Cowley Academy, Spalding
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
Cowley Academy has transformed significantly since opening, creating a welcoming environment where pupils feel safe and proud to attend. Teachers have strong subject knowledge and provide detailed feedback to help pupils improve. The school places high importance on developing confident, fluent readers and supports all pupils, including those with additional needs, to access the same learning as their peers.
Key Strengths
- Strong leadership with a relentless focus on continuous improvement and putting pupils first
- Ambitious curriculum that prepares pupils well for next stages, with increasing numbers accessing the English Baccalaureate
- High expectations of behaviour that are consistently met, with significant improvements recognised by parents, pupils and staff
- Excellent careers advice and guidance that prepares pupils well for their next steps
- Pupils feel safe and valued, with strong pastoral care and a positive school culture based on values of 'aspire, challenge and achieve'
Areas for Improvement
- SEND provision needs to be fully embedded so that students with additional needs have precise support and achieve highly
- Range of extracurricular activities to develop pupils' interests and talents is rather limited
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff and pupils knowing who to turn to with concerns.
Cowley Academy has made significant improvements since opening in 2022 and is now judged as Good for quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and personal development, with Outstanding leadership and management.
At a Glance
36.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
70 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree
Class Sizes
22.3
Avg class size
26
Total classes
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
96%
Near capacity
621 pupils
650 capacity
29 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Spalding
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Spalding
Admissions Demand - Lincolnshire
Places available
9,207
Applications
7,938
Got 1st preference
86.0%
Got preferred school
96.2%
Secondary admissions across Lincolnshire (2025/26)
Inspection History
House Prices
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
Teachers & Staff
Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
8.8823%
Overall absence
27.5969%
Persistent absence
645
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Reviews
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Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Cowley Academy
Nearby Schools
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