Rainbow Forge Primary Academy

About Rainbow Forge Primary Academy

Rainbow Forge Primary Academy in Sheffield has been rated Good across every category in its most recent Ofsted inspection, a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2020. The school’s overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, early years provision, and leadership and management all now hold a Good grade. However, the academic outcomes story is more nuanced. At Key Stage 2, just 36% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a local authority average of 57% for all primary schools. The school ranks 98th out of 106 primary schools in Sheffield on this metric, placing it in the bottom half of the local authority. In reading, 61% of pupils met the expected standard, while in writing it was 66% and in maths 48%. Only 2% of pupils achieved the higher standard in maths and writing, and 14% in reading.

The school’s average scaled scores tell a slightly different story. In reading, pupils scored an average of 102, which is above the national baseline of 100, while in maths the average was 99, just below. This suggests that while the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard is low, those who do meet it are performing solidly. The school has a high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 45.9%, well above the national average, which may be a factor in its overall attainment profile. Ofsted noted that behaviour and attitudes are Good, and personal development is also Good, which points to a supportive environment even if academic results are not yet matching the local average. The school has capacity for 384 pupils and currently has 350 on roll, so there is some room for growth.

Rainbow Forge offers a wide range of facilities including a sports hall, gymnasium, art studios and a dining hall, plus a chapel. Sports on offer include rounders, gymnastics, athletics, dance, cross country and swimming, and there are clubs for coding, science, chess, art, choir and film. The school provides nursery provision for children from age two and has a broad range of SEND support, covering moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, physical disability, autistic spectrum disorder and other difficulties. For the 2025/26 intake, the school was oversubscribed, with 61 applications for 45 places and 43 first-preference offers made. This suggests it is a popular choice locally, particularly for families who value its inclusive ethos and wide extracurricular offer, even if its academic results are below the Sheffield average.

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