The St Margaret's Church of England School, Withern
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The St Margaret's Church of England School, Withern is a Church of England school (voluntary controlled) in Alford for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 75 pupils, 5 more than it has places for. About 36 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 73 out of 100. That puts it above schools like it, ahead of 93% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2022.
Main Road, Withern, Alford, LN13 0NB01507 450375st-margarets-pri.lincs.sch.ukMiss Karen Robinson headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
A shorter visit on 29 March 2022 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.
This inspection is more than 4 years old. When Ofsted next visits, the school will get a report card instead of one grade.
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.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | Lincolnshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 8 | 7 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 10 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 88% | 86% | 82% | 89% | 86% | 90% | 59% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 38% | 0% | 9% | 22% | 0% | 20% | 6% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 109.0 | 110.0 | 110.0 | 109.0 | 108.0 | 108.0 | 104.5 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 110.0 | 106.0 | 109.0 | 108.0 | 105.0 | 106.0 | 103.5 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 110.0 | 109.0 | 111.0 | 106.0 | 104.0 | 108.0 | 103.9 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 88% | 100% | 91% | 89% | 86% | 90% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 100% | 86% | 100% | 89% | 100% | 100% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 88% | 100% | 91% | 89% | 100% | 100% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | +1.2 | +3.9 | +4.7 | +3.6 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | +1.4 | +2.3 | +2.3 | +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. As a Church of England school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.
Fewer than one place in twenty is empty, so in most years more families apply than there are places. Living close by, or already having a child here, makes a real difference. Pupil numbers have fallen by 5% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.
How places were given out for September 2026. More children applied than there were places. The last place went to a child chosen by how close to the school they lived, but the council didn't publish how far away that was.
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.
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (4), Moderate learning difficulty (2), language and communications needs (2), Other difficulty or disability (1), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (1).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 75 | 72 | 68 | 76 | 74 | 72 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 36% | 31% | 31% | 33% | 31% | 29% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 4% | 4% | 4% | 3% | 0% | 0% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 11% | 9% | 8% | 7% | 11% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 0% | 2% | 0% | 1% | 1% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 96.2% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2018/19 | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 3.8% | 4.8% | 6.5% | 6.6% | 4.3% | 4.3% | 5.2% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 3.0% | 3.5% | 4.6% | 5.5% | 3.8% | 3.1% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 0.9% | 1.3% | 1.9% | 1.1% | 0.5% | 1.2% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 4.8% | 6.4% | 16.4% | 28.1% | 15.1% | 11.1% | 12.8% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.4 | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
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.
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
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.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Theddlethorpe Academy | Academy | 3.9 miles | 98 | Good 2023 | 26 | Compare |
| East Wold Church of England Primary School | Church of England | 3.9 miles | 78 | Requires improvement 2024 | 5 | Compare |
| Grimoldby Primary School | Foundation | 4.0 miles | 207 | Good 2023 | 69 | Compare |
| Alford Primary School | Council | 4.5 miles | 304 | Not inspected | 71 | Compare |
| Mablethorpe Primary Academy | Academy | 4.5 miles | 320 | Good 2023 | 10 | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares The St Margaret's Church of England School, Withern 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.
No school with a similar mix of pupils within 25 km scores clearly higher.
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 73 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 73% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 27 to 94. 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 at | How much it counts | Against schools like it | Effect on the score | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results over three years | 25% | in line | -0.05 | 2023 results; 11 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 16% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old) | in line | +0.01 | Ofsted grade, 4.5 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | below | -0.11 | DfE progress measure; 11 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | above | +0.10 | results and attendance rising year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | above | +0.07 | 2024/25; 62 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | well above | +0.29 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 11 pupils |
| What parents say | 0% | 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 The St Margaret's Church of England School, Withern a good school?
Yes, going by the figures. The St Margaret's Church of England School, Withern scores 73 out of 100. That is above schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 93% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 27 to 94, 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 The St Margaret's Church of England School, Withern's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated The St Margaret's Church of England School, Withern good at its last full inspection on 29 March 2022. That was more than four years ago. When Ofsted next visits, the school will get a report card instead of a single grade.
How good are The St Margaret's Church of England School, Withern's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 88% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 38% 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 The St Margaret's Church of England School, Withern have?
75 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 70 places, so it is 107% full.
Is The St Margaret's Church of England School, Withern oversubscribed?
Often. Fewer than one place in twenty was empty in 2024/25, so popular year groups fill up.
What is attendance like at The St Margaret's Church of England School, Withern?
Pupils were in school 96.2% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 5% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at The St Margaret's Church of England School, Withern?
The average class had 18.8 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
- Main Road, Withern, Alford, LN13 0NB
- Telephone
- 01507 450375
- Website
- www.st-margarets-pri.lincs.sch.uk
- Headteacher
- Miss Karen Robinson
- 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
- Withern & Theddlethorpe
- Constituency
- Louth and Horncastle
- Setting
- Smaller rural: Further from a major town or city
- URN
- 120588 · LAESTAB 9253152 · UKPRN 10079265
Where these figures come from
- School details: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, refreshed daily (this page rebuilt 13 September 2026).
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, monthly; latest publication in our data 27 August 2026.
- Year 6 results: DfE key stage 2 tables, 2024/25.
- Attendance: DfE pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25 full year.
- Pupil characteristics: DfE school census, January 2026.
- Staff: DfE school workforce census, November 2025.
- Class sizes: DfE schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2026.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Money: DfE financial benchmarking and insights tool, consistent financial reporting 2024/25.
- Admissions outcomes: Lincolnshire council's published allocation statistics (source), entry years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026.
- Neighbourhood: police.uk street-level crime, HM Land Registry price paid data, NaPTAN bus stops, English Indices of Deprivation 2025.
- All under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full list and update calendar.