Aston Academy, Sheffield

Ofsted's report card from its 28 April 2026 inspection grades Aston Academy on 7 areas: 5 expected standard and 2 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils build their knowledge and skills over time."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders have put into place a range of strategies to improve attendance."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders know the context of their school well."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have recently put in place a thoughtful personal development programme."

Post 16 provision - Expected standard. "Leaders have ensured that the programme of study that sixth-form students follow is appropriate."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "The curriculum is ambitious."

Inclusion - Needs attention. "Too often, teachers do not adapt their teaching for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities or other barriers to learning."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that teachers consistently use the most appropriate approaches in lessons to secure pupils' learning"; "Leaders must ensure that teachers make effective adaptations to learning in lessons for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and other barriers to enable them to access the curriculum and achieve as well as they should"; "Leaders must closely monitor the impact of their actions to ensure that they lead to the intended improvements".

In its own words: "We firmly believe that our curriculum empowers our students in developing the knowledge, understanding and skills that they need to successfully enter further education programmes, training and employment. Our curriculum also enables the building of key character skills including leadership, resilience and independence to prepare our young people effectively for adulthood and the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead."

From the headteacher's welcome: "Aston Academy is an 11-18 secondary school which boasts a hard-working, friendly and open community. All students are challenged to realise their full potential in all aspects of their development. Our aim, in keeping with Aston's mission statement, is that every student is empowered to strive for excellence and achieve their full potential."

In 2026, pupils at Aston Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 45.3, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 43.9 in Rotherham and 47 across England.

42% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 41% in Rotherham and 47% in England.

That is up from 44.2 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.29: pupils made below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 38.8, against 47 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 8.2 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 23 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and Religious Studies.

For September 2026 entry, 199 families put Aston Academy as their first choice and 430 named it as one of their preferences, for 210 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Aston Academy are Handsworth Grange Community Sports College (2.1 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 39.6); Westfield School (2.3 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 37.2); Wales High School (2.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 44.5); and Outwood Academy City (2.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 42.1).

Aston Academy's 2026 results were higher than all 4 of them.

Aston Academy is one of 12 schools run by Aston Community Education Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 42.1 in 2024/25.

Of the 294 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 84% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 41% to a further education college, 4% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

Of the 73 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 32% went on to university or other higher education, 16% to apprenticeships and 29% into work. 13% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

6.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (84%) and Mixed (5%).

In 2026, 225 pupils (16.5%) received SEN support and 37 (2.7%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.

The nearest railway station is Woodhouse Rail Station, about 1.4 miles away in a straight line.

6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Aughton Road/Aston Academy (at), 70 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 81 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Rotherham (146).

In 2024/25, Aston Academy issued 728 suspensions, 48.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 3 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Aston Academy are Swallownest Primary School (0.3 miles), Aughton Primary Academy (0.3 miles), Springwood Primary Academy (0.6 miles) and Aston Fence Junior and Infant School (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.