Schools by area › Lincolnshire › Cowley Academy
Cowley Academy
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–16 · Sponsored academy
School Lane, Donington, Spalding PE11 4TF · cowleyacademy.org.uk · 01775 820254
On the mapSearch near PE11 4TF
Overview
- Ofsted
- No overall grade
- 2019 framework · inspected May 2025
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 36.5
- average Attainment 8 score. Lincolnshire 45.1, England 46
- Demand for places
- 1.1
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 621
- 96% of 650 places
- Local authority
- Lincolnshire
- Sixth form
- No
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 36.2%
- First language not English
- 6%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 128 families put the school first and 116 places were offered; 80% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 116 | 128 | 1.1▲ | 80% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 110 | 129 | 1.2▲ | 78% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 115 | 121 | 1.1▲ | 89% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 116 | 99 | 0.9 | 97% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 121 | 127 | 1▲ | 85% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 36.5, and 16.8% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Lincolnshire it was 45.1, and across England 46.
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▼36.5 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼16.8% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼34.4% | 64.8% | ||
| ▼4.8% | 40.5% | ||
| ▼2.84 | 4.09 |
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 138755)
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 12.6 | +3.1 |
| Further education | 71.7 | −0.7 |
| Other education | 0.8 | −0.1 |
| Apprenticeship | 3.1 | −0.3 |
| Employment | 3.1 | +0.5 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 7.1 | +0.2 |
| Activity not captured | 1.6 | −2.7 |
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected Cowley Academy on 20 May 2025 under its 2019 framework. Inspections from September 2024 give no overall grade.
- Overall
- No overall grade
- Inspected
- 20 May 2025
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Outstanding |
Previously: Inadequate, graded inspection, Jul 2022
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 138755), which Ofsted links to this one.
September 2019 to November 2025
Jul 2022Inadequate
Quality of education Inadequate Behaviour and attitudes Inadequate Personal development Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate Safeguarding Not effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 138755)
Before September 2019
Sept 2012Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 138755)
Jan 2011Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 138755)
What parents said
67% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (70 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 67%
- Replies
- 70
- 11% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 86% who raised concerns
based on the 43% who had a child bullied
based on 29 parents (41%) with SEND