School Chooser

Dunston St Peter's Church of England Primary School

Primary · ages 4-11MixedChurch of England94 pupilsLincolnLincolnshire
School Chooser Score
50
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 17 to 83, so it could be “above”
Out of 100. Better than 56% of the 50 schools most like it. Getting better year on year.
OfstedGoodConfirmed by Ofsted, February 2023
Reached the expected level at 1130%England 63%
Attendance96.6%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families20%A bit fewer than most schools
Places11 spare94 pupils, 105 places
Pupils per teacher15.4School workforce census

Dunston St Peter's Church of England Primary School is a Church of England school (voluntary controlled) in Lincoln for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 94 pupils and room for 105. About 20 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, a bit fewer than at most schools. We give it 50 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 56% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2023.

Back Lane, Dunston, Lincoln, LN4 2EH01526 320027spiresfederation.co.ukMiss Donna Winters headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

A shorter visit on 2 February 2023 found nothing to change the school's grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall. A shorter follow-up visit found nothing to change that. The last full inspection was before September 2019, which is as far back as Ofsted's public records go, so we can't show its date or the grades for each area.

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

10 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England. With a year group this small, a couple of children can move the percentages a long way.

Reached the expected level at 1130%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level0%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score101.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score102.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 69%69%20172018: 60%60%20182019: 60%60%20192023: 53%53%20232025: 30%30%2025
Since 2017: -39%Improving overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017LincolnshireEngland
Pupils tested10515151013
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths30%53%60%60%69%59%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths0%0%27%10%31%6%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score101.0107.0103.0110.0107.0104.5105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score102.0101.0105.0104.0108.0103.5104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score100.0105.0107.0108.0108.0103.9105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard50%87%73%90%77%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard40%67%67%60%85%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)30%67%80%80%85%
Reading progressReading progress score+1.6-1.3+2.4-0.3
Maths progressMaths progress score-3.0-2.3-2.4+1.2

There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published. As a Church of England school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.

Plenty of spare places81 pupils for 105 places, 2024/25
77% full

24 places were empty (23% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have grown by 16% since 2021/22.

Will my child get a place?

In 2026 every child who applied got a place, so how far away you live didn't matter. That could change if the school gets more popular.

We measure in a straight line from the middle of your postcode to the school. The council measures its own way, and the cut-off changes every year. Use this as a rough guide, and read the council's admissions booklet before you apply.

How places were given out for September 2026. Every child who applied got a place (11 offers for 15 places).

EntryPlacesGot a placeHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary1511all offeredLA
2025 Primary1513all offeredLA
2024 Primary159all offeredLA
2023 Primary157all offeredLA
2022 Primary1510all offeredLA
2021 Primary158all offeredLA
2020 Primary157all offeredLA
2019 Primary1717LA

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll94Census January 2026
Places10590% full
Pupils from low-income families20%20% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English6%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support7%7 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan3%3 pupils with a plan
Average class size23.54 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils25%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)19%£26,350 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls40 / 54
White British pupils89%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 19.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 28.0 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Autistic spectrum disorder (3), Specific learning difficulty (3), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (2), language and communications needs (2).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll948166707084
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals20%22%18%14%11%12%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language6%5%5%0%1%0%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support11%11%6%9%10%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans3%2%1%0%0%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 96.6% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance96.6%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school2.8%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.02024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission0.7%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence3.4%4.8%5.5%5.5%5.5%3.2%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence2.7%4.0%4.9%4.7%4.8%2.6%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence0.7%0.9%0.6%0.8%0.7%0.7%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence2.8%10.9%18.1%15.4%14.8%3.4%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.04.60.00.04.8
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers6.1full-time equivalent, 9 people
Pupils per teacher15.4Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants4.1full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£51,068
Teachers who left in the year0%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher2.02024/25

Money

From the council school accounts, year to March 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£7,950England £7,738. Total £644k
Income per pupil£6,964England £7,697. Total £564k
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,377England £3,480
Money in reserve-1%In the red: -£4,756, -£59 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out-£80kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£7,950spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m1612 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate44 per 1,000 people52% lower than the England average
Typical house price£240,000North Kesteven
Nearest bus stop270 mVillage Hall, 5 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Nocton Community Primary SchoolCouncil0.7 miles39Good 202479Compare
The Metheringham Primary SchoolCouncil1.2 miles260Good 202236Compare
The Potterhanworth Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England2.0 miles113Good 202331Compare
Branston Junior AcademyAcademy3.6 miles174Good 202337Compare
Mrs Mary King's CofE (Controlled) Primary SchoolChurch of England4.0 miles87Good 202323Compare
Branston Church of England Infant AcademyAcademy4.1 miles132Outstanding 202496Compare
Digby the Tedder Primary SchoolCouncil4.3 miles88No overall grade 202578Compare
Heighington Millfield Primary AcademyAcademy4.6 miles209Good 202378Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Dunston St Peter's Church of England Primary School with the 45 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 45 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats56%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the upper half of its group. Its score of 50 is about the same as the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 2 · middle 48 · highest 93100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 50 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 50% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 17 to 83. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years25%in line
-0.08
2023 results; 15 pupils
Ofsted inspection19% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old)in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 3.6 years old
Progress pupils make20%below
-0.14
DfE progress measure; 15 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%well above
+0.14
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%well above
+0.11
2024/25; 72 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%below
-0.06
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 15 pupils
What parents say0%no data

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is Dunston St Peter's Church of England Primary School a good school?

It is about average. Dunston St Peter's Church of England Primary School scores 50 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 56% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 17 to 83, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been getting better over the last five years.

What is Dunston St Peter's Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Dunston St Peter's Church of England Primary School good at its last full inspection on 2 February 2023.

How good are Dunston St Peter's Church of England Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 30% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 0% went further and reached the higher level. The year group was small, so the percentages jump around a lot from year to year.

How many pupils does Dunston St Peter's Church of England Primary School have?

94 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 105 places, so it is 90% full.

Is Dunston St Peter's Church of England Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 24 places were empty in 2024/25 (23% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Dunston St Peter's Church of England Primary School?

Pupils were in school 96.6% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 3% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Dunston St Peter's Church of England Primary School?

The average class had 23.5 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 25% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Back Lane, Dunston, Lincoln, LN4 2EH
Telephone
01526 320027
Website
www.spiresfederation.co.uk
Headteacher
Miss Donna Winters
Type of school
Church of England school (voluntary controlled) (Voluntary controlled school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 4-11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England, Diocese of Lincoln
Local authority
Lincolnshire
Ward
Metheringham Rural
Constituency
Sleaford and North Hykeham
Setting
Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city
URN
120520 · LAESTAB 9253021 · UKPRN 10078861

Where these figures come from