Academy sponsor led · Lincolnshire

Mercer's Wood Academy

5–11Ages
157Pupils
PrimaryPhase
139332URN

Ropery Road, Gainsborough, DN21 2PD · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Sep 2022 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.4per place

0.3 above Lincolnshire median (2.0)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Lincolnshire

38 applications for 16 places · 46th of 169 in Lincolnshire

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

29%met the expected standard

Lincolnshire 60% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 13 September 2022Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

2.4applications per place, Reception

0.3 above Lincolnshire median (2.0) close to England median (2.2)

38 applications · 16 places offered · 14 named it first

2026 2.4; Lincolnshire median median 2.0
2025 2.0; Lincolnshire median median 1.9
2024 2.2; Lincolnshire median median 1.8
2023 1.6; Lincolnshire median median 1.8
2022 2.1; Lincolnshire median median 1.8
2021 1.5; Lincolnshire median median 1.8
2020 1.9; Lincolnshire median median 1.9
2019 1.8; Lincolnshire median median 1.8
2018 1.9; Lincolnshire median median 1.8
2017 1.9; Lincolnshire median median 1.9
2016 2.4; Lincolnshire median median 1.9
2015 1.8; Lincolnshire median median 1.8
2014 1.4; Lincolnshire median median 1.8

This school
Lincolnshire median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	16	38	2.4	14	0.88
Sep 2025	23	46	2.0	23	1.00
Sep 2024	12	26	2.2	12	1.00
Sep 2023	21	33	1.6	20	0.95
Sep 2022	19	39	2.1	19	1.00
Sep 2021	19	29	1.5	19	1.00
Sep 2020	14	26	1.9	14	1.00
Sep 2019	22	39	1.8	21	0.95
Sep 2018	30	57	1.9	32	1.07
Sep 2017	26	50	1.9	23	0.88
Sep 2016	30	72	2.4	36	1.20
Sep 2015	29	53	1.8	27	0.93
Sep 2014	30	43	1.4	28	0.93

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 54% · Writing 46% · Maths 68% → all three 29% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard29%238th of 244 in Lincolnshire

Lincolnshire 60% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard54%

Lincolnshire 73% England 78%

Higher standard11%

Lincolnshire 27% England 33%

Average scaled score 100 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard46%

Lincolnshire 73% England 75%

Greater depth0%

Lincolnshire 11% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard68%

Lincolnshire 73% England 77%

Higher standard18%

Lincolnshire 19% England 24%

Average scaled score 102 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Lincolnshire median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	29%	0%	100	102
2023/24	27%	0%	99	101
2022/23	44%	7%	102	101

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Mercer's Wood AcademyThis school
This school

Good2022

2.4applications per place 29%met the SATs standard
The Gainsborough Parish Church Primary School
0.7 km · Lincolnshire

2026

2.1applications per place 49%met the SATs standard
Castle Wood Academy
0.9 km · Lincolnshire

Good2024

1.6applications per place 40%met the SATs standard
Morton Trentside Primary School
1.0 km · Lincolnshire

Remains Good2023

1.9applications per place 71%met the SATs standard
White's Wood Academy
1.9 km · Lincolnshire

Good2022

30%met the SATs standard
The Gainsborough Hillcrest Early Years Academy
1.9 km · Lincolnshire

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.8applications per place
The Gainsborough Charles Baines Community Primary School
2.0 km · Lincolnshire

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.9applications per place 57%met the SATs standard
Benjamin Adlard Primary School
2.3 km · Lincolnshire

2026

1.6applications per place 52%met the SATs standard
St George's Church of England Community Primary School, Gainsborough
2.7 km · Lincolnshire

Good2023

1.6applications per place 40%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Academy sponsor led
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 139332 · 925/2008
Trust: Tall Oaks Academy Trust Ltd
Capacity: 210 pupils · 157 on roll
Free school meals: 75.8% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 March 2013
Replaced: The North-County Primary School, Gainsborough (URN 120448)
Address: Ropery Road, Gainsborough, DN21 2PD
Local authority: Lincolnshire · West Lindsey

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources