The hardest schools to get into in North East Lincolnshire
Secondary: 224 families put Cleethorpes Academy first in 2026 and 172 of them (77%) were offered a place.
Reception: 43 families put Scartho Gateway Academy first in 2026 and 27 of them (63%) were offered a place.
Every state school in North East Lincolnshire with at least 20 first-choice applicants, hardest first. Of the families who put the school first on their application, the share who were offered a place there. Data: Department for Education.
Secondary schools (Year 7)
| # | School | Put it first | Of them, offered | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cleethorpes Academy · Cleethorpes | 224 | 172 (77%) | 177 |
| 2 | Humberston Academy · Grimsby | 219 | 171 (78%) | 172 |
| 3 | John Whitgift Academy · Grimsby | 261 | 230 (88%) | 230 |
| 4 | Waltham Toll Bar Academy · Grimsby | 238 | 238 (100%) | 275 |
| 5 | Havelock Academy · Grimsby | 162 | 162 (100%) | 186 |
| 6 | Oasis Academy Wintringham · Grimsby | 159 | 159 (100%) | 167 |
| 7 | Healing Academy · Grimsby | 158 | 158 (100%) | 168 |
| 8 | Ormiston Maritime Academy · Grimsby | 120 | 120 (100%) | 137 |
| 9 | Oasis Academy Immingham · Immingham | 97 | 97 (100%) | 101 |
| 10 | Beacon Academy · Cleethorpes | 78 | 78 (100%) | 114 |
Primary schools (Reception)
| # | School | Put it first | Of them, offered | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scartho Gateway Academy · Grimsby | 43 | 27 (63%) | 27 |
| 2 | New Waltham Academy · Grimsby | 51 | 44 (86%) | 44 |
| 3 | Laceby Acres Primary Academy · Grimsby | 32 | 29 (91%) | 30 |
| 4 | Waltham Leas Primary Academy · Grimsby | 62 | 58 (94%) | 60 |
| 5 | Yarborough Academy · Grimsby | 63 | 59 (94%) | 60 |
| 6 | Middlethorpe Primary Academy · Cleethorpes | 29 | 28 (97%) | 29 |
| 7 | Lisle Marsden Church of England Primary Academy · Grimsby · faith | 70 | 70 (100%) | 70 |
| 8 | Ormiston South Parade Academy · Grimsby | 56 | 56 (100%) | 56 |
| 9 | Queen Mary Avenue Infant School · Cleethorpes | 54 | 54 (100%) | 54 |
| 10 | Signhills Infant Academy · Cleethorpes | 53 | 53 (100%) | 53 |
| 11 | Elliston Primary Academy · Cleethopres | 39 | 39 (100%) | 39 |
| 12 | Wybers Wood Academy · Grimsby | 39 | 39 (100%) | 39 |
| 13 | Old Clee Primary Academy · Grimsby | 38 | 38 (100%) | 39 |
| 14 | Healing Primary Academy · Grimsby | 35 | 35 (100%) | 35 |
| 15 | Springfield Primary Academy · Grimsby | 35 | 35 (100%) | 38 |
| 16 | Laceby Stanford Primary Academy · Grimsby | 34 | 34 (100%) | 37 |
| 17 | Oasis Academy Nunsthorpe · Grimsby | 32 | 32 (100%) | 32 |
| 18 | Weelsby Academy · Grimsby | 32 | 32 (100%) | 32 |
| 19 | Macaulay Primary Academy · Grimsby | 31 | 31 (100%) | 32 |
| 20 | Grange Primary School · Grimsby | 31 | 31 (100%) | 33 |
| 21 | Eastfield Primary Academy · Immingham | 30 | 30 (100%) | 30 |
| 22 | Welholme Academy · Grimsby | 30 | 30 (100%) | 30 |
| 23 | Humberston Cloverfields Academy · Grimsby | 29 | 29 (100%) | 31 |
| 24 | Thrunscoe Primary and Nursery Academy · Cleethorpes | 28 | 28 (100%) | 29 |
| 25 | Great Coates Primary School · Grimsby | 26 | 26 (100%) | 27 |
| 26 | Reynolds Primary Academy · Cleethorpes | 26 | 26 (100%) | 26 |
| 27 | Scartho Infants' School and Nursery · Grimsby | 25 | 25 (100%) | 35 |
| 28 | Littlecoates Primary Academy · Grimsby | 24 | 24 (100%) | 24 |
| 29 | Woodlands Academy · Grimsby | 23 | 23 (100%) | 23 |
| 30 | Bursar Primary Academy · Cleethorpes | 22 | 22 (100%) | 22 |
| 31 | Saint Mary's Catholic Voluntary Academy · Grimsby · faith | 22 | 22 (100%) | 22 |
| 32 | Willows Academy · Grimsby | 20 | 20 (100%) | 20 |
| 33 | Fairfield Academy · Grimsby | 20 | 20 (100%) | 20 |
| 34 | Stallingborough CofE Primary School · Grimsby · faith | 20 | 20 (100%) | 20 |
Getting into a school in North East Lincolnshire
What is the hardest school to get into in North East Lincolnshire?
For secondary places, 224 families put Cleethorpes Academy first in 2026 and 172 of them (77%) were offered a place. For Reception, 43 families put Scartho Gateway Academy first and 27 of them (63%) were offered a place.
How many families in North East Lincolnshire get their first-choice school?
92.0% of families applying for a secondary place got their first preference, and 97.4% of those applying for Reception did (offers for September 2026).
Does putting a school first improve our chances?
Not at the other schools you name. Councils in England use an equal-preference system: every school you list is considered against its own admissions criteria, and if more than one could offer a place you get the one you ranked highest. So list schools in your genuine order of preference, and include at least one you are very likely to get.
What does "last distance offered" mean?
For schools that give places by distance, it is how far from the school the last child offered a place under that criterion lived. It changes every year with the number and location of applicants, so treat it as a guide, not a guarantee. We show it where North East Lincolnshire published it in its admissions booklet.