Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Voluntary Academy

About Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Voluntary Academy

If you're looking for a school where parents feel strongly positive, Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Voluntary Academy in Doncaster is worth a close look. In the most recent Parent View survey, covering September 2024 to September 2025, a remarkable 97% of the 35 respondents said they would recommend the school to other parents. That's a very high level of endorsement. The feedback on specific areas is equally striking: 83% of parents strongly agreed that their child is happy at the school, and 77% strongly agreed that their child feels safe. The school is clearly popular with local families, too. For the 2025/26 academic year, it received 50 applications for just 23 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.17. All 23 first-preference applicants were offered a place, but with demand more than double the available spots, getting in is competitive. The school is a Roman Catholic primary for mixed genders aged 4 to 11, and it currently has 213 pupils on roll, just over its official capacity of 210.

Academically, the picture is more mixed. In its most recent graded Ofsted inspection in January 2020, the school received an overall rating of Good, with every category – including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and personal development – also rated Good. This was a significant improvement from its previous graded inspection in 2016, when it was rated Inadequate. An ungraded inspection in February 2025 confirmed that standards have been maintained. However, the school's Key Stage 2 results for the 2023/24 academic year are below the local authority average. Only 52% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with the Doncaster average of 61%. This places the school 64th out of 87 primary schools in the local authority, putting it in the bottom half. Individual subject scores show 69% reached the expected standard in reading and maths, and 76% in writing, but the proportion reaching the higher standard in all three subjects was just 3%.

The school offers a solid range of facilities, including a library, art studios, a sensory room, a forest school area, a chapel, and playing fields. Sports on offer include athletics, football, tennis, cricket, and gymnastics, while clubs include book club, film club, and gardening. For children with additional needs, the school has stated provisions for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, speech, language and communication needs, social, emotional and mental health needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. Parent View responses on SEND support were very positive, with 83% of those who answered strongly agreeing that the school gives SEND children the support they need. This is a school that clearly inspires strong loyalty from its parent community, and its Catholic character will appeal to families seeking a faith-based primary. However, given its oversubscription and below-average SATs results, it is best suited to families who prioritise a happy, safe environment and strong community feel over top-tier academic rankings.

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