A selective co-educational grammar school in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 799 pupils on roll.
Carre's Grammar School
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At a glance
Carre's Grammar School is a Sleaford selective academy with roots dating to 1604 and a modern place within the Community Inclusive Trust. It educates around 800 pupils: boys from 11 to 16, then a co-educational sixth form through the Sleaford Joint Sixth Form partnership.
The school presents itself as academically ambitious but deliberately rounded. Its vision and curriculum pages emphasise unlocking human potential, creativity, honesty, compassion and preparation for the next stage, with a broad offer spanning English, mathematics, science, languages, ethics and philosophy, arts, business and economics, design technology, music and PE.
Carre's is also visibly a school of sport, music and enrichment. The official site highlights Duke of Edinburgh, student activities, a Learning Resource Centre, Northgate Sports Hall, fitness facilities and community sport, while the headteacher's welcome links the school's reputation to all-round education as well as examination results.
Year 7 has 120 places. Selection is for pupils in the top 25% of the ability range, with separate verbal and non-verbal reasoning tests for 2027 entry; after qualification, priority runs through looked-after status, pupil premium, Community Inclusive Trust sibling priority and distance. Published outcome context includes Ofsted Good, 87.7% grade 5+ in English and maths, and 19.2% AAB or better at A level.
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Lincolnshire and England.
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Lincolnshire and England.
Latest 2024/25 Year 11 destination mix compared with Lincolnshire and England.
January 2025 school census
Whole-school roll of 799 pupils; 781 had a recorded ethnic group.
| Recorded group | Share | Category | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|
| White British | 83.7% | White | 669 |
| Any other White background | 5.1% | White | 41 |
| Any other mixed background | 2.5% | Mixed | 20 |
| Unclassified | 2.3% | Unclassified | 18 |
| White and Asian | 1.3% | Mixed | 10 |
| Any other ethnic group | 0.9% | Other | 7 |
| Any other Asian background | 0.8% | Asian | 6 |
| African | 0.6% | Black | 5 |
| Indian | 0.6% | Asian | 5 |
| White and Black Caribbean | 0.6% | Mixed | 5 |
| Chinese | 0.5% | Asian | 4 |
| White and Black African | 0.5% | Mixed | 4 |
| Any other Black background | 0.3% | Black | 2 |
| Pakistani | 0.3% | Asian | 2 |
| Bangladeshi | 0.1% | Asian | 1 |
Carre?s admits pupils in the top 25% of the ability range. For 2027 entry, qualified applicants are ranked by looked-after status, pupil premium, Community Inclusive Trust sibling priority, then distance.
There is no published catchment area. After the higher priority groups in the admissions policy, qualified applicants are ranked by distance from school.
Qualified looked after and previously looked after children are prioritised first.
The school?s 2027-28 policy applies this after any EHCP placements have been made.
Qualified pupil premium applicants are considered next.
The policy defines this as children who have been registered for free school meals at any point in the previous six years.
Qualified applicants with a sibling in the Community Inclusive Trust secondary schools come next.
Sibling priority applies across the trust?s secondary schools rather than a geographic catchment.
All other qualified applicants are ranked by distance from school.
If two children are tied for the last place, the published tie-break is an independently supervised lottery.
The published 2027 entry page lists separate verbal and non-verbal reasoning test days at Carre?s.
Shared exam route
Carre's Grammar School uses the shared Lincolnshire route. Use these common practice resources for the route, then check the full consortium guide for the complete set and current test guidance.
View all Lincolnshire practice papersGL Assessment Non-Verbal Reasoning Test Booklet 1
GL Assessment Verbal Reasoning Paper 1
GL Assessment Non-Verbal Reasoning Test Booklet 2
GL Assessment Non-Verbal Reasoning Test Booklet 3
Paper 1
Verbal reasoning
Verbal reasoning test
Saturday 12 September 2026.
Paper 2
Non-verbal reasoning
Non-verbal reasoning test
Saturday 19 September 2026.
Verbal reasoning and Non-verbal reasoning are included in the published format.
English, Maths and Science are not listed in the current published format.
Verbal reasoning
Saturday 12 September 2026.
