Best Secondary Schools in Lincolnshire 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 53 schools across Lincolnshire. Updated with 2025–26 data.

How many schools?
53
Open secondary schools in Lincolnshire
Closed schools excluded
Inspection picture
40 Good or better
of 53 with a historic Ofsted grade
Historic single-word grades · pre-Nov-2025
How is this list ordered?
SNM score
Spalding High School currently leads
Methodology

Lincolnshire has 53 open secondary schools. Of the 53 with a published Ofsted inspection, 3 (6%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 75% held Good or Outstanding — these are the last single-word grades from before Ofsted retired them on 10 November 2025 (how we treat Ofsted data). On our composite Schools Near Me score, Spalding High School currently leads the local rankings. Closed schools are excluded from every list on this page.

Use the ranked table below to compare schools side by side, then open any school for the full picture. Application deadlines in Lincolnshire follow the national calendar: 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively.

All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score Profile
1. Spalding High School
Secondary
 Outstanding 88 View school
2. Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School
Secondary
 Outstanding 88 View school
3. Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Horncastle
Secondary
 Good 85 View school
4. Caistor Grammar School
Secondary
 Good 83 View school
5. The King's School, Grantham
Secondary
 Good 82 View school
6. Bourne Grammar School
Secondary
 Good 81 View school
7. King Edward VI Grammar School
Secondary
 Good 81 View school
8. Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy
Secondary
 Good 79 View school
9. The Queen Elizabeth's High School, Gainsborough
Secondary
 Good 79 View school
10. Queen Elizabeth's Grammar Alford - A Selective Academy
Secondary
 Good 78 View school
11. Carre's Grammar School
Secondary
 Good 72 View school
12. Spalding Grammar School
Secondary
 Good 71 View school
13. Boston High School
Secondary
 Good 70 View school
14. Lincoln UTC
Secondary
 Good 68 View school
15. Skegness Grammar School
Secondary
 Good 67 View school
16. The Priory Academy LSST
Secondary
 Good 65 View school
17. Louth Academy
Secondary
 Good 61 View school
18. William Farr CofE Comprehensive School
Secondary
 Good 60 View school
19. Sir Robert Pattinson Academy
Secondary
 Good 60 View school
20. The Boston Grammar School
Secondary
 Good 59 View school

Ranked by the Schools Near Me score. Ofsted grades shown are each school's last single-word grade from before 10 November 2025, when Ofsted retired single-word overall judgements — they are historic and not comparable to the new report cards. How we use Ofsted data. Closed schools are excluded.

Related lists for Lincolnshire

Best primary schools in LincolnshireTop-ranked Reception–Year 6 Best secondary schools in LincolnshireTop-ranked Year 7 onwards All schools in LincolnshirePrimary & secondary combined Primary schools in LincolnshireReception–Year 6 only How the Schools Near Me score worksOur ranking methodology, explained

Nearby areas

Schools in NottinghamshireCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in RutlandCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in North East LincolnshireCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in PeterboroughCompare neighbouring authority

See full data for any school in Lincolnshire

Catchment distances, exam trends, SEN data, attendance, and more — all in one place.

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Frequently asked questions

How many secondary schools are there in Lincolnshire?
There are 53 open secondary schools in Lincolnshire (closed schools are excluded). 3 of the 53 with a published inspection held a historic Ofsted grade of Outstanding (the last single-word grade before single-word grades were retired on 10 November 2025).
What are the best-rated secondary schools in Lincolnshire?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked secondary school in Lincolnshire is Spalding High School. The full ranked table above lists the top 20 schools with their score and last historic Ofsted grade. We never list closed schools.
How is the Schools Near Me score calculated?
The Schools Near Me score is a 0–100 composite combining the school's last historic Ofsted grade, published exam and assessment results, attendance and pupil–teacher ratio. It is not an Ofsted rating. Full methodology: https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#score
Are Ofsted single-word grades still current in Lincolnshire?
No. Ofsted retired single-word overall grades (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate) on 10 November 2025 and replaced them with report cards. Any single-word grade shown on this page is the school's last historic grade from before that date and is not comparable to the new report cards. See https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#ofsted
How do I apply for a school place in Lincolnshire?
Primary and secondary applications in Lincolnshire are coordinated by the local authority on the national timetable: apply by 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and by 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively. Check the Lincolnshire council website for local forms and any in-year rules.

Data sourced from Ofsted, Department for Education, and ISI. School rankings reflect the Schools Near Me composite score combining Ofsted ratings, exam results, attendance, and pupil-teacher ratios. Last updated April 2026.