Best Schools in Lincoln

How many schools are there in Lincoln?

Lincoln has 108 open schools: 75 state primary, 17 state secondary or all-through, 2 independent, 8 special and 6 others.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Which schools in Lincoln are rated Outstanding?

13 schools in Lincoln were rated Outstanding at their most recent graded Ofsted inspection: Branston Church of England Infant Academy, Witham St Hughs Academy, The Lincoln St Peter at Gowts Church of England Primary School, Lincoln Carlton Academy, The Lincoln St Giles Nursery School and 8 more. Counting Good as well, 88% of the 94 graded schools here are rated Good or better. Ofsted stopped giving single-word overall grades in September 2024, so these are the grades from each school's last full inspection.

Branston Church of England Infant AcademyWitham St Hughs AcademyThe Lincoln St Peter at Gowts Church of England Primary SchoolLincoln Carlton AcademyThe Lincoln St Giles Nursery School

Source: Ofsted

Which secondary schools in Lincoln get the best GCSE results?

Of the 16 schools in Lincoln with 2026 GCSE results, the highest Attainment 8 scores - the average grade across a pupil's best eight GCSEs - were at The Priory Academy LSST, with an Attainment 8 score of 52 and 51% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; William Farr CofE Comprehensive School, with an Attainment 8 score of 49.1 and 52% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; and Sir Robert Pattinson Academy, with an Attainment 8 score of 49 and 53% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above. Progress 8, the DfE's value-added measure, was not published for 2026.

The Priory Academy LSSTWilliam Farr CofE Comprehensive SchoolSir Robert Pattinson Academy

Source: DfE school performance data

Which primary schools in Lincoln have the best SATs results?

Of the 63 primary schools in Lincoln with 2025 Key Stage 2 results, the highest shares of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading and maths were at Digby Church of England School (100% in reading, 100% in maths); The Hackthorn Church of England Primary School (100% in reading, 89% in maths); and Nocton Community Primary School (86% in reading, 100% in maths). Small schools can swing a long way from one year to the next, because each pupil is a large share of the result.

Digby Church of England SchoolThe Hackthorn Church of England Primary SchoolNocton Community Primary School

Source: DfE school performance data

Are there grammar schools in Lincoln?

No. None of the state secondary schools in Lincoln selects pupils by ability, so every state secondary here is comprehensive.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Do schools in Lincoln have catchment areas?

Most state schools in Lincoln have no fixed catchment boundary. When a school is oversubscribed, the council allocates places on its published criteria - usually looked-after children first, then siblings, then home-to-school distance - so the practical cut-off moves each year. Each school's page here shows an estimate of its catchment radius.

How do I apply for a school place in Lincoln?

Apply to your council - Lincolnshire or North Lincolnshire, depending on your address - through its coordinated admissions process, even for academies and faith schools. In England the closing date is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts. Independent schools run their own admissions, so apply to those directly.