The Priory City of Lincoln Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 9 December 2025

Many pupils say they like this school and generally feel safe. Typically, pupils have positive relationships with their peers and staff. However, pupils have mixed experiences at this school. Pastoral support is a strength. Some pupils are concerned about behaviour and how well bullying is dealt with. Pupils benefit from effective support for their mental health and wellbeing. While classrooms are typically purposeful, on occasions, staff do not apply the behaviour policy consistently well to address low-level disruption. As a result, some pupils’ poor behaviour negatively impacts their own and others' learning. Suspensions are high, though reducing. Sixth-form students show highly positive attitudes to their learning and enjoy their courses. Leaders' work to improve attendance is resulting in more pupils attending school more often. However, leaders know attendance needs to improve further to ensure that pupils achieve more highly. Leaders ensure that there are varied opportunities for pupils to experience activities beyond the classroom. For example, pupils enjoyed a visiting theatre production of some of Shakespeare's plays and singing in the choir at the Royal Albert Hall. Some pupils do not achieve as well as they should, and some staff do not have high enough expectations of what pupils can achieve. There are some signs of improvement in outcomes in some areas of the curriculum. However, more needs to be done to swiftly raise attainment and progress, particularly for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This includes developing how effectively staff use the checks that they do on pupils' knowledge and skills, and making precise adaptations to the curriculum for pupils who need extra support to access it. Sixth-form students typically achieve well. They benefit from expert teaching and develop skills in high-quality learning environments.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should continue to ensure that teachers’ checks on pupils’ learning are used to inform future learning and that teaching allows pupils enough practice to deepen their understanding before moving on, so that pupils achieve well across subjects.
• Leaders should make sure that pupils develop important writing skills and knowledge across the curriculum, including technical accuracy (spelling, punctuation and grammar), to address pupils' gaps in foundational literacy.
• Leaders should continue to strengthen staff training to ensure that the curriculum for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is adapted consistently well, that education, health and care plans are implemented effectively and that the impact of these strategies is monitored rigorously to close pupils' gaps in understanding.
• Leaders should continue to strengthen their actions to support further improvement in pupils' attendance, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Leaders should continue to ensure that staff manage behaviour consistently well and that all pupils get the support they need to behave well, so that low-level disruption in lessons reduces.

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