Discovery Academy, Sheffield

Special
Free schools special
Mixed
Ages 716

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Luci Windle
Pupils:121 / 80 capacity
LA:Sheffield
Phone:01144798000
Address:Park Grange Road, Norfolk Park, Sheffield, S2 3QF
Trust:NEXUS MULTI ACADEMY TRUST
Admissions:Non-selective
Status:open
Opened:1 September 2022

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 1 year ago
-

Overall

Good

Quality of Education

Good

Behaviour & Attitudes

Good

Personal Development

Good

Leadership & Management

Inspected 17 June 2025View full report
URN:149087
UKPRN:10090866
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Sheffield Heeley
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Discovery Academy creates a genuinely nurturing environment where pupils with autism feel safe and valued. Staff work closely with parents and carers to remove barriers to learning, helping pupils re-engage with education and build resilience. The school combines ambitious teaching with personal development that prepares pupils well for life after school, including careers exploration and understanding modern Britain.

Key Strengths

  • Strong, nurturing relationships between staff and pupils that build positive behaviour and engagement
  • Excellent reading programme with pupils quickly developing confidence and fluency
  • Well-planned personal development including online safety, healthy relationships, and careers guidance
  • Effective support for pupils' individual needs with careful assessment and removal of learning barriers
  • High staff morale with strong professional development support

Areas for Improvement

  • Teachers sometimes select learning activities that don't match the ambitious curriculum, limiting pupil progress
  • Writing skills development is insufficient, including early writing skills like pencil grip
  • Need to ensure each activity directly links to specific curriculum goals

Safeguarding

Safeguarding arrangements are effective with strong culture and systems in place.

Extracurricular Activities

Cooking, art, sport, Friday assemblies, Discovery Crew club, local area trips, nature activities

Discovery Academy is a special school for pupils with Autism Spectrum Condition, rated Good across all areas. The school provides a nurturing, welcoming environment where pupils develop strong relationships with staff and grow in confidence.

At a Glance

62.8%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

18 responses
Would recommend94%
Child is happy89%
Well taught100%
Good progress94%
Feels safe83%
Well behaved89%
Bullying dealt with56%
Kept informed100%
Handles concerns61%
Wider development94%

Source: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
ReadingMathsWriting

Reading has remained stable at around 0%. Maths has remained stable at around 0%. Writing has remained stable at around 0%.

Class Sizes

0.0

Avg class size

0

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Tube / Metro / Tram

Park Grange Croft to Halfway-Herdings (South East Entrance)
175m · 3 min walk
Park Grange Croft Platform to City (Se Entrance)
180m · 3 min walk
Park Grange Croft From City (From City)
215m · 3 min walk

Bus Stops

Park Grange Road/Park Grange Croft (adj)
146m · 2 min walk
Park Grange Road/Beeches Drive (adj)
207m · 3 min walk
Park Grange Road/Park Spring Drive (adj)
337m · 5 min walk
Norfolk Park Road/Park Grange Road (adj)
339m · 6 min walk
Park Grange Road/Park Grange Drive (adj)
394m · 6 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

151%

Over capacity

121 pupils

80 capacity

41 places over capacity

Area Demand Pressure - Sheffield

Medium pressure
New homes approved:9,810
Projected new pupils:1,766

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Sheffield

Admissions Demand - Sheffield

Low demand1.00x oversubscription

Places available

6,358

Applications

6,339

Got 1st preference

88.8%

Got preferred school

96.8%

Secondary admissions across Sheffield (2025/26)

Inspection History

17 June 2025
Quality of EducationGood
Behaviour & AttitudesGood
Personal DevelopmentGood
Leadership & ManagementGood

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

9.36438%

Overall absence

27.19298%

Persistent absence

114

Enrolments

Authorised4.7004%
Unauthorised4.66398%
Persistent (10%+)27.19298%
Severe (50%+)3.50877%

Absence trend

8.7721%
22/23
9.63776%
23/24
9.36438%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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