Sheffield's secondary schools will not have enough space by 2024 - and time is running out to solve it

Sheffield is set to run out of secondary school places for children as early as September 2024 - and time is running out to stop it.

Council papers warn the Steel City is going to suffer "a sustained deficit" in places entering Year 7 and beyond in the 2024/25 academic year until the end of the decade.

Although classrooms have been already described as "nearly or already at saturation point", and despite new figures showing schools are busier than ever, education chiefs estimate Sheffield will need to to build a minimum of 1,050 places to meet demand.

However, when asked by The Star, both the council and the academic trusts in the most at-risk areas were unable to say what projects are underway to build space.

And because numbers might fall back down after 2030, council papers show the local authority’s plans to only build new classrooms "where absolutely necessary".

It likely means existing schools will either be asked to simply find more space, or that temporary classrooms will become a common sight in the next decade.

A council report reads on the issue publish in June reads: "Without intervention, there will be a sustained shortfall of secondary school places across specific areas of the city from 2024/25 until the end of the decade and beyond.

"We estimate we will need to build a minimum of approximately 1,050 places and potentially up to a maximum of 1,500 places to address forecast deficits.

"Additional secondary school places secured to date are not sufficient to meet increasing demand. Secondary school capacity is near or at saturation point."

It comes after The Star this month reported two thirds of Sheffield’s secondary schools were the busiest they've ever been in the 2022/23 academic year.

The surge in places needed is made up of a combination of higher birth rates around the 2010 area, with a 25 per cent rise in births in Sheffield between 2002 and 2012. 

But migration is also a major factor, with the council writing: "Overseas migration has been particularly difficult to plan for as the Government’s policies supporting migration of families from Hong Kong, Ukraine and Afghanistan were unforeseen."

Adding to this is the council’s Local Plan aspirations to see 2,100 homes built a year until 2039.

The council outlined several areas of being the most at-risk of running out of places, as well as what schools cover for them.

The most urgent need is in the Northeast area of Sheffield (called ‘Planning Area 5’), where 600 places are needed in time for 2024/25.

The secondary schools covering this area include Oasis Academy Don Valley (run by Oasis MAT), All Saints Catholic High School (maintained by the council), and Sheffield Park Academy & Sheffield Springs Academy (both operated by United MAT).

The Star approached United and Oasis about what they were doing to build more places. Both declined to comment, but a spokesperson for Parks Academy said: "We are currently oversubscribed and work closely with the local authority to ensure as many young people who wish to come here are able to do so."

The Star also approached Minerva Learning Trust and the Mercia Trust about the reported need for 300 places in the Southwest of Sheffield by 2024/25 where they operate. Neither responded.

In November, Silverdale School cut the ribbon on a new classroom block fit to accommodate 300 more students. Interestingly, the expansion was given the go-ahead in mid-September 2022 and was completed in 14 months. The plan was objected to by some residents over traffic concerns.

The three most at-risk areas in Sheffield, as well as how many places are needed, what schools cover them and whether they are operated by a trust or the council, are: 

• Northeast Sheffield: 600 places needed by September 2024. Schools include Oasis Academy Don Valley (Oasis), Sheffield Park Academy (United), sheffield Park Academy (United), All Saints Catholic High School (St Clare Catholic MAT)

• Southwest Sheffield: 300 places needed by September 2024. Schools include High Storrs School (Minerva), King Ecgbert School (Mercia), King Edward VII (council), Notre Dame High School (St Clare Catholic MAT), Mercia School (Mercia), Silverdale School (Chorus), Tapton School (Tapton School Academy Trust)

• South Sheffield: 150 places needed for 2026/27. Schools include Chaucer School (Tapton), Ecclesfield School (Minerva), Yewlands Academy (Brigantia).

It costs an estimated £25,567 to build a new secondary school space in Sheffield. The council will reportedly receive £26m of Basic Needs funding to build the 1,000 places needed. But when asked, the council was unable to yet give details of what projects were on the way.

It highlighted recent projects such as the opening of three new secondary schools in September 2018 in the form of Astrea Academy, Mercia School and Oasis Academy Don Valley, providing 2,400 additional spaces at the time. King Ecgbert School and the previously mentioned Silverdale School have also had recent expansions to make room for 535 places between them.

Councillor Dawn Dale, chair of Education, Children and Families Committee, said: "We are working with secondary schools, reviewing data and increasing school places in areas of high demand, as some areas need more places than others. We built and opened three secondary schools in 2018 to meet rising demand which provided 2,800 more permanent school places.

"We continue to work in partnership with schools and trusts across the city to create temporary additional places where they are needed."