrichment opportunities, particularly those who value a structured, traditional school environment.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Boys |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Priory Road, Spalding, South Holland, PE11 2XH |
| Headteacher | Michele Anderson |
| Local Authority | Lincolnshire |
| Number of Pupils | 995 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 8.4% |
| School Capacity | 995 / 1,070 (93% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
6 Feb 2024Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 21 Mar 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.30)
832nd of 3,141
Nationally
59th of 273
In East Midlands
2nd of 5
In South Holland
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
40.8
'22/23
35.2
'23/24
35.3
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2383%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 110 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)83%
- FE college8%
- Apprenticeship6%
- Sixth form college1%
- Employment1%
- Not sustained1%
99% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2362%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 126 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
28%
Russell Group
37%
Top-third HE
2%
Oxford / Cambridge
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)62%
- Employment19%
- Not sustained9%
- Apprenticeship7%
- Further education1%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Mathematics53
- Psychology42
- Business Studies:Single30
- Biology26
- Law24
- Physics23
- Economics20
- Chemistry18
- Mathematics (Further)18
- Physical Education / Sports Studies15
- Geography13
- English Literature12
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
13Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed147
262
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
151 families put this school as their 1st choice (58% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Lower-disadvantage intake compared to the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British60.7%
- Asian15.7%
- White (other)10.8%
- Mixed4.2%
- Black0.9%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
9
Total schools
8
Oversubscribed
6
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Spalding Grammar School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Priory Road, Spalding
South Holland, PE11 2XH
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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