St Giles Academy, Lincoln

Ofsted's report card from its 3 February 2026 inspection grades St Giles Academy on 7 areas: 1 expected standard, 5 needs attention and 1 urgent improvement. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders' work to create an inclusive school culture is recent."

Attendance and behaviour - Needs attention. "Over time, pupils' attendance rates have been well below the national average."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "Since the last inspection, leaders have designed an appropriately ambitious, detailed and well-sequenced curriculum for all subjects."

Early years - Needs attention. "Over time, the provision in the early years has not enabled children to develop the important knowledge that they need to move to the next stage of their education."

Leadership and governance - Needs attention. "Over time, pupils have not received the education they deserve."

Personal development and wellbeing - Needs attention. "The school's personal development and wellbeing offer is not fully in place."

Achievement - Urgent improvement. "In the past, pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, have not been well enough prepared for the next stage in their education."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "• Leaders should establish an agreed approach to the delivery of the curriculum across all subjects and ensure that staff have the expertise they need to implement the curriculum consistently well so that pupils' achievement improves. • Leaders should ensure that there are appropriate assessment systems in place so that staff check pupils' learning more effectively and use this information to close pupils' knowledge gaps, especially in reading, writing and mathematics. • Leaders should build on the recent improvements to promote regular attendance so that persistent absence reduces and pupils attend school more regularly. • Leaders should ensure that pupils have a wide range of opportunities to develop their talents and find new interests. • Leaders should build on the positive changes to the provision in the early years so that children are better prepared for Year 1".

From the headteacher's welcome: "I am delighted to welcome you to St Giles Academy as it is a very special place. Our school values are at the heart of everything we do and as a result our school family has created a warm, friendly and welcoming school, which is a safe, happy and a fun place to learn."

In 2025, 54% of Year 6 pupils at St Giles Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 58% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 72% and 71% in Lincolnshire and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 49% in reading and 56% in maths in 2024.

For September 2026 entry, 34 families put St Giles Academy as their first choice and 65 named it as one of their preferences, for 35 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to St Giles Academy are Our Lady of Lincoln Catholic Primary School A Voluntary Academy (0.5 miles, Good, 77% reading, 73% maths); Ermine Primary Academy (0.6 miles, Good, 65% reading, 69% maths); The Lincoln St Peter-In-Eastgate Church of England Infants Academy (0.8 miles); and Lincoln Carlton Academy (0.9 miles, Outstanding, 92% reading, 85% maths).

Each of them had higher 2025 results than St Giles Academy.

St Giles Academy is one of 8 schools run by Harbour Learning Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 60% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

20 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Giles Academy (as of April 2026): 65% would recommend the school, 70% say their child is happy there and 0% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (70%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (0%).

59% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 83 pupils (22.4%) received SEN support and 19 (5.1%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.

The nearest railway station is Lincoln Central Rail Station, about 1.5 miles away in a straight line.

16 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Post Office (adjacent), 260 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Giles Academy 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 366 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.

In 2024/25, St Giles Academy issued 120 suspensions, 30.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to St Giles Academy are Lincoln Christ's Hospital School (0.3 miles), Lincoln Castle Academy (0.9 miles), Lincoln UTC (1.1 miles) and Lincolnshire Secure Unit (1.5 miles).