School Chooser

Shepeau Stow Primary School

Primary · ages 5-11MixedCouncil58 pupilsSpaldingLincolnshire
School Chooser Score
6
Well below
similar schools
Likely range 2 to 14
Out of 100. Better than 19% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedNo overall gradeLast Ofsted inspection, March 2025
Reached the expected level at 1150%England 63%
Attendance95.9%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families31%A bit more than most schools
Places47 spare58 pupils, 105 places
Pupils per teacher13.8School workforce census

Shepeau Stow Primary School is a council school in Spalding for boys and girls aged 5 to 11. It has 58 pupils and room for 105. About 31 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, a bit more than at most schools. We give it 6 out of 100. That puts it well below schools like it, ahead of 19% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was inspected 2025, no overall grade.

Dowsdale Bank, Shepeau Stow, Spalding, PE12 0TX01406 330395shepeaustowschool.co.ukMrs Alison Buddle executive headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 18 March 2025, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Not judged Between September 2024 and November 2025, Ofsted graded each area but stopped giving one overall word.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Requires improvement
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Good
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Good
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Requires improvement
Early years
Requires improvement
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

8 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 1150%
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 score105.0
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: 40%40%20172018: 36%36%20182019: 55%55%20192023: 43%43%20232024: 40%40%20242025: 50%50%2025
Since 2017: +10%Declining overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017LincolnshireEngland
Pupils tested8107111110
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths50%40%43%55%36%40%59%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths0%0%0%9%0%0%6%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score105.0103.0104.0105.0100.0102.0104.5105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score102.0101.099.0101.095.098.0103.5104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score106.0101.0104.0102.0100.0101.0103.9105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard63%70%86%82%73%70%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard50%60%57%64%36%50%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)63%50%43%91%82%60%
Reading progressReading progress score-0.6+1.4-0.4+2.5
Maths progressMaths progress score-4.5-3.5-4.9-1.8

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.

Plenty of spare places64 pupils for 101 places, 2024/25
63% full

37 places were empty (37% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have grown by 8% 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 (8 offers for 15 places).

EntryPlacesGot a placeHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary158all offeredLA
2025 Primary156all offeredLA
2024 Primary159all offeredLA
2023 Primary1514all offeredLA
2022 Primary1510all offeredLA
2021 Primary157all offeredLA
2020 Primary1512all offeredLA
2019 Primary1510all offeredLA

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 roll58Census January 2026
Places10555% full
Pupils from low-income families31%31% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English2%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support29%17 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan7%4 pupils with a plan
Average class size19.03 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils0%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)28%£24,800 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls31 / 27
White British pupils81%

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Moderate learning difficulty (14), language and communications needs (6), emotional and mental health (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll586877706069
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals31%24%35%30%22%16%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language2%4%1%6%2%1%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support24%26%23%33%25%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans3%3%0%2%1%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 95.9% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance95.9%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school12.3%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils7.42024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.0%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence4.1%5.7%7.6%6.9%2.3%5.1%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.1%4.6%6.4%6.2%2.1%4.2%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.0%1.1%1.1%0.7%0.2%0.9%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence12.3%18.9%19.4%16.1%7.7%14.3%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate7.410.412.93.314.5
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

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

Teachers4.2full-time equivalent, 8 people
Pupils per teacher13.8Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants3.3full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£55,816
Teachers who left in the year33%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher5.22023/24

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£9,469England £7,738. Total £644k
Income per pupil£10,770England £7,697. Total £732k
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,448England £3,480
Money in reserve19%A healthy amount put by: £140k, £2,054 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out+£88kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£9,469spent 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 m812 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate63 per 1,000 people31% lower than the England average
Typical house price£235,000South Holland
Nearest bus stop100 mBack Bank, 3 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
The Gedney Hill Church of England VC Primary SchoolChurch of England2.2 miles60No overall grade 20255Compare
Moulton Chapel Primary SchoolCouncil3.6 miles70Report card 20267Compare
South View Community Primary SchoolCouncil4.1 miles427Good 202335Compare
The Cowbit St Mary's Church of England AcademyAcademy4.6 miles85No overall grade 2025Compare
Alderman Payne Primary SchoolCouncil4.6 miles100Good 202368Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Shepeau Stow Primary School with the 47 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 47 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats19%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the bottom quarter of its group. Its score of 6 is 13 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 1 · middle 19 · highest 95100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 47 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Shepeau Stow Primary School, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Deeping St Nicholas Primary SchoolCouncil6.5 miles70Good 202185Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 6 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 6% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 2 to 14. 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 years0%no data
Ofsted inspection20%well below
-0.85
Ofsted grade, 1.5 years old
Progress pupils make0%no data
Direction of travel over five years10%below
-0.09
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%in line
+0.04
2024/25; 65 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils0%no data
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 Shepeau Stow Primary School a good school?

The figures are weak. Shepeau Stow Primary School scores 6 out of 100. That is well below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 19% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 2 to 14, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

What is Shepeau Stow Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Shepeau Stow Primary School not judged at its last full inspection on 18 March 2025.

How good are Shepeau Stow Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 50% 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 Shepeau Stow Primary School have?

58 pupils aged 5 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 105 places, so it is 55% full.

Is Shepeau Stow Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 37 places were empty in 2024/25 (37% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Shepeau Stow Primary School?

Pupils were in school 95.9% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 12% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Shepeau Stow Primary School?

The average class had 19.0 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class 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
Dowsdale Bank, Shepeau Stow, Spalding, PE12 0TX
Telephone
01406 330395
Website
www.shepeaustowschool.co.uk
Executive Headteacher
Mrs Alison Buddle
Type of school
Council school (Community school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 5-11
Gender
Mixed
Local authority
Lincolnshire
Ward
Whaplode and Holbeach St John's
Constituency
South Holland and The Deepings
Setting
Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city
URN
120422 · LAESTAB 9252107 · UKPRN 10077682

Where these figures come from