The Deepings School Review 2026: An improving 11 to 18 comprehensive with a strengthened sixth form

For families across the Deepings area who want an 11 to 18 route without selection or fees, The Deepings School is a large, mixed academy with capacity for 1,460 students and a clear improvement trajectory. The most recent inspection picture is mixed but trending positively: sixth form provision was judged Good, alongside Good judgements for behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management, while quality of education was judged Requires Improvement (inspection dates 11 and 12 February 2025).

That combination matters in day to day terms. Expectations and conduct are described as more settled, enrichment has a defined place in school life, and students in the sixth form are better prepared for next steps than the Year 11 outcomes would suggest. The central question for many parents is whether the improving systems are now consistent enough across subjects to translate into stronger GCSE outcomes, not just stronger intent.

The school’s current story is largely one of rebuilding consistency. External evaluation describes an inclusive culture based on mutual respect, with pupils feeling safe and the vast majority behaving well. These are foundational indicators, especially for a large secondary where corridor culture, classroom routines, and predictable adult responses shape a pupil’s experience more than any single initiative.

Leadership stability is a relevant context. Kirstie Johnson is named as headteacher in the inspection documentation, and was appointed in September 2023 after previously serving as head of school. The inspection narrative also references an interim executive headteacher role in the trust context, which suggests the trust is providing additional capacity while systems embed. For parents, this typically translates into clearer expectations, more visible monitoring, and a sharper focus on staff training, even if the experience can feel “in transition” while approaches are standardised.

A notable strength in the inspection evidence is that pupils have access to opportunities beyond lessons that build confidence and belonging. There are references to enrichment in sport, music and drama clubs, trips and visits that complement the curriculum, and structured leadership roles such as the school council and learning council. Sixth form students are also described as mentors and reading buddies for younger pupils. The implication is that the school’s culture is being shaped as much through participation and responsibility as through sanctions and rewards, which can be a strong lever for engagement in a comprehensive intake.

This is a mainstream state secondary with sixth form, so the most useful lens is how outcomes compare across key stages, and whether they align with the improving behaviour and leadership picture.

GCSE performance and ranking (FindMySchool, based on official data)

The school is ranked 3,022nd in England for GCSE outcomes and 13th locally (Peterborough area) within the FindMySchool dataset. With an England percentile of 0.658, results sit below England average overall. That does not mean every child underachieves, but it does signal that, as a whole cohort, outcomes are not yet where they need to be.

Looking at specific indicators, the school’s Progress 8 score is -0.29, which indicates pupils make less progress than similar pupils nationally between the end of primary and GCSE. Attainment 8 is 40. The average EBacc APS is 3.42, and 8% of pupils achieved grades 5 or above across the EBacc measure (as recorded). Together, these metrics point to a core priority: consistency of curriculum delivery and secure learning across subjects, particularly for pupils who are not already highly self-directed.

A-level performance and ranking (FindMySchool, based on official data)

The sixth form is also positioned below England average. The school ranks 1,929th in England for A-level outcomes and 11th locally (Peterborough area), with an England percentile of 0.7282.

On grades, 3.03% of entries achieved A*, 9.09% achieved A, and 35.15% achieved A* to B. For context England averages are 23.6% A* or A and 47.2% A* to B. Even allowing for cohort size effects (which can swing percentages), the headline message is that sixth form outcomes are an area to strengthen further, despite the sixth form provision being judged Good in the most recent inspection. That combination is possible, and often means teaching quality and student support are more effective than the legacy outcomes suggest, but results have not yet fully caught up.

A practical way to use this information as a parent is to separate “direction of travel” from “current performance”. FindMySchool’s Local Hub and Comparison Tool can help you compare these rankings and metrics against other nearby options serving the same area, especially if you are weighing travel time against outcomes.

The most recent inspection evidence describes a curriculum that has been strengthened and is broad and ambitious, with important knowledge and vocabulary identified and ordered to build understanding over time. It also states that in key stage 3 pupils study the full range of subjects, and in key stages 4 and 5 pupils select from a blend of academic and vocational courses, including the option to take the full suite of English Baccalaureate subjects.

The limiting factor is not intent, it is consistency. Teaching is described as uneven in implementation, with teachers’ subject knowledge and training not always translating into consistently secure learning, particularly where checking understanding and correcting misconceptions are concerned. For families, the implication is that students who thrive here are often those who respond well to structure and are willing to revisit learning independently when lessons do not land perfectly first time. Students who need highly responsive adaptive teaching, especially some pupils with SEND, may require close monitoring and proactive communication between home and school.

In the sixth form, the described picture is stronger. Lessons are characterised as challenging, with careful checks on learning and detailed feedback that supports deeper thinking and improvement. This aligns with a common pattern in 11 to 18 comprehensives: older students benefit from smaller groups, more specialist teaching, and clearer student motivation, while the main school requires a stronger universal baseline to ensure every classroom is consistently effective.

Because the school has a sixth form, there are two “next steps” moments: post 16 choices after Year 11, and post 18 destinations after Year 13.

Post 18 destinations (2023 to 2024 leavers)

In the most recent dataset year provided, 53% of leavers progressed to university, 11% to apprenticeships, 18% into employment, and 1% into further education (cohort size: 93). This distribution is useful for parents because it signals a genuinely mixed set of pathways, not a single pipeline.

Oxbridge (most recent dataset period)

The Oxbridge data indicates 2 applications and 1 acceptance, with the acceptance recorded under Cambridge rather than Oxford. In practical terms, that suggests the school can support highly competitive applications, even if this is not a high-volume route year to year.