Non-verbal reasoning
Saturday 19 September 2026.
English
Maths
Science
Verbal reasoning test
Saturday 12 September 2026
Non-verbal reasoning test
Saturday 19 September 2026
Results emailed
Friday 9 October 2026
Results are published at noon.
Preference deadline
Saturday 31 October 2026
National offer day
Monday 1 March 2027
School confirmation letter
Tuesday 2 March 2027
Contact Carre?s if you still need to register
The online form is now closed, so late Year 7 testing queries are handled directly by Mrs Lindsay Phoenix, Admissions Officer.
Open admissions pageSit the two 11+ tests at Carre?s
The published 2027 entry page lists verbal reasoning on Saturday 12 September 2026 and non-verbal reasoning on Saturday 19 September 2026.
Open key datesSubmit your local authority application
Sitting the 11+ does not count as a school application, so you still need to name Carre?s on your local authority form by 31 October 2026.
Open Lincolnshire admissionsRecent trend
This follows the school's published overall GCSE score across the subjects pupils take. Higher is better.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 59.9 | 74.2 | 49.4 |
| 2022/23 | 58.6 | 71.8 | 47.0 |
| 2023/24 | 57.2 | 72.1 | 46.7 |
| 2024/25 | 58 | 72.3 | 46.8 |
Recent trend
This follows the published average A-level result for the school's sixth form. Higher is better.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | B+ average (42.5 points) | 44.0 points | 37.5 points |
| 2022/23 | B- average (35.4 points) | 40.5 points | 33.7 points |
| 2023/24 | C+ average (34.4 points) | 41.3 points | 34.5 points |
| 2024/25 | B- average (35.8 points) | 41.8 points | 35.0 points |
Recent trend
This follows the share of pupils moving into a sustained destination after Year 11, such as education, apprenticeships, or employment.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 100% | 99.1% | 94.1% |
| 2022/23 | 99% | 98.9% | 93.9% |
| 2023/24 | 100% | 99.0% | 93.3% |
| 2024/25 | 100% | 98.7% | 91.8% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 96% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 4% |
| In employment | 0% |
Latest inspection: 6 December 2023
Local rivals appear first, followed by nearby alternatives where the journey and admissions route are still comparable.
Same Lincolnshire area and similar co-ed selective route
Same Lincolnshire area and similar co-ed selective route
Same Lincolnshire area and similar co-ed selective route
Same Lincolnshire area and similar co-ed selective route
Closest comparable alternatives with a similar academic profile, so parents can weigh local fit and results together.
Nearby option with similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Nearby option with similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Nearby option with similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
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Best Grammar Schools by A-level Results
Explore the best grammar schools by A-level results in the UK, ranked by the published share of students achieving AAB or better at A level.
Best Grammar Schools in Lincolnshire
Compare 15 Lincolnshire grammar schools for 2026: GCSE ranking table, Ofsted, Lincolnshire route, admissions rules, competition, and school profiles.
Best Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking that can be filtered by county, school type, and Ofsted before moving into local admissions detail.
Best Grammar Schools by A-level Results
Explore the best grammar schools by A-level results in the UK, ranked by the published share of students achieving AAB or better at A level.
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Carre's Grammar School currently uses GL Assessment.
1. Contact Carre?s if you still need to register: The online form is now closed, so late Year 7 testing queries are handled directly by Mrs Lindsay Phoenix, Admissions Officer. 2. Sit the two 11+ tests at Carre?s: The published 2027 entry page lists verbal reasoning on Saturday 12 September 2026 and non-verbal reasoning on Saturday 19 September 2026. 3. Submit your local authority application: Sitting the 11+ does not count as a school application, so you still need to name Carre?s on your local authority form by 31 October 2026.
Verbal reasoning test: Saturday 12 September 2026. Non-verbal reasoning test: Saturday 19 September 2026. Results emailed: Friday 9 October 2026. Preference deadline: Saturday 31 October 2026. National offer day: Monday 1 March 2027. School confirmation letter: Tuesday 2 March 2027
Carre's Grammar School is currently rated Good following the latest published inspection dated 6 December 2023.