Carre's Grammar School vs Spalding Grammar School
Both are grammar schools in Lincolnshire, 18.6 miles apart. Side-by-side on official DfE, Ofsted and council admissions data.
Side by side
| Carre's Grammar School | Spalding Grammar School | |
|---|---|---|
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary |
| Gender | Mixed | Boys |
| Pupils on roll | 799 | 995 |
| Free school meals | 9.2% | 8.4% |
| Ofsted rating | Good | Good |
| Attainment 8 — 2024/25 | 58 | 58.8 |
| A-level average points — 2024/25 | 35.83 | 34.19 |
| 11+ test board | GL Assessment | GL Assessment |
| Admission system | pass/fail then criteria order | pass/fail then criteria order |
| Places offered — 202627 | 113 | 146 |
| First preferences per place — higher means more competition for a first-preference place | 0.84 | 1.05 |
Qualifying scores
Carre's Grammar School
220 (2026 entry)
Total standardised score ≥ 220 across two papers (VR paper + NVR/spatial paper). LCGS: Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools.
Spalding Grammar School
220 (2026 entry)
Total standardised score ≥ 220 across two papers (VR paper + NVR/spatial paper). LCGS: Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools.
Who gets priority
Where a school is oversubscribed, these are the first criteria applied, in order. This is usually what decides an application.
Carre's Grammar School
- Looked after children and previously looked after children
- Children with exceptional medical/social needs, supported by professional evidence
- Children living within the school's defined catchment area (varies by school)
- Siblings of children on roll at the school
Source: school admissions policy.
Spalding Grammar School
- Looked after children and previously looked after children
- Children with exceptional medical/social needs, supported by professional evidence
- Children living within the school's defined catchment area (varies by school)
- Siblings of children on roll at the school
Source: school admissions policy.
Choosing between them
Carre's Grammar School is a mixed school and Spalding Grammar School is a boys 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.
Other Lincolnshire comparisons
- Boston High School vs Bourne Grammar School
- Boston High School vs Carre's Grammar School
- Boston High School vs Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy
- Boston High School vs Queen Elizabeth's Grammar Alford - A Selective Academy
- Boston High School vs Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Horncastle
- Boston High School vs Skegness Grammar School
- Boston High School vs Spalding Grammar School
- Boston High School vs Spalding High School
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