School Chooser

The Lincoln Bishop King Church of England Primary School

Primary · ages 3-11MixedChurch of England434 pupilsNurseryLincolnLincolnshire
School Chooser Score
15
Below
similar schools
Likely range 8 to 26
Out of 100. Better than 16% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedNeeds attention teachingOfsted report card, March 2026
Reached the expected level at 1145%England 63%
Attendance96.1%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families29%About the same as most schools in England
Parents would recommend94%53 Parent View responses
Places38 spare434 pupils, 472 places

The Lincoln Bishop King Church of England Primary School is a Church of England school (voluntary aided) in Lincoln for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 434 pupils and room for 472. About 29 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, about the same as most schools in England. We give it 15 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 16% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted visited in March 2026 and gave it a report card, which is below.

Kingsway, Lincoln, LN5 8EU01522 880094bishopking.org.ukMrs Alison Simmons headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted visited on 3 March 2026. Instead of one overall word, it now gives a grade for each part of school life. Read the full report on Ofsted's website.

TeachingOfsted calls this “curriculum and teaching”
Needs attention
Achievement
Needs attention
Behaviour and attendanceOfsted calls this “attendance and behaviour”
As expected
Support for every childOfsted calls this “inclusion”
As expected
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development and wellbeing”
As expected
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and governance”
As expected
Early years
Needs attention
SafeguardingAre pupils kept safe?
Pupils are kept safe
Met
Ofsted's scale:ExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement

Ofsted says these new grades can't be lined up against the old one-word grades.

Earlier inspections (1)
DateTypeOutcome
16 November 2021S5 InspectionGood

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

60 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1145%
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 score102.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score100.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 29%29%20172018: 33%33%20182019: 37%37%20192023: 44%44%20232024: 39%39%20242025: 45%45%2025
Since 2017: +16%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017LincolnshireEngland
Pupils tested605762544324
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths45%39%44%37%33%29%59%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths0%7%3%4%5%0%6%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score102.0103.0103.0101.0100.099.0104.5105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score100.0103.0102.0100.0100.097.0103.5104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score104.0105.0104.0104.0104.0102.0103.9105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard57%63%58%54%49%42%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard53%68%53%50%51%42%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)63%54%58%76%51%50%
Reading progressReading progress score-0.2-3.3-2.3-0.7
Maths progressMaths progress score+0.5-4.9-1.5-3.2
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged46%42%50%33%19%25%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged44%38%41%39%41%33%

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.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 2 of the 4 gaps are smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At the end of primary school, 2025

Reached the expected level at 11Low-income pupils vs other pupils
46%44%
Gap 2 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
33%51%
Gap 18 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Pupils learning English vs all pupils
39%45%
Gap 6 ptsEngland 4 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%0%
No gapEngland 5 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

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.

Full425 pupils for 420 places, 2024/25
101% full

The school is full, with 5 more pupils than it has places for. More families apply than can get in, so things like how close you live and whether an older brother or sister is already here decide who gets a place. Pupil numbers have grown by 7% since 2021/22, so places are getting harder to come by.

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 (52 offers for 60 places).

EntryPlacesGot a placeHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary6052all offeredLA
2025 Primary6060LA
2024 Primary6060LA
2023 Primary6053all offeredLA
2022 Primary6032all offeredLA
2021 Primary6042all offeredLA
2020 Primary6041all offeredLA
2019 Primary6041all offeredLA

What parents say

Would recommend the school94%England 87%
My child is happy here94%agree or strongly agree
My child feels safe94%
Positive overall86%
My child is happy at this school
94%England 89%
My child feels safe at this school
94%England 90%
Pupils are well behavedThe school makes sure its pupils are well behaved
93%England 83%
Has your child been bullied here?Parents answering yes
19% yesEngland 18%
Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOnly parents whose child was bullied
70%England 50%
My child gets the right support to learn well
91%England 85%
Does your child have SEND?Parents answering yes
23% yesEngland 26%
The school gives them the support they needOnly parents of children with SEND
83%England 71%
The school communicates well with me
89%England 80%
My concerns have been dealt with properlyWhen I have raised concerns
77%England 69%
Decisions put the child's best interests first
87%England 82%
I would recommend this school
94%England 87%
Overall view of the school is positive
86%England 82%
Strongly agreeAgreeDon't knowDisagreeStrongly disagreeEngland, agree or yes

From Ofsted's Parent View survey: 53 parents answered in the year to 6 April 2026. Parents choose whether to fill it in, and many only do so when an inspection is coming, so don't read too much into small differences. The England figures are the average for primary schools with enough answers to publish.

