Aston Academy
84%
Capacity
1,508
Pupils
1.7x
Demand
About Aston Academy
Aston Academy is a large secondary school in Rotherham with 1,508 pupils on roll, operating below its capacity of 1,800. The school serves a community with above-average levels of disadvantage: 20.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, compared with the national secondary average of around 23.8% in 2023/24. Demand for places is strong. For entry in 2025/26, the school received 413 applications for 244 places, an oversubscription ratio of 1.69, and made 215 offers to first-preference applicants out of 216 who listed it as their top choice. This suggests the school is a popular local option despite its most recent Ofsted rating. The school is non-denominational, mixed-sex, and has a sixth form. James Graham is the headteacher.
Academically, Aston Academy’s most recent Ofsted inspection in December 2023 rated the school as Requires Improvement overall, a downgrade from its previous Good rating in 2014. The quality of education, personal development, and behaviour and attitudes were all judged to require improvement, while sixth-form provision was rated Good. At Key Stage 4, the school’s Progress 8 score was -0.29, placing it below the national average and below the Rotherham local authority average of -0.15. This ranks Aston 11th out of 16 secondary schools in the borough, in the bottom 50% nationally. Attainment 8 was 44.1, and 49.7% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. At A-level, the picture is brighter: the school’s value-added score of 0.25 is above average, and the average grade per entry was C+, with 16.2% of entries achieving AAB or higher.
The school offers a wide range of facilities including science labs, a theatre, sports hall, playing fields, and a dedicated sixth form centre. Sports provision is varied, with rowing, martial arts, hockey, and dance among the options, and clubs include Model UN, Young Enterprise, and an eco club. SEND support covers nine categories, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. The school is oversubscribed, so families applying should be aware that first-preference applications outnumber places. Aston Academy suits families who value a large, inclusive comprehensive with a strong sixth form and a broad extracurricular offer, but who are comfortable with a school that is still working to improve its core academic outcomes.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Aughton Road, Sheffield, Rotherham, S26 4SF |
| Headteacher | James Graham |
| Local Authority | Rotherham |
| Number of Pupils | 1,508 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 20.3% |
| School Capacity | 1,508 / 1,800 (84% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
5 Dec 2023Overall Effectiveness
Requires improvement
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 30 Jan 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.29)
2218th of 3,141
Nationally
204th of 306
In Yorkshire and the Humber
11th of 16
In Rotherham
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
41.0
'22/23
32.7
'23/24
32.0
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2344%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 295 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)44%
- FE college24%
- Sixth form college11%
- Not sustained10%
- Apprenticeship6%
- Employment4%
90% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2356%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 75 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
23%
Russell Group
24%
Top-third HE
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)56%
- Employment15%
- Not sustained15%
- Apprenticeship13%
- Further education1%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Psychology30
- Biology24
- English Language20
- Mathematics18
- History12
- Sociology12
- Government and Politics11
- Chemistry10
- Physics10
- Business Studies:Single8
- Computer Studies / Computing7
- Physical Education / Sports Studies6
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
13Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed244
413
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
216 families put this school as their 1st choice (52% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British83.6%
- Asian5.6%
- Mixed5.1%
- White (other)1.7%
- Black0.3%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
8
Total schools
7
Oversubscribed
6
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About Aston Academy
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Aughton Road, Sheffield
Rotherham, S26 4SF
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
