A council (local authority) in Yorkshire and the Humber
Council
107 schools and nurseries
22,714 pupils
4 towns and villages
In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, about the same as across England. Results at 11 are above England, and results at 16 were below England in 2026. Missing school is a bigger problem than across England.
Schools and nurseries10748 primary · 10 secondary · 38 nurseries
Primaries Good or better97%England 96%
Met the standard at 1166%England 62%
Grade 5 in English and maths34%Attainment 8 39.4, England 46.2
Free school meals, primary34%A sign of family income
Missed a lot of school20%England 18%
Top-rated
The highest-rated schools in North East Lincolnshire
Primary and secondary schools are ranked by Eduscope score, which weighs up results, inspections, attendance and more. Nurseries, special and independent schools aren't ranked. A high score isn't everything: always visit.
Apply through the council where you live, even for a school in another council's area. Independent schools take applications directly.
About North East Lincolnshire
North East Lincolnshire is a unitary authority in Yorkshire and the Humber with 48 mainstream primary schools and 10 mainstream secondary schools. Towns with the most schools include Grimsby, Cleethorpes and Humberston and New Waltham. Most state schools here are academies or free schools (94%), so many set their own term dates and admissions rules. Pupil numbers have fallen 3% since 2018.
Good to know in North East Lincolnshire
All secondary schools in North East Lincolnshire handle their own in-year applications, so you apply to the academy directly. Source
Pilgrim, Reynolds, Scartho Gateway and Waltham Gateway academies each process their own in-year primary applications. Source
The area has a transfer from infant to junior school, which has its own application. Source
Most schools do not follow the council's term dates, so check your child's school website. Source
One free school travel rule: the child is aged 11 to 16 and attends one of their three nearest suitable schools, more than 2 but not more than 6 miles from home. Source
Funded early learning for eligible two-year-olds is 570 hours a year, which is 15 hours a week in term time. Source
From North East Lincolnshire council's website, checked 7 November 2026. Check the council's pages before you apply.
If a date falls on a weekend or bank holiday, offers go out the next working day.
97.4%got their first-choice primary school in North East Lincolnshire in 2026. England: 92.4%. Ranked 7 of 151 councils. 99.6% got one of their top three.0.6% were offered a primary school in another council. England: 3.6%.
92.0%got their first-choice secondary school in North East Lincolnshire in 2026. England: 83.6%. Ranked 30 of 151 councils. 96.9% got one of their top three.8.4% were offered a secondary school in another council. England: 8.0%.
Source: DfE applications and offers, 2026. A low rate shows high demand, not poor schools.
8 of 14 secondary appeals heard in North East Lincolnshire succeeded in 2025.
For schools that follow the council's dates. Academies, faith and foundation schools can set their own, and schools add training days. Source, checked 6 November 2026.
Inspections, exam results and attendance, next to the figure for England where we have it.
Numbers that sum up North East Lincolnshire
North East LincolnshireEngland
Primaries rated Good or Outstanding
Latest Ofsted grade, 37 primaries with one.
97%
England 96%
Close to England
Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding
5 of the 5 with a grade.
100%
England 93%
Above England
Met the expected standard at 11
Reading, writing and maths.
66%
England 62%
Above England
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
At GCSE.
34%
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.
20%
England 18%
Worse than England
Primary pupils on free school meals
A sign of family income, not of school quality.
34%
Ofsted grades
Latest graded inspection for the 52 schools that have one.
98%
Good or Outstanding
Outstanding4
Good47
Requires improvement1
Inadequate0
How it has changed
North East Lincolnshire in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.
Met the expected standard at 1166% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).Grade 5 or above in English and maths34% in 2026.Pupils who miss a lot of school20% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
The figures in full
The latest published year for each measure. Sources and years are on our data sources page.
Measure
North East Lincolnshire
England
Good or Outstanding (Ofsted)
98%
95%
Met the expected standard at 11 (KS2)
66%
62%
Attainment 8
39.4
46.2
Persistent absence
20%
18%
Pupils per teacher
18.3:1
17.9:1
Spending per pupil
£7,473
£8,120
In education or work after 16
90%
91%
Went on to higher education
55%
56%
Pupils with special educational needs
20%
21%
Pupils with English as an additional language
9%
22%
Pupils on free school meals
35%
27%
DfE local authority code 812, ONS code E06000012.
Living here
What it's like for families
North East Lincolnshire has 107 schools and nurseries across 4 towns and villages, the biggest being Grimsby, Cleethorpes, Humberston and New Waltham and Immingham.
There are 3% fewer pupils than in 2018.
34% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.
Pupil numbers
Pupils in North East Lincolnshire's state schools each January.
23.4k2018
23.7k2019
24.0k2021
24.1k2022
24.1k2023
23.9k2024
23.4k2025
22.7k2026
Down 3% since 2018.
Free school meals
Out of every 10 primary pupils, how many get free school meals. It's a sign of family income, not of school quality.
North East Lincolnshire34%
Keep up with schools in North East Lincolnshire
Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.
Questions parents ask about North East Lincolnshire
How many schools are in North East Lincolnshire?+
North East Lincolnshire has 107 schools, including 53 primary schools, 17 secondary schools, 38 nurseries, 5 independent schools, 5 special schools. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.
What are the best schools in North East Lincolnshire?+
The highest-ranked schools in North East Lincolnshire on Eduscope are Middlethorpe Primary Academy, Wybers Wood Academy, New Waltham Academy. We rank each state school against schools of the same phase across England on its Ofsted inspection, results and attendance. Independent, special and nursery schools aren't ranked.
What percentage of schools in North East Lincolnshire are rated Good or Outstanding?+
98% of inspected schools in North East Lincolnshire hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 4 schools rated Outstanding and 47 rated Good.
How do primary schools in North East Lincolnshire perform at Key Stage 2?+
Across primary schools in North East Lincolnshire, 66% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths at Key Stage 2. This is based on the latest published results from the Department for Education.
What is the average pupil-teacher ratio in North East Lincolnshire?+
The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in North East Lincolnshire is 18.3:1. While not a direct measure of class size, this indicates the level of teaching resource available per pupil. Across England it is 17.9:1.
What is the persistent absence rate in North East Lincolnshire schools?+
The persistent absence rate across schools in North East Lincolnshire is 19.8%. A pupil is classed as persistently absent if they miss 10% or more of school sessions. Across England it is 18.1%.
How many pupils attend schools in North East Lincolnshire?+
There are 22,714 pupils enrolled across schools in North East Lincolnshire, with 13,331 in primary and 9,276 in secondary. 34.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.
How many private schools are in North East Lincolnshire?+
There are 5 independent schools in North East Lincolnshire. Fees vary by school and age group, with day school fees typically ranging from £10,000 to £20,000 per year. You can compare all private schools in North East Lincolnshire on Eduscope, including ISI inspection ratings where available.
How do I choose the right school in North East Lincolnshire?+
Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 107 schools in North East Lincolnshire by Ofsted ratings, exam results, and distance. Filter by school type, gender, religious character, and admissions policy to narrow your options.
Sources: DfE school performance tables, DfE school census and workforce, DfE pupil absence, Ofsted. Photos are stand-ins.
