The Boston Grammar School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 28 April 2026

Pupils are proud to attend Boston Grammar School. They join a community with a long history and distinctive traditions, such as Beast Mart, Charter Day and ‘Puddox’. These contribute to a strong sense of identity among pupils. Pupils understand the school’s core values of care, achievement, respect and excellence. They see these values modelled consistently in daily interactions. The school’s ‘Golden Principles’ provide clear expectations for learning and behaviour. These help pupils take responsibility for their attitudes, effort and conduct. Pupils behave exceptionally well. They know what successful learning looks like and understand the behaviours that enable it. They enjoy their lessons, show curiosity about the topics they study and recognise that leaders expect them to work hard and aim high. However, outcomes in national examinations are variable, and some pupils, particularly those with high prior attainment, do not achieve as well as they could. Pupils feel safe. They trust staff. Relationships between pupils and staff are warm and respectful, and pupils treat one another with kindness. Bullying is very rare and pupils are confident that staff deal with any issues effectively. Attendance is high. Pupils value the positive, caring environment that supports both their academic and personal development. The ‘BGS 100’ programme helps pupils build a portfolio of achievements. These strengthen their character and encourage them to contribute positively to school life and beyond. Pupils celebrate the school’s growing cultural diversity through events such as Cultures Day, taking pride in sharing their individual heritages. They enjoy participating in performances, clubs and a wide range of sports. Sixth-form students value the leadership roles available to them, including mentoring younger pupils and helping to plan whole-school events. These opportunities build confidence and self-esteem, equipping students with skills for life after school.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that achievement is raised, particularly for high prior attainers, through consistently high-quality teaching across subjects, including sufficient challenge and effective checks of learning that identify and address pupils' gaps.
• Leaders should ensure that teachers meet all pupils’ needs more fully by making consistently precise and effective adaptations to the curriculum and teaching.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)