A key planning implication is that families should treat progression as “pathway-led” rather than “one-size-fits-all”. If your child is university-focused, ask how the school supports subject combinations, independent study habits, and competitive admissions preparation. If your child is apprenticeship-focused, ask how employer engagement, technical pathways, and careers guidance are structured, and how early planning begins. External evaluation notes that students receive detailed information about future choices and careers, and that most pupils in Years 10 and 12 benefit from work experience.

Year 7 entry is Local Authority coordinated through Lincolnshire (even though the school’s locality is Deeping St James and the postal town is Peterborough). The application window for starting Year 7 in September 2026 opened on 8 September 2025 and closed on 31 October 2025, with late changes in Lincolnshire accepted up to 12 December 2025. Offers for secondary places are released on 2 March 2026 (national offer day).

Demand picture (most recent dataset)

The school is recorded as undersubscribed for the main entry route, with 179 applications and 189 offers, and a subscription proportion of 0.95. For parents, this typically means that, most years, securing a place is less about living extremely close and more about applying on time and ensuring your preferences are realistic.

Oversubscription rules still matter in years when local demand rises. Lincolnshire’s published summary for this school indicates that, if applications exceed places, priority is given in order including looked after and previously looked after children, siblings, children of staff (under specified conditions), then criteria linked to being the nearest non-selective school and straight line distance, with a lottery as a tie-break if distance cannot separate applicants for the last place.

Sixth form entry

Lincolnshire’s directory entry lists a sixth form published admission number of 10 for external applicants, and states that entry requirements and courses are set out in the sixth form prospectus and on the school’s website, with the same entry criteria applying to internal and external students. In practical terms, families should expect GCSE profile requirements and subject-specific minimum grades, then confirm course viability based on option blocks.

If you are weighing multiple schools and transport is a deciding factor, it is sensible to check your eligibility for school transport before applying. Lincolnshire explicitly recommends doing this as it can influence preference choices.

A stable baseline of safety and behaviour is a prerequisite for progress, and the most recent inspection narrative supports improvement here. Behaviour is described as improved, with incidents dealt with more fairly and consistently, and pupils who struggle to regulate behaviour receiving effective support. Attendance is also described as improving, supported by monitoring systems and targeted staff work with pupils who are absent.

Safeguarding is an area where parents rightly want clarity. The inspection documentation states that safeguarding arrangements are effective. In practical terms, families can still ask sensible questions about how concerns are recorded, how online safety is taught, and how bullying is handled, but the baseline compliance and culture indicators are reported as secure.

For pupils with SEND, the evidence highlights a specific development need: staff training has been provided, and needs are identified and shared, but learning activities are not consistently adapted effectively, with the result that some pupils with SEND do not achieve as well as they should. For families, this is a “plan the support early” flag: ask what provision looks like in classrooms, how teachers are coached, and how the school measures impact beyond access arrangements.

Enrichment can be a differentiator in a comprehensive, especially when it is used to build relationships and personal development, not just to decorate the prospectus. Here, the externally described model is structured and purposeful: sport, music and drama clubs are part of the offer, with trips and visits designed to complement curriculum learning.

Leadership pathways also feature prominently. The school council and learning council give pupils formal routes to influence and responsibility, which can matter for students who need a reason to feel invested. Sixth form mentoring and reading buddy roles are another strong mechanism, because they develop older students’ confidence and set a culture where younger pupils see relatable role models.

A further strength is careers and pathway preparation. External evidence describes detailed information about future choices, and work experience for most pupils in Years 10 and 12. The implication is that the school is trying to make post 16 and post 18 planning concrete, which fits well with the leaver destination profile showing a spread across university, apprenticeships and employment.

As a large secondary serving a wide local area, travel planning matters. Families should check bus routes and cycling feasibility early, and confirm whether transport eligibility applies in their circumstances, particularly if they are considering the school from outside immediate proximity.

Specific start and finish times, and any breakfast or after-school supervision arrangements, are not reliably available from the accessible official sources used for this review due to website access limits. Parents should confirm the current school day structure directly with the school, especially for sixth form timetables and after-school enrichment schedules.

• Quality of education remains the main improvement priority. The most recent inspection judgements retain Requires Improvement for quality of education, which indicates teaching consistency and secure learning are not yet embedded across subjects.

• SEND classroom adaptation is a specific risk area. The evidence highlights that activities are not consistently adapted effectively for pupils with SEND, and that this affects achievement for some pupils. Families should ask targeted questions about classroom strategies, not only support plans.

• Outcomes are currently below England average in the FindMySchool dataset. GCSE and A-level rankings place the school below England average overall. If academic outcomes are your main driver, use side-by-side comparison against realistic alternatives, not reputation or historical impressions.

• The sixth form is judged Good, but results still lag England averages. This can indicate improvements that have not yet fully translated into outcomes. Ask how the sixth form supports study habits, subject availability, and post 18 applications.

The Deepings School presents as an improving, large, mixed 11 to 18 comprehensive where behaviour, leadership, and sixth form experience are stronger than headline GCSE outcomes suggest. The challenge is ensuring that the strengthened curriculum is delivered consistently enough to raise achievement across Year 7 to Year 11, and that classroom adaptation for pupils with SEND is reliably effective.

Who it suits: families seeking a non-selective local secondary with sixth form, who value a broad enrichment offer, structured leadership opportunities, and a mixed set of post 18 pathways. Students who respond well to clear routines and are ready to engage with clubs, councils, mentoring, and work experience are likely to benefit most. Families who need consistently high attainment outcomes today, rather than improvement momentum, should compare alternatives carefully using FindMySchool’s Map Search and shortlist tools alongside visits and conversations.