Big changes are coming to the way schools in England are rated, and the rating of ‘outstanding’ is on the way out.
Beginning in 2026, schools no longer are no longer graded ‘inadequate, requires improvement, good, outstanding.’
Instead, schools will now be rated with a scorecard approach that rates various aspects of the school on whether they meet expected standards.
This was rolled out to replace the former system where schools’ ratings were summed up in a single word - a system that was revaluated and strongly criticised following the death of headteacher Ruth Perry, who took her own life soon after after her Berkshire school was rated ‘inadequate’ in 2023.
As of January 21, 2026, no Sheffield schools had received one of these new scorecards.
But 2025 was also the year a large number of primary schools received their first Ofsted visit in a decade.
Former guidelines once meant schools that earned an ‘outstanding’ rating would not be visited again, until this too was changed in 2020.
However, many of these schools in Sheffield had nothing to worry about, and typically kept their ‘outstanding’ rating upon reinspection.
These are the eight Sheffield schools that were rated ‘outstanding’ or partly outstanding in 2025.
1. Porter Croft C of E Primary
Porter Croft Church of England Primary Academy was one of many Sheffield schools that waited received a visit in 2025 after a 10-year-long wait, after it was rated Outstanding in 2015. It maintained the grade in a visit in October 2025, where inspectors wrote: "Pupils love attending this warm and welcoming school. Many pupils say that school is like a ‘second family’. Pupils enjoy learning and behave exceptionally well, upholding the school’s values of ‘respect, acceptance and fellowship’." - https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/21/139986 | Google Maps Photo: Google
2. Totley Primary School
Totley Primary School was the best performing primary in Sheffield in 2025, with 92 per cent of pupils meeting expected standards for reading, writing and maths in 2025. It achieved an 'Outstanding' rating in all areas in a report in July 2025, which was also the first Ofsted visit it has received since 2015. The report reads: "Totley pupils propel themselves to success. Compassionate, knowledgeable staff support them to be the best version of themselves. Staff value each pupil individually and assist them in achieving excellent outcomes over time." - https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50281543 | Google Maps
3. Stocksbridge Junior School
Stocksbridge Junior School converted to an academy in 2023 and was last visited by Ofsted in 2015, where it was rated Outstanding. It was graded Outstanding in all areas once again in a report in March 2025, where inspectors wrote: " Stocksbridge Junior School is a warm and nurturing school. Pupils enjoy an inspiring place to learn. Staff know pupils extremely well. Their deep understanding of pupils’ needs means that the school puts the right support in place for every pupil." - https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/21/150245 | Chorus Education Trust
4. Hallam Primary School
Bucking the trend is Hallam Primary School, which rather than 10 year ago was last inspected in 2023 in an ungraded visit that said it was on track for an Outstanding rating. True to form, the school received top marks in all areas in July 2025, where inspectors wrote: "Pupils turn the school’s values into reality in this wonderful school. Pupils understand and live these. For example, they celebrate diversity and show great care and consideration for others. They understand the needs of their peers and are quick to offer support. Pupils flourish during their time at the school. The school is a community of kindness." | Google