Graded inspection · May 2025 Previous framework
- Quality of education
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Personal development
- Leadership and management
This schoolOther secondary schools in LincolnshireSelective
What did Ofsted find?
Ofsted data to 30 September 2026| Area | Outstanding | Good | Requires improvement | Inadequate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quality of education | Good | |||
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good | |||
| Personal development | Good | |||
| Leadership and management | Outstanding |
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 entry338 applications · 116 places offered · 128 named it first
- 2026 2.9; Lincolnshire median median 1.9
- 2025 2.5; Lincolnshire median median 1.9
- 2024 2.2; Lincolnshire median median 1.9
- 2023 1.8; Lincolnshire median median 1.7
- 2022 2.0; Lincolnshire median median 1.7; as the previous school
- 2021 2.0; Lincolnshire median median 1.8; as the previous school
- 2020 2.1; Lincolnshire median median 1.8; as the previous school
- 2019 2.0; Lincolnshire median median 1.9; as the previous school
- 2018 2.1; Lincolnshire median median 1.9; as the previous school
- 2017 2.0; Lincolnshire median median 1.9; as the previous school
- 2016 2.1; Lincolnshire median median 1.9; as the previous school
- 2015 2.0; Lincolnshire median median 1.8; as the previous school
- 2014 2.4; Lincolnshire median median 1.9; as the previous school
- This school
- Lincolnshire median
Dashed bars: as The Thomas Cowley High School (URN 138755), The Thomas Cowley High School (URN 120662), the previous school.
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, 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 | 116 | 338 | 2.9 | 128 | 1.10 |
| Sep 2025 | 110 | 269 | 2.5 | 129 | 1.17 |
| Sep 2024 | 115 | 250 | 2.2 | 121 | 1.05 |
| Sep 2023 | 116 | 203 | 1.8 | 99 | 0.85 |
| Sep 2022 * | 121 | 246 | 2.0 | 127 | 1.05 |
| Sep 2021 * | 118 | 234 | 2.0 | 103 | 0.87 |
| Sep 2020 * | 125 | 258 | 2.1 | 120 | 0.96 |
| Sep 2019 * | 125 | 244 | 2.0 | 131 | 1.05 |
| Sep 2018 * | 116 | 246 | 2.1 | 145 | 1.25 |
| Sep 2017 * | 119 | 232 | 2.0 | 123 | 1.03 |
| Sep 2016 * | 116 | 248 | 2.1 | 119 | 1.03 |
| Sep 2015 * | 137 | 278 | 2.0 | 144 | 1.05 |
| Sep 2014 * | 134 | 317 | 2.4 | 126 | 0.94 |
How did pupils do at GCSE?
DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisionalEvery year as a table
| Year | Pupils | Attainment 8 | 5+ Eng & maths | 4+ Eng & maths | Progress 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 (prov.) | 120 | 44.3 | 31% | 58% | – |
| 2024/25 | 125 | 36.5 | 17% | 34% | – |
| 2023/24 | 127 | 43.0 | 30% | 55% | −0.12 |
| 2022/23 | 114 | 39.4 | 22% | 42% | +0.08 |
Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.
Schools nearby
The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority
- Cowley AcademyThis schoolThis schoolGraded · no overall grade20252.9applications per place 44.3Attainment 8
- 9.6 km · LincolnshireGraded · no overall grade20251.9applications per place 27.6Attainment 8
- 13.9 km · LincolnshireGood20241.9applications per place 59.9Attainment 8 Selective
- 13.9 km · LincolnshireStandards maintained20251.9applications per place 44.1Attainment 8
- 14.1 km · LincolnshireOutstanding20232.0applications per place 62.5Attainment 8 Selective
- 14.2 km · Lincolnshire20261.6applications per place 54.7Attainment 8 Selective
- 14.8 km · LincolnshireSpecial measures 20261.5applications per place 32.6Attainment 8
- 15.7 km · LincolnshireRemains Good20242.0applications per place 56.6Attainment 8 Selective
- 17.5 km · LincolnshireGraded · no overall grade20242.2applications per place 63.0Attainment 8 Selective
- 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
- Secondary
- URN · DfE number
- 149436 · 925/4057
- Trust
- South Lincolnshire Academies Trust
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Capacity
- 650 pupils · 621 on roll
- Free school meals
- 36.2% of pupils (England median 23%)
- Opened
- 1 September 2022
- Replaced
- The Thomas Cowley High School (URN 138755); The Thomas Cowley High School (URN 120662)
- Address
- School Lane, Donington, Spalding, PE11 4TF
- Local authority
- Lincolnshire · South Holland
Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources