Dobcroft Junior School

About Dobcroft Junior School

Dobcroft Junior School sits at the very top of the Sheffield primary school rankings, placing first out of 106 similar schools in the local authority. Its nearest rivals in the league table are Totley Primary School and Angram Bank Primary School, both of which also score highly, while Totley All Saints Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School follows close behind. The school is a state-funded, mixed primary for children aged 7 to 11, with no religious character and no nursery or sixth form provision. It currently has 379 pupils on roll, which is 51 above its official capacity of 328, indicating strong local demand. Just 5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the national average. The school is led by joint headteachers Nicola Sexton (Monday to Thursday) and Sheree Doyle (Fridays). In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2021, Dobcroft was rated Good overall, with Good marks across all four categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. This represents a change from its previous inspection in 2006, when it was judged Outstanding.

Academically, Dobcroft Junior School performs well above the Sheffield average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 84% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a local authority average of just 57%. The school’s ranking score of 84 places it in the top 10% nationally and top 1% within Yorkshire and the Humber. In reading, 93% of pupils reached the expected standard and 59% achieved a higher score, while the average reading score was 111. In maths, 94% met the expected standard and 53% reached the higher threshold, with an average score of 110. Writing saw 86% at the expected level and 18% at the higher level. Progress scores are not available in the data, but the attainment figures alone put Dobcroft comfortably ahead of most other primary schools in Sheffield. The school does not have a sixth form, so all pupils move on to secondary education at age 11.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including an ICT suite, library, art studios, music rooms, an outdoor playground and a chapel. Sports provision covers gymnastics, football, cricket, rounders, netball, cross country and tennis, while extracurricular clubs include book club, drama, chess and eco club. Dobcroft also provides support for a wide range of special educational needs, including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, visual impairment, autistic spectrum disorder and other difficulties. The nearest Outstanding-rated school in the area is Nether Edge Primary School, 2.1 km away. Given its high academic outcomes, oversubscribed roll and relatively low proportion of pupils on free school meals, Dobcroft is likely to appeal most to families who prioritise strong KS2 results and a well-resourced junior school environment within Sheffield’s state sector.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Dobcroft Junior School

Helpful Guides for Parents