Free schools · Lincolnshire

Poplar Farm School

4–11Ages
414Pupils
PrimaryPhase
145902URN

Helmsley Road, Grantham, NG31 8XF · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Jan 2023 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.9per place

close to Lincolnshire median (2.0)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Lincolnshire

97 applications for 50 places · 85th of 169 in Lincolnshire

Every year since 2019

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

63%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 · 24 January 2023Ofsted'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

1.9applications per place, Reception

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

97 applications · 50 places offered · 48 named it first

2026 1.9; Lincolnshire median median 2.0
2025 1.9; Lincolnshire median median 1.9
2024 1.8; Lincolnshire median median 1.8
2023 1.7; Lincolnshire median median 1.8
2022 1.8; Lincolnshire median median 1.8
2021 2.4; Lincolnshire median median 1.8
2020 1.9; Lincolnshire median median 1.9
2019 2.0; 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	50	97	1.9	48	0.96
Sep 2025	54	104	1.9	48	0.89
Sep 2024	60	107	1.8	64	1.07
Sep 2023	58	98	1.7	52	0.90
Sep 2022	60	109	1.8	74	1.23
Sep 2021	58	138	2.4	76	1.31
Sep 2020	56	106	1.9	49	0.88
Sep 2019	60	118	2.0	58	0.97

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 73% · Writing 75% · Maths 73% → all three 63% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard63%99th of 244 in Lincolnshire

Lincolnshire 60% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard73%

Lincolnshire 73% England 78%

Higher standard27%

Lincolnshire 27% England 33%

Average scaled score 104 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard75%

Lincolnshire 73% England 75%

Greater depth10%

Lincolnshire 11% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard73%

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	63%	8%	104	102
2023/24
2022/23

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

Poplar Farm SchoolThis school
This school

Good2023

1.9applications per place 63%met the SATs standard
The Gonerby Hill Foot Church of England Primary School
0.7 km · Lincolnshire

Remains Good2023

2.2applications per place 68%met the SATs standard
The St Sebastian's Church of England Primary School, Great Gonerby
1.3 km · Lincolnshire

Remains Good2023

2.4applications per place 56%met the SATs standard
The Isaac Newton Primary School
1.5 km · Lincolnshire

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.9applications per place 42%met the SATs standard
Cliffedale Primary School
1.5 km · Lincolnshire

Good2024

2.8applications per place 58%met the SATs standard
St Wulfram's National Church of England Primary School
1.8 km · Lincolnshire

Graded · no overall grade2025

5.5applications per place 42%met the SATs standard
Barrowby Church of England Primary School
1.9 km · Lincolnshire

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.4applications per place 79%met the SATs standard
West Grantham Church of England Primary Academy
2.0 km · Lincolnshire

Good2023

2.4applications per place 41%met the SATs standard
Huntingtower Community Primary Academy
2.1 km · Lincolnshire

2026

1.8applications per place 53%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: Free schools
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 145902 · 925/2048
Trust: Community Inclusive Trust
Capacity: 420 pupils · 414 on roll
Free school meals: 17.9% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 4 September 2018
Address: Helmsley Road, Grantham, NG31 8XF
Local authority: Lincolnshire · South Kesteven

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