Benjamin Adlard Primary School, Gainsborough

Ofsted's report card from its 3 March 2026 inspection grades Benjamin Adlard Primary School on 7 areas: 6 strong standard and 1 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Leaders successfully prioritise attendance."

Curriculum and teaching - Strong standard. "Leaders provide a broad and balanced curriculum."

Early years - Strong standard. "Children receive a superb start to their education in the early years."

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Inclusion is at the heart of this school."

Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders are driven by a clear purpose to raise the aspirations of pupils so that they can succeed."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "The personal, social and health education and relationships curriculums meet pupils' needs extraordinarily well."

Achievement - Expected standard. "The proportion of disadvantaged pupils, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and pupils who face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing is much greater than the national average."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should continue the highly effective work to ensure that pupils make the progress through the curriculum needed to achieve consistently well and typically achieve above-average outcomes in national tests and examinations over time".

In its own words: "Benjamin Adlard Primary School is thriving, happy school in the heart of Gainsborough. We are very much a community school, always looking to work closely with families to ensure the best possible opportunities for children in our local area. Everyone is welcomed and valued."

From the headteacher's welcome: "At Benjamin Adlard, we work hard to 'Make a Difference' to our pupils and our wider community. To us, making a difference means ensuring the children enjoy coming to school, are happy to learn and go home at the end of the day full of enthusiasm for what they might learn tomorrow."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, hockey, dance and choir.

In 2025, 63% of Year 6 pupils at Benjamin Adlard Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 59% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 72% and 71% in Lincolnshire and 77% and 75% across England.

Results fell from 79% in reading and 79% in maths in 2024.

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 31 families put Benjamin Adlard Primary School as their first choice and 46 named it as one of their preferences, for 28 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 3 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state primary schools to Benjamin Adlard Primary School are St George's Church of England Community Primary School, Gainsborough (0.6 miles, Good, 47% reading, 67% maths); The Gainsborough Hillcrest Early Years Academy (0.7 miles, Outstanding); White's Wood Academy (0.8 miles, Good, 44% reading, 44% maths); and The Gainsborough Charles Baines Community Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 67% reading, 60% maths).

Benjamin Adlard Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.

Benjamin Adlard Primary School is one of 15 schools run by Anthem Schools Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 72% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

33 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Benjamin Adlard Primary School (as of April 2026): 100% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that pupils behave well (97%).

60.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 56 pupils (23.9%) received SEN support and 22 (9.4%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.

Benjamin Adlard Primary School had 14 teachers in 2026, one for every 14 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest railway station is Gainsborough Lea Road Rail Station, about 330 metres away (roughly a 4-minute walk).

7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Washington Street (adjacent), 150 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Benjamin Adlard Primary School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 237 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Lincolnshire (33), as is usual near a town centre.

Benjamin Adlard Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.

The secondary schools closest to Benjamin Adlard Primary School are The Gainsborough Academy (1.5 miles); and The Queen Elizabeth's High School, Gainsborough (1.6 miles).