The Gainsborough Hillcrest Early Years Academy
Heapham Road, Gainsborough, DN21 1SWOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
The Gainsborough Hillcrest Early Years Academy is a primary school in Gainsborough for ages 0 to 7. It is one of the 393 schools in Lincolnshire. Its latest Ofsted inspection, in April 2025, graded each key judgement and gave no overall Ofsted rating.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 29 April 2025, report published 8 June 2025
This inspection graded each key judgement and gave no overall effectiveness grade.
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 29 April 2025
Pupils flourish in this lively and welcoming school. Staff know the pupils and their families well. They treat pupils with kindness and respect and, as a result, pupils do the same. Pupils enjoy their leadership roles. Tiny trustees recognise the importance of helping others, through giving to foodbanks and planting apple trees. The reading ambassadors suggest good books to help pupils to read more. The school has high expectations of behaviour. Pupils rise to the challenge and behave well. Pupils say that they are happy and that they feel safe in school. They play well together during social times. Pupils understand the 'GEM powers' and how these help them to learn. For example, they know that emerald represents bouncing back and sapphire is for staying focused. Pupils know what is expected of them and work hard to be successful. Pupils achieve well. In early years, children demonstrate highly positive attitudes to their learning. Those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported effectively to access learning with their peers. Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school. Typical comments shared with inspectors included, 'such an amazing school with lovely and caring staff who go above and beyond for the children'.
What the school should improve
- On occasions, the pedagogical choices made in teaching in some subjects do not support the intended learning. When this is the case, pupils do not learn as well as they could. The school must ensure that appropriate choices are made in how best to implement the ambitious curriculums, to support pupils to know and remember more in all subjects.
- Pupils' understanding of some of the British values is not as strong as it could be. This limits their understanding of some aspects of life in modern society. The school must ensure that work around pupils' personal development promotes their understanding of all the British values.
- Some pupils are persistently absent from school. By missing out on important learning, they do not achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure that its new attendance systems fully support those pupils who require it to attend well.
Pupil numbers and mix
231 pupils on roll, with places for 180
Schools near The Gainsborough Hillcrest Early Years Academy
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| White's Wood Academy | 0.1 miles | Ofsted: Good | 30% met the expected standard |
| The Gainsborough Charles Baines Community Primary School | 0.1 miles | Ofsted judgements: Requires improvement to good | 57% met the expected standard |
| St George's Church of England Community Primary School, Gainsborough | 0.6 miles | Ofsted: Good | 40% met the expected standard |
| Handel House Preparatory School | 0.6 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Not published |
| Benjamin Adlard Primary School | 0.7 miles | Report card: Expected standard to strong standard | 52% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- HILLCREST EARLY YEARS ACADEMY LIMITED
- Age range
- 0 to 7
- Gender
- Mixed
- Nursery classes
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Miss Samantha Stokes
- Phone
- 01427613483
- Address
- Heapham Road, Gainsborough, DN21 1SW
- Local authority
- Lincolnshire
- URN
- 138330
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.