Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy vs Spalding Grammar School
Both are grammar schools in Lincolnshire, 18.2 miles apart. Side-by-side on official DfE, Ofsted and council admissions data.
Side by side
| Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy | Spalding Grammar School | |
|---|---|---|
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary |
| Gender | Girls | Boys |
| Pupils on roll | 747 | 1,023 |
| Free school meals | 10.2% | 8.1% |
| Ofsted rating | Not judged | Good |
| Attainment 8 — 2025/26 | 63 | 59.9 |
| 11+ test board | GL Assessment | GL Assessment |
| Admission system | pass/fail then criteria order (score doesn't give priority after passing) | qualifying score is the minimum; places then go in score order (distance only breaks ties) |
| Places offered — 202627 | 124 | 146 |
| First preferences per place — higher means more competition for a first-preference place | 1.19 | 1.05 |
Qualifying scores
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.
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.
Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy
- Looked after and previously looked after children who reach the qualifying standard
- Children registered for free school meals in the last six years (Pupil Premium)
- Children with a sibling at a Community Inclusive Trust secondary school
- Nearest first (straight line)
Source: school admissions policy.
Spalding Grammar School
- Looked after and previously looked after children who reach the qualifying standard
- Qualified boys living in Spalding or the feeder parishes of South Lincolnshire — if more than 150, the qualifying score is raised
- Qualified boys from outside, highest score first, until 150
Source: school admissions policy.
Choosing between them
Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy is a girls 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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