Spalding AcademyCowley Academy
Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side in Spalding.
Summary of the comparison
Spalding Academy and Cowley Academy are secondary schools in Spalding.
Spalding Academy scores 61 out of 100 (grade C, average) and Cowley Academy scores 55 out of 100 (grade C, average). Spalding Academy is ahead on our composite score.
Spalding Academy was judged Good and Cowley Academy was judged strong.
On GCSE Attainment 8, the latest published figures are 44.1 for Spalding Academy and 44.3 for Cowley Academy.
GCSE Attainment 8 has held broadly level at Spalding Academy (45.7 in 2021-22, 44.1 in 2025-26) and has risen at Cowley Academy (39.4 in 2022-23, 44.3 in 2025-26).
Side-by-side comparison
| Measure | SpaldingSpalding Academy | SpaldingCowley Academy | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Our score | C61/100Stronger figure | C55/100 | |
| Local ranking | 18th of 54 in Lincolnshire Stronger figure | 29th of 54 in Lincolnshire | |
| Inspection | Ofsted: Good | Ofsted: StrongStronger figure | |
| School type | Academy converter | Academy sponsor led | |
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary | |
| Age range | 11-19 | 11-16 | |
| Gender | Mixed | Mixed | |
| Pupils on roll | 1,486 | 621 | |
| Capacity | 1,820 | 650 | |
| Location | Spalding, PE11 2EJ | Spalding, PE11 4TF | |
| GCSE results | |||
| Attainment 8 | 44.1 | 44.3 Stronger figure | 46.2 |
| Grade 5+ in English & maths | 26.5% | 30.8% Stronger figure | 46.3% |
| Grade 4+ in English & maths | 52.6% | 58.3% Stronger figure | 64.8% |
| Cohort | 249 | 120 | |
| Pupils | |||
| Pupils in the census | 1,448 | 627 | |
| Free school meals (ever 6) | 26.6% | 35.9% | |
| English as an additional language | 32.1% | 6.2% | |
| SEN support | 11.2% | 10.1% | |
| SEN with an EHC plan | 2.9% | 5.3% | |
| Attendance | |||
| Overall absence | 7.1% Stronger figure | 8.9% | 6.2% |
| Persistent absence | 19.7% Stronger figure | 27.6% | 15.8% |
marks the stronger figure on measures with a clear direction. Rows describing a school's intake, such as free school meals, English as an additional language and SEN, carry no marker: they describe who a school serves, not how well it serves them.
Historical trends
Each solid line is one school; the dashed line is the national average.
GCSE Attainment 8
GCSE Progress 8
Overall absence
Free school meal eligibility (ever 6)
Pupils on roll
Ethnicity over time
One panel per school: the largest groups across this comparison, one colour per group, on a shared scale.
Spalding Academy
Cowley Academy
Full profiles: Spalding Academy · Cowley Academy