The Barnes Wallis Academy

The Barnes Wallis Academy continues to perform well as a good school with effective leadership and a well-structured curriculum that supports pupil learning. Leaders have prioritized creating a positive environment where teachers can deliver quality education, and this is reflected in the good progress that pupils are making. The school's commitment to student welfare is evident, as incidents of bullying are rare, and there is strong support for students with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Despite some communication challenges with parents regarding behaviour policies, the overall atmosphere at the school is harmonious and conducive to learning.

Strengths

• Strong interim leadership provided by governors and the trust
• Well-planned and ambitious curriculum that supports good progress
• Effective behavior policies leading to a harmonious environment
• Good support systems for pupils with SEND
• Wide range of after-school activities promoting pupil engagement
• Prioritization of reading with targeted support for struggling readers

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistencies in lesson delivery that may hinder pupil understanding
• Need for better communication with parents about behavior policies

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 The Barnes Wallis Academy attended 90.3% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 30.5% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

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, 14.5% of pupils at The Barnes Wallis Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 3 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 The Barnes Wallis Academy had 18.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 12.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

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, 25.3% of pupils at The Barnes Wallis Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 7.2% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

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 secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 The Barnes Wallis Academy received £9,769 and spent £8,815 for each of its 509 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £717,000 (£1,409 per pupil).

Across all 36 schools of The David Ross Education Trust, income was £8,189 and spending £8,020 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 East Lindsey · Lincolnshire local authority: places and applications

The Barnes Wallis Academy is part of The David Ross Education Trust, which runs 36 schools. The nearest others:

• The Eresby School, Spilsby Spilsby
• King Edward VI Academy Spilsby
• Thomas Middlecott Academy Boston
• Ingoldsby Academy Grantham
• The Richmond Primary Academy Skegness
• Skegness Grammar School Skegness
• Hogsthorpe Primary Academy Skegness
• Charles Read Academy Grantham
• Fairfield Academy Grimsby
• Humberston Academy Grimsby

What is The Barnes Wallis Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The Barnes Wallis Academy is Good, from an inspection in January 2023.

When was The Barnes Wallis Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

The Barnes Wallis Academy was last inspected in January 2023.

How many pupils does The Barnes Wallis Academy have?

The Barnes Wallis Academy has 483 pupils on roll.

What age range does The Barnes Wallis Academy cover?

The Barnes Wallis Academy for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are The Barnes Wallis Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 39.0, and 28% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is The Barnes Wallis Academy?

The Barnes Wallis Academy is at Butts Lane, Tattershall, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN4 4PN.