Wath Academy
113%
Capacity
2,031
Pupils
1.8x
Demand
About Wath Academy
Wath Academy is a large secondary school in Rotherham that is significantly oversubscribed, a clear signal of its standing among local families. With 2,031 pupils on roll against a capacity of 1,800, the school is operating well above its official limit. For the 2025/26 intake, there were 558 applications for 313 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.78, and 384 families put it as their first preference. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 26.8%, which is above the national average for secondary schools and reflects the school’s role in serving a diverse local community. The school is mixed, non-denominational, and has no religious character, so it draws from a broad cross-section of families across Rotherham. It also has a dedicated sixth form, which adds to its appeal as a through-school option for students who want to stay on post-16.
Academically, Wath Academy performs solidly against a challenging local backdrop. Its Progress 8 score of 0.1 is above the Rotherham local authority average of -0.15, and places it third out of 16 schools in the area. Nationally, it sits in the 41st percentile, which is around the middle of the pack. At KS4, 69.2% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, and the average Attainment 8 score was 49.5. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 rated it Good overall, with Outstanding marks for behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision. This is a significant turnaround from its previous inspection in 2017, when it was rated Inadequate. At A-level, the school’s value-added score is -0.21, which is below average, but the average points per entry of 34.94 equates to a C+ grade, and 17% of entries were at AAB or higher.
The school offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, astro turf, science labs, art studios, and a sixth form centre. Sports provision covers cricket, rowing, rugby, and dance, while clubs include the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Model UN, coding, and Young Enterprise. SEND support is comprehensive, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, and speech, language and communication needs. For families considering Wath Academy, the key takeaway is that it is a popular, high-demand school that has improved dramatically under its current leadership. It suits families who want a large, well-resourced secondary with strong behaviour and pastoral systems, and who are comfortable with a school that serves a high-FSM community. The oversubscription means applying as a first preference is essential.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Sandygate, Rotherham, Rotherham, S63 7NW |
| Headteacher | Liam Ransome |
| Local Authority | Rotherham |
| Number of Pupils | 2,031 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 26.8% |
| School Capacity | 2,031 / 1,800 (113% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
3 Jul 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 26 Sept 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.10)
1294th of 3,141
Nationally
114th of 306
In Yorkshire and the Humber
3rd of 16
In Rotherham
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make similar progress to students nationally with the same starting point
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
39.8
'22/23
33.9
'23/24
34.9
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: 286 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)44%
- FE college37%
- Apprenticeship5%
- Employment5%
- Not sustained5%
- Sixth form college4%
95% 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
2022/2354%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 170 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
22%
Russell Group
22%
Top-third HE
3%
Oxford / Cambridge
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)54%
- Employment22%
- Not sustained8%
- Apprenticeship7%
- Other education4%
- 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- Psychology38
- Mathematics31
- Sociology25
- English Literature22
- Biology21
- English Language19
- Chemistry18
- Business Studies:Single17
- History17
- Law15
- Art and Design (Fine Art)14
- Geography14
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
13Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
19Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed313
558
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
384 families put this school as their 1st choice (69% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than half 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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British90.0%
- White (other)3.1%
- Mixed2.1%
- Asian1.5%
- Black0.5%
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.
7
Total schools
7
Oversubscribed
5
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 Wath 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
Sandygate, Rotherham
Rotherham, S63 7NW
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
