Exclusive:Sheffield secondary school ranked fourth worst in country for children not attending class
“There can be a range of reasons why children are absent from school, and the important issue for us and schools across Sheffield is understanding what is preventing an individual child from attending regularly and what support might help”
A Sheffield secondary school is the fourth worst in the country for children not attending lessons.
Latest figures from the Department for Education reveal the ‘unauthorised absence’ rates for all secondary schools in the country in the autumn and spring terms of 2025/26.
They reveal the schools struggling the most with children not coming to class without permission or a valid reason.
The data shows Sheffield’s five worst-attended secondary schools all reduced their rates of children skipping school - but not enough compared to others in England.
Four appear in a list of the 100 worst schools for truancy, with one ranked at 102.
‘Not all absences are truancy’
Councillor Dawn Dale at Sheffield City Council said it is important to distinguish ‘unauthorised absences’ from ‘truancy.’
“It is important not to label all unauthorised absence with ‘truancy’,” said the Chair of the Education Committee.
“There can be a range of reasons why children are absent from school, and the important issue for us and schools across Sheffield is understanding what is preventing an individual child from attending regularly and what support might help.
“With those who do struggle, improving attendance remains a priority for schools right across the city.
“We recognise that attendance is a significant challenge for some children and families in Sheffield.”
Fir Vale Academy among worst attended in England
Earlier this year, The Star revealed how Sheffield’s Fir Vale Academy was the second worst in England for unauthorised absences in 2024/25.
The latest figures for the autumn and spring terms of 2025/26 show Fir Vale Academy reduced its truancy rate by nearly two per cent, representing children spending hundreds more hours in class than before.
But the school is still the fourth worst attended in England with an unauthorised absence rate of 11.36 per cent.
With over 1,000 children on its books, it adds up to around 14,600 hours of lost learning time for children at the school a year.
The worst attended school nationally remains Co-Op Academy Leeds, with an unauthorised absence rate of 14.43 per cent.
Out of the bottom 100 schools for children not attending in England, four are in Sheffield and three are operated by the same academic trust.
They are Fir Vale Academy, Sheffield Springs Academy, and Sheffield Park Academy, all run by United Learning Trust, and Yewlands Academy, operated by Brigantia Academy Trust.
The data shows that despite two of the schools - Sheffield Springs Academy and Sheffield Park Academy - improving their truancy rate, they still went up in the rankings because other schools were more successful at getting kids back to class.
| Sheffield School | Academic trust | National rank for ‘schools with worst unauthorised absence rates’ in 2024/25 | Unauthorised absence rates in 2024/25 | Unauthorised absence rates in autumn and spring terms 2025/26 | Percentage change | New national rank for ‘schools with worst unauthorised absence rates’ in autumn and spring terms, 2025/26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fir Vale Academy | UNITED Learning Trust | #2 | 13.27 | 11.36 | -1.91 | #4 |
| Sheffield Springs Academy | UNITED Learning Trust | #33 | 10.01 | 9.24 | -0.75 | #29 |
| Sheffield Park Academy | UNITED Learning Trust | #49 | 9.24 | 9.06 | -0.18 | #35 |
| Yewlands Academy | Brigantia Learning Trust | #55 | 8.99 | 8.02 | -0.97 | #71 |
| Oasis Academy Don Valley | Oasis Community Learning | #176 | 6.98 | 7.38 | +0.40 | #102 |
| The Birley Academy | L.E.A.D Academy Trust | #97 | 8.10 | 5.98 | -2.12 | #238 |
Sheffield Park Academy has reduced its truancy rate by -0.18 per cent, but because other schools have done better, it has risen from the 49th worst attended in the country to 35th in the rankings.
Sheffield Springs Academy went from the 33rd worst in the country to 29th despite also improving its truancy rate.
However, Yewlands Academy has had better success, dropping from 55th in the country down to 71st.
And, after ranking 97th in 2024/25, The Birley Academy has escaped the “worst 100” in the country and is now in 238th place, a huge improvement.
But another Sheffield school has taken its place. Oasis Academy Don Valley’s rates rose this year, taking it from 176th to 102nd.
Local authorities have fought for years to drive down absence rates, which spiralled during the pandemic as children and parents became disconnected from schools.
Research shows unauthorised absences are one of the biggest factors in affecting children’s outcomes for exam results and later life.
What do trusts, councillors and local authority say?
United Learning Trust was contacted for a comment but did not respond. In its latest Ofsted report, inspectors complimented the Fir Vale Academy for reducing its unauthorised absence rates.
The Star also contacted all three ward councillors for Fir Vale - Talib Hussain, Safiya Saeed and Mustafa Ahmed - for what unique challenges affect the area. None replied.
Councillor Dawn Dale said: “The council works with schools and families to support improved attendance, including where children are persistently or severely absent.
“Our focus is on identifying barriers to attendance and working with families and schools to help children engage consistently with their education.
“We will continue to work alongside communities to support that work and, most importantly, to make sure children are able to benefit from being in school regularly.”