Sheffield Park Academy
About Sheffield Park Academy
Sheffield Park Academy is a mixed, Christian-faith secondary school and sixth form in the Sheffield local authority, where it ranks 23rd out of 29 schools of the same type by Progress 8. That places it in the bottom half of the city’s state secondaries, well behind the top-performing local peers such as High Storrs School, King Ecgbert School and Tapton School. The school is significantly oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 424 applications for 238 places, with 207 first-preference applications and 204 first-preference offers. Headteacher Rob Watson leads a large school of 1,212 pupils, well above its official capacity of 1,050. Over half of pupils — 58.2 per cent — are eligible for free school meals, a figure far above the national average and a clear indicator of the school’s role in a high-deprivation catchment. The school’s most recent graded Ofsted inspection, in 2013, rated it Good overall, and an ungraded inspection in December 2022 confirmed that it remains Good.
Key Details
The full report on this school
The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.
- Ofsted inspection in plain EnglishStrengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
- Parent View survey resultsWhat parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
- Where Ofsted and parents disagreeGaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
- Admissions & catchmentAdmission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
- Nearby schools comparedBackup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
- Attendance & behaviour dataPersistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
8 Dec 2022Latest monitoring visit (8 Dec 2022): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 25 Jun 2013. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
Facilities
13Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Sheffield Park 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
School Admissions Timeline 2026/27
Key dates for primary, secondary and nursery applications