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Bourne Grammar School vs Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy

Both are grammar schools in Lincolnshire, 16.3 miles apart. Side-by-side on official DfE, Ofsted and council admissions data.

Side by side

Bourne Grammar School Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy
Phase Secondary Secondary
Gender Mixed Girls
Pupils on roll 1,718 747
Free school meals 7.3% 10.2%
Ofsted rating Good Not judged
Attainment 8 — 2025/26 67.2 63
11+ test board GL Assessment GL Assessment
Admission system pass/fail then criteria order (score doesn't give priority after passing) pass/fail then criteria order (score doesn't give priority after passing)
Places offered — 202627 238 124
First preferences per place — higher means more competition for a first-preference place 1.26 1.19

Qualifying scores

Bourne Grammar School

220 (2026 entry)

Total standardised score ≥ 220 across two papers (VR paper + NVR/spatial paper). LCGS: Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools.

Council source ↗

Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy

220 (2026 entry)

Total standardised score ≥ 220 across two papers (VR paper + NVR/spatial paper). LCGS: Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools.

Council source ↗

Who gets priority

Where a school is oversubscribed, these are the first criteria applied, in order. This is usually what decides an application.

Bourne Grammar School

  1. Looked after and previously looked after children who reach the qualifying standard
  2. Children with a sibling on roll at the time of application
  3. Children of staff
  4. 35 places for Pupil Premium or forces children — nearest first if more apply
  5. The next 24 places to the highest scorers living within 15 miles of the school
  6. All remaining places — nearest first

Source: school admissions policy.

Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy

  1. Looked after and previously looked after children who reach the qualifying standard
  2. Children registered for free school meals in the last six years (Pupil Premium)
  3. Children with a sibling at a Community Inclusive Trust secondary school
  4. Nearest first (straight line)

Source: school admissions policy.

Choosing between them

Bourne Grammar School is a mixed school and Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy is a girls school, so for many families the starting point is which one can admit their child. The figures on this page are the published ones — they describe intakes and results, not what either school would be like for your child. The right choice depends on your family's own priorities and circumstances.

Full detail for each school: Bourne Grammar School · Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy
Or see all secondary schools in Lincolnshire ranked.

Other Lincolnshire comparisons

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