Long Bennington Church of England Academy

Long Bennington Church of England Academy continues to be a good school, providing a supportive and engaging environment for its pupils. The headteacher, David Nicholson, oversees a dedicated staff that fosters a positive school culture characterized by respect, joy, and community. The curriculum is strong in most areas, allowing pupils to build their knowledge incrementally. However, there are some gaps in the precise identification of key knowledge in certain subjects, which the school recognizes as an area for improvement. Pupils enjoy their learning experiences, with reading being a highlighted priority where they express enthusiasm for literature. The school has been adaptive in supporting pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, ensuring they can access the curriculum alongside their peers. Despite these strengths, the school is aware of the importance of refining its curriculum to ensure all essential content is well-defined, which will enhance the overall educational outcomes for students.

Strengths

• Pupils exhibit positive behavior and respectful relationships.
• Strong emphasis on personal development and understanding of British values.
• Well-designed curriculum that meets the needs of most pupils.
• Effective teaching of phonics and reading.
• Inclusive support for pupils with special educational needs.

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum plans in some subjects do not clearly identify key knowledge.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Long Bennington Church of England Academy attended 95.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 10.9% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 1.2% of pupils at Long Bennington Church of England Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Long Bennington Church of England Academy had 20.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 13.5% of pupils at Long Bennington Church of England Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.2% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Long Bennington Church of England Academy received £6,854 and spent £6,343 for each of its 244 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £219,000 (£896 per pupil).

Across all 16 schools of Infinity Academies Trust, income was £7,320 and spending £7,049 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Newark · Lincolnshire local authority: places and applications

Long Bennington Church of England Academy is part of Infinity Academies Trust, which runs 20 schools. The nearest others:

• The Little Gonerby Church of England Primary Academy, Grantham Grantham
• Leadenham Church of England Academy Lincoln
• Coleby Church of England Primary Academy Lincoln
• Colsterworth Church of England Primary School Grantham
• The Lincoln St Peter-In-Eastgate Church of England Infants Academy Lincoln
• Bourne Abbey Church of England Primary Academy Bourne
• Bourne Elsea Park Church of England Primary Academy Bourne
• Pollyplatt Primary Academy Lincoln
• The Pinchbeck East Church of England Primary Academy Spalding
• Gipsey Bridge Academy Boston

What is Long Bennington Church of England Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Long Bennington Church of England Academy is Good, from an inspection in May 2024.

When was Long Bennington Church of England Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Long Bennington Church of England Academy was last inspected in May 2024.

How many pupils does Long Bennington Church of England Academy have?

Long Bennington Church of England Academy has 251 pupils on roll.

What age range does Long Bennington Church of England Academy cover?

Long Bennington Church of England Academy for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Long Bennington Church of England Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 76% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Long Bennington Church of England Academy?

Long Bennington Church of England Academy is at Main Road, Long Bennington, Newark, Nottinghamshire, NG23 5EH.