Wickersley School and Sports College
88%
Capacity
2,002
Pupils
1.8x
Demand
About Wickersley School and Sports College
Wickersley School and Sports College sits comfortably above the Rotherham local authority average when it comes to academic progress. The school's Progress 8 score of 0.02 is notably higher than the LA average of -0.15, meaning pupils here make slightly more progress than the national average, while the typical Rotherham secondary school falls below it. This places Wickersley 4th out of 16 schools in the local authority rankings, putting it in the top quarter of its peers. Its Attainment 8 score of 48.9 and EBacc average point score of 4.4 both reflect solid academic performance, with nearly three-quarters of pupils achieving a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The school is heavily oversubscribed, receiving 601 applications for 328 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, with 293 offers going to first-preference applicants. That level of demand suggests local families recognise the value of a school that consistently outperforms the LA baseline.
Ofsted's most recent graded inspection in November 2023 rated the school Good across all categories, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision. This represents a change from the school's previous Outstanding rating in 2013, but the inspection report notes continued strong performance. At Key Stage 4, the school's Progress 8 banding is rated as Average, with particularly strong progress in maths (0.15) offsetting slightly weaker progress in English (-0.12) and EBacc subjects (-0.01). At Key Stage 5, the sixth form achieves a value-added score of 0.01, also rated Average, with students averaging a B- grade per entry and 20.6% achieving AAB or higher in at least two facilitating subjects. The school's EBacc entry rate of 64.8% is relatively high, though only 29.9% of pupils achieved the EBacc at grade 4 or above.
The school's facilities are extensive, including a swimming pool, sports hall, tennis courts, playing fields, gymnasium, science labs, music rooms, and a dedicated sixth-form centre. Sports provision covers football, cricket, hockey, basketball, badminton, martial arts, dance, and rounders, while extracurricular clubs include the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Model United Nations, debate, drama, choir, film club, and science club. The school supports a wide range of special educational needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, dyslexia, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health needs. With 17.8% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a broadly representative intake. Wickersley is best suited to families seeking a large, oversubscribed secondary with strong but not exceptional results, good facilities, and a sixth form that performs in line with national expectations.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Bawtry Road, Rotherham, Rotherham, S66 1JL |
| Headteacher | Tony Hardcastle |
| Local Authority | Rotherham |
| Number of Pupils | 2,002 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 17.8% |
| School Capacity | 2,002 / 2,280 (88% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
22 Nov 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 29 Jan 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.02)
1472nd of 3,141
Nationally
129th of 306
In Yorkshire and the Humber
4th 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
32.0
'23/24
36.3
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
2022/2341%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 338 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)41%
- Sixth form college22%
- FE college20%
- Employment7%
- Not sustained5%
- Apprenticeship2%
94% 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
2022/2366%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 172 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
27%
Russell Group
29%
Top-third HE
1%
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)66%
- Employment20%
- Apprenticeship8%
- Not sustained3%
- Other 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- Psychology42
- Biology34
- Sociology27
- Chemistry23
- Geography22
- Law22
- Mathematics21
- Physical Education / Sports Studies19
- Government and Politics17
- English Literature15
- Business Studies:Single12
- History12
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
11Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed328
601
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
309 families put this school as their 1st choice (51% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:40 – 15:10
Source: wickersley.net. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% 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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British85.4%
- Asian6.9%
- Mixed3.0%
- White (other)1.8%
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.
Half 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
6
Oversubscribed
6
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Wickersley School and Sports College
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
Bawtry Road, Rotherham
Rotherham, S66 1JL
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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