Oasis Academy Fir Vale was the worst performing primary school in Sheffield in 2022/23, with an average score of 91 But it is also highly praised by Ofsted, who in late 2021 rated it 'Good' with an 'Outstanding' for personal development. The report reads: "Oasis Academy Fir Vale is a welcoming school at the very heart of the community. "The vast majority of pupils speak English as an additional language. Those new to the country often have had no formal schooling. Staff waste no time in developing pupils’ skills to enable them to be successful learners." - https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50175978placeholder image
Oasis Academy Fir Vale was the worst performing primary school in Sheffield in 2022/23, with an average score of 91 But it is also highly praised by Ofsted, who in late 2021 rated it 'Good' with an 'Outstanding' for personal development. The report reads: "Oasis Academy Fir Vale is a welcoming school at the very heart of the community. "The vast majority of pupils speak English as an additional language. Those new to the country often have had no formal schooling. Staff waste no time in developing pupils’ skills to enable them to be successful learners." - https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50175978 | Google Maps

Sheffield schools: Worst-performing primary schools in 2023 according to latest SAT scores

Alastair Ulke
By Alastair Ulke

Senior Reporter

Published 6th Jan 2024, 05:00 GMT

These schools didn't get the top grades in 2023 - but Ofsted seems happy with them all the same.

Some schools do well by their children in many different ways - but everyone has to take exams at the end of the year.

These were the primary schools in Sheffield that got the lowest grades in 2023 based on their SATs.

The SAT scores - taken from exams at the end of Year 6 - for every school in the Steel City were released in December by the Department for Education for the first time since 2019.

It comes after primary school assessment tests were scrapped during the pandemic due to the disruption caused by the Covid-19 restrictions and lockdowns.

They work by giving each primary school a score out of 120 based on their grades in reading, mathematics, and writing in 2023 to create an average.

At face value, it may seem diminutive to reduce a school down to just its exam scores - many schools help their children in more ways than just their results.

It's why it's worth noting that out of all the schools listen below, only one is currently rated anything less than 'Good' by Ofsted.

So even if Oasis Academy Fir Vale is the 'worst-performing' school by grades, Ofsted recognises the hard work it does to help children who speak English as a second language, which makes up the bulk of its co-hort.

There's also Hatfield Academy, which came sixth from the bottom, but was also praised by the watchdog in 2023 for its eight-year journey to earn an overall rating of "Good", as well as instilling a love of reading in its children.

Arbourthorne Community Primary was called "a place of joy", Acres Hill makes its lessons and experiences "memorable", and children at E-ACT Pathways are "enjoy their lessons and are happy to come to school".

Four of the schools - Acres Hill, Hatfield, Emmaus, and Norfolk Community - also tied with their average SAT scores of 99.3, and are ranked only fractional differences known only to the Department of Education.

The scores are worth comparing to the Sheffield schools that got the best grades of all in 2023, which The Star revealed earlier this week.

Below are the bottom 10 Sheffield schools based on their SAT results, as well as what Ofsted has to say about them.

Arbourthorne Community Primary School was the fifth worst performing school in 2023, with an average SAT score of 99.3. It too was rated Good with an Outstanding in personal development in all areas by Ofsted in 2022, where inspectors wrote it was "a place of joy, inclusivity and learning... The school values are central to learning and life in this school. Pupils learn to show care and respect for others." - https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/21/133994

5. Arbourthorne Community Primary School

Arbourthorne Community Primary School was the fifth worst performing school in 2023, with an average SAT score of 99.3. It too was rated Good with an Outstanding in personal development in all areas by Ofsted in 2022, where inspectors wrote it was "a place of joy, inclusivity and learning... The school values are central to learning and life in this school. Pupils learn to show care and respect for others." - https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/21/133994 | Google Maps Photo: Google

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Hatfield Academy was the sixth worst-performing school in 2023, with an average SAT score of 99.3. Nevertheless, the last 10 years have been a long improvement journey for Hatfield Academy, which was rated 'Inadequate' in 2015 and worked its way up to Good in March 2023, where inspectors wrote: "Pupils are keen to talk about what they have learned. They are proud of their work. They like reading. An improved curriculum in phonics helps pupils quickly become confident in reading letters and words." - https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50218449

6. Hatfield Academy

Hatfield Academy was the sixth worst-performing school in 2023, with an average SAT score of 99.3. Nevertheless, the last 10 years have been a long improvement journey for Hatfield Academy, which was rated 'Inadequate' in 2015 and worked its way up to Good in March 2023, where inspectors wrote: "Pupils are keen to talk about what they have learned. They are proud of their work. They like reading. An improved curriculum in phonics helps pupils quickly become confident in reading letters and words." - https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50218449 | Google Maps Photo: Google

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Emmaus Catholic and CofE Primary School was the seventh worst performing school in Sheffield in 2023, with an average SAT score of 99.3. It was rated 'Good' in all areas in September 2023, where inspectors wrote: "The school has high expectations for what pupils can achieve. A well-sequenced curriculum is in place. Pupils behave well in lessons, around the school and at playtimes." - https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/21/140826

7. Emmaus Church of England and Catholic Primary School

Emmaus Catholic and CofE Primary School was the seventh worst performing school in Sheffield in 2023, with an average SAT score of 99.3. It was rated 'Good' in all areas in September 2023, where inspectors wrote: "The school has high expectations for what pupils can achieve. A well-sequenced curriculum is in place. Pupils behave well in lessons, around the school and at playtimes." - https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/21/140826 | Google Street View Photo: Google MAps

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Norfolk Community Primary, in Guildford Avenue, was the eighth worst performing school in 2023, with an average SAT score 99.6. It too was rated Good in all areas in June 2022, where inspectors wrote: "Pupils are keen to learn and do well at school. They behave well in lessons and around the school. Pupils have high aspirations for the roles they wish to lead later in life." - https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/21/145413

8. Norfolk Community Primary

Norfolk Community Primary, in Guildford Avenue, was the eighth worst performing school in 2023, with an average SAT score 99.6. It too was rated Good in all areas in June 2022, where inspectors wrote: "Pupils are keen to learn and do well at school. They behave well in lessons and around the school. Pupils have high aspirations for the roles they wish to lead later in life." - https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/21/145413 | Google Maps Photo: Google Maps

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