Spalding Grammar School Review 2026: A selective boys’ grammar with a mixed sixth form

A long-established selective school with a clear academic core and the scale to feel like a full secondary rather than a small specialist setting. The school traces its royal charter to 1588, with John Blanche and John Gamlyn linked to its founding endowment and letters patent.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Day-to-day leadership is held by the Executive Headteacher, Mrs M K Anderson. The latest graded inspection (6 and 7 February 2024) judged the school Good overall, with Good also recorded for sixth-form provision.

For families considering selective education in this part of Lincolnshire, the offer is straightforward: high expectations, a traditional grammar-school entry route at 11, and a sixth form that opens to both boys and girls.

The school’s identity is closely tied to selective entry at 11 and a house structure that gives students a smaller community inside a larger one. Bentley and Gamlyn reflect historic links to the school’s past, and the house model is used for competition and pastoral anchoring.

Official evidence paints a largely positive picture of day-to-day conduct and relationships, with pupils typically described as polite and respectful and with strong take-up of lunchtime and after-school activities. At the same time, the same evidence highlights a familiar grammar-school challenge at scale: a minority of students can disrupt learning, and consistency in applying routines matters.

Sixth form culture appears more self-directed, with a strong emphasis on independence and mature study habits. The school’s own sixth form materials also position sport and enrichment as a continuing expectation post-16, rather than something left behind after GCSEs.

Performance sits comfortably above the England average on the school’s FindMySchool GCSE ranking. Ranked 984th in England and 2nd in Spalding for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), it sits above England average, placing it comfortably within the top 25% of schools in England.

At GCSE level, the average Attainment 8 score is 59.8 and Progress 8 is +0.30, indicating students tend to make above-average progress from their starting points.

Post-16 outcomes are more mixed. Ranked 1005th in England and 1st in Spalding for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), performance is broadly in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile). The grade profile shows 7.9% of A-level entries at A*, 16.3% at A, and 27.6% at B, with 51.8% at A* to B. Compared with the England averages A* to A is slightly above (24.2% versus 23.6%), while A* to B is also above (51.8% versus 47.2%).

A useful way to read this combination is that GCSE outcomes are a clear strength relative to England, while sixth form outcomes are solid and competitive locally, rather than consistently elite across England.

Curriculum intent is academically broad, with sequencing and key knowledge made explicit across subjects. Teaching is typically led by subject specialists, and lesson activities are usually aligned to clearly defined curriculum content.

Where the school seems to be focusing improvement work is also clear: checking understanding in real time, adapting tasks so that all students, including those with special educational needs and disabilities, can participate fully, and ensuring challenge is consistent across lessons.

In the sixth form, the academic model is deliberately demanding, with students expected to use supervised study time effectively and manage a greater share of independent work.

For the 2023/24 leaver cohort, 58% progressed to university, 10% started apprenticeships, 20% moved into employment, and 1% went into further education. These figures suggest a mainstream university route for the majority, with a meaningful minority taking work-based options.

Oxbridge outcomes, while not large in volume, indicate a functioning high-attainment pipeline. In the measured cycle, seven students applied and one secured a place.

The sixth form also signals structured pathways beyond purely academic study, with personal and careers education and a recognised Sports Leaders route referenced as part of wider development.

Entry is selective at 11 through two tests taken during Year 6, with standardisation used across the Lincolnshire consortium. The admissions policy describes a county standard aggregate score of 220 across both tests, with the score designed so that a defined proportion of the Year 6 cohort reaches the qualifying threshold. The published admission number for Year 7 is 150 places.

Oversubscription is handled through a defined priority structure. After children with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school and looked-after or previously looked-after children, priority is shaped by geography, with those in designated areas considered ahead of those outside, and distance used as a tie-break where needed.

For families tracking dates, the 2026 entry cycle (Year 7 starting September 2026) includes a published 11+ registration deadline of Monday 31 March 2025. Lincolnshire’s co-ordinated admissions timetable for secondary transfer states applications open on 8 September 2025, close on 31 October 2025, and national offer day is 2 March 2026.

For the next cycle after that, the school has already published test dates for entry to Year 7 in September 2027, with tests scheduled in September 2026. This is where using FindMySchool’s Map Search can help families sanity-check commuting practicality early, before investing significant time in test preparation.

Sixth form admissions are separate from Year 7 entry. The school publishes a clear timeline for September 2026 sixth form entry, including an open evening in November 2025 and an application deadline of Tuesday 3 March 2026.

The pastoral model blends grammar-school expectations with targeted support for students who need it. Published SEN information references dedicated wellbeing support roles and a Wellbeing Room for students who need a quieter space during the school day.

Safeguarding arrangements are recorded as effective in the most recent inspection evidence. Beyond safeguarding, the areas that most matter for day-to-day experience are behaviour consistency and belonging. Evidence indicates most students are positive about school life, but not all feel equally included, and consistent application of routines is important for protecting learning time.

The enrichment offer is unusually specific and, for the right student, can become part of the reason to choose the school rather than simply a nice add-on.

On the academic and creative side, the school lists clubs such as Engineering, 4 x 4 Club, Maths Club, Biology Club, Latin Club, Chess Club, Computing Club, Dungeons and Dragons, and Warhammer. STEM enrichment also includes Lego Mindstorms and engineering activity linked to external competitions, including the Land Rover 4x4 in Schools Challenge and the Engineering Education Scheme for England. The practical implication is that students who enjoy building, coding, and iterative problem-solving can find structured outlets without having to wait for sixth form.

Coding is treated as a co-curricular discipline, not a novelty. The Computing area describes a lunchtime Coding Club with progression through bronze, silver, and gold merit badges across languages including Python, Scratch, C#, and HTML. That kind of scaffold suits students who like measurable progression and peer problem-solving.

Sport and leadership are positioned as ongoing commitments, with Sports Leaders framed as a recognised qualification route and Duke of Edinburgh available through to Gold.

Facilities referenced on the school site include a library, art room, sports hall, and a sixth form coffee shop, which is a small detail but often matters in how sixth formers use their non-contact time.

Published opening hours are 8.55am to 3.30pm. As a secondary school, wraparound care is not typically a core feature; the school does not present breakfast or after-school childcare as a standard offer in the same way many primaries do, so families who need structured supervision either side of the day should clarify arrangements directly.

For transport, expect a wide catchment typical of selective schools, with school and local authority transport processes relevant for some families, particularly post-16 where bursary and travel timelines can interact.

• Selective entry pressure. Entry at 11 depends on performance in the two-test process and meeting the qualifying standard. This suits students who are academically ready for a fast pace; it can be stressful for those who are still developing confidence.

• Date complexity across routes. Year 7 entry follows the 11+ registration timeline and the local authority application timetable, while sixth form entry has its own deadlines and events. Families should plan the year carefully to avoid missing one of the parallel steps.

• Consistency of routines. Evidence points to generally respectful behaviour, but also to the importance of consistent application of routines to prevent low-level disruption from eroding learning time.

• A-level outcomes are solid, not uniformly elite across England. GCSE performance is a clearer strength in England terms than sixth form performance, so ambitious sixth formers should look closely at subject fit, teaching teams, and study expectations.

Spalding Grammar School is best understood as a traditional, high-expectation selective school with strong GCSE-level performance and a broad, well-specified enrichment offer. It will suit academically able boys who want a structured grammar-school environment and who will make use of clubs such as Engineering, Coding Club, or the wider house and leadership opportunities. For sixth form, it can also suit motivated students from other schools who want a serious academic setting and clear progression routes, provided subject choices align and the student is comfortable with the independence expected post-16.