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 roll434Census January 2026
Places47292% full
Pupils from low-income families26%29% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English66%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support17%74 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan4%19 pupils with a plan
Average class size27.914 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)26%£164,300 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls210 / 224
White British pupils21%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 28.4 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 28.1 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (43), emotional and mental health (14), Autistic spectrum disorder (10), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (10), Moderate learning difficulty (9), Physical disability (3).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll434451459445412390
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals26%26%24%26%26%25%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language66%65%63%59%59%64%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support15%13%15%11%14%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans3%2%4%4%3%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 96.1% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance96.1%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school7.6%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.22024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.3%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence3.9%4.8%6.4%7.4%6.2%5.1%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence2.6%3.2%4.2%4.8%4.6%3.3%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.3%1.6%2.2%2.6%1.6%1.7%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence7.6%12.6%19.6%24.3%23.9%14.0%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.22.42.33.21.5
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions04210

Staff and money

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

Teachers18.9full-time equivalent, 20 people
Pupils per teacher22.0Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers95%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants27.9full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£45,724
Teachers who left in the year15%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher10.72024/25

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£6,466England £7,738. Total £2.8m
Income per pupil£6,786England £7,697. Total £3.0m
Spent on teachers per pupil£2,626England £3,480
Money in reserve11%A healthy amount put by: £317k, £726 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out+£140kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£6,466spent 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 m74412 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate279 per 1,000 people207% higher than the England average
Typical house price£185,000Lincoln
Nearest bus stop320 mCanwick Road Cemetery, 6 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 Lincoln St Peter at Gowts Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England510 m255Outstanding 202488Compare
Sir Francis Hill Community Primary SchoolCouncil0.9 miles562No overall grade 20253Compare
Lincoln Monks Abbey Primary SchoolCouncil1.0 miles588No overall grade 202440Compare
Bracebridge Infant and Nursery SchoolAcademy1.1 miles85Good 202328Compare
The Lincoln St Peter-In-Eastgate Church of England Infants AcademyAcademy1.2 miles79No overall grade 2025Compare
The St Faith and St Martin Church of England Junior School, LincolnChurch of England1.2 miles356Good 202086Compare
Westgate AcademyAcademy1.2 miles428Report card 202635Compare
The St Faith's Church of England Infant and Nursery School, LincolnChurch of England1.3 miles282Good 202328Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares The Lincoln Bishop King 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.

Beats16%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the bottom quarter of its group. Its score of 15 is 38 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 0 · middle 53 · highest 98100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 15 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 15% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 8 to 26. 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%below
-0.20
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 60 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%well below
-0.32
Ofsted report card, 0.5 years old
Progress pupils make20%in line
+0.05
DfE progress measure; 60 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%in line
+0.02
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%above
+0.07
2024/25; 383 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%well below
-0.19
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 60 pupils
What parents say5%above
+0.03
Ofsted's Parent View survey, allowing for how many parents replied; 53 responses

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 The Lincoln Bishop King Church of England Primary School a good school?

The figures are weak. The Lincoln Bishop King Church of England Primary School scores 15 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 16% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 8 to 26, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is The Lincoln Bishop King Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted no longer gives schools one overall grade. When it visited on 3 March 2026 it rated teaching as needs attention, achievement as needs attention, behaviour and attendance as as expected, leadership as as expected.

How good are The Lincoln Bishop King Church of England Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 45% 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.

How many pupils does The Lincoln Bishop King Church of England Primary School have?

434 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 472 places, so it is 92% full.

Is The Lincoln Bishop King Church of England Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably. The school was full in 2024/25, with 5 more pupils than places. How close you live, and the school's other admissions rules, decide who gets in.

What is attendance like at The Lincoln Bishop King Church of England Primary School?

Pupils were in school 96.1% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 8% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

What do parents say about The Lincoln Bishop King Church of England Primary School?

94% of the 53 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey would recommend it to other parents, and 94% say their child is happy there. Across England, 87% of parents would recommend their child's school.

How big are the classes at The Lincoln Bishop King Church of England Primary School?

The average class had 27.9 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
Kingsway, Lincoln, LN5 8EU
Telephone
01522 880094
Website
www.bishopking.org.uk
Headteacher
Mrs Alison Simmons
Type of school
Church of England school (voluntary aided) (Voluntary aided school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England, Diocese of Lincoln
Local authority
Lincolnshire
Ward
Park
Constituency
Lincoln
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
URN
120630 · LAESTAB 9253505 · UKPRN 10072037

Where these figures come from