St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy is proposed to close (Saturday 31 October 2026).
The Department for Education lists this school as open but proposed to close. Check with the school or the council before applying.
St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy, Sheffield
St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Sheffield, part of St Patrick's Catholic Academy Trust. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in April 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2026 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 92nd-highest of the 144 schools in Sheffield with published results, and 10,716th of 14,452 across England. It was 96% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2015)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Sheffield (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy in detail
St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy in its own words
The school runs a breakfast club from 8:00am, from £1.50 per session.
Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 68% of Year 6 pupils at St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 70% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 73% and 72% in Sheffield and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 75% in reading and 70% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy
For September 2026 entry, 30 families put St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy as their first choice and 65 named it as one of their preferences, for 31 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy are Hartley Brook Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 53% reading, 59% maths); Hatfield Academy (0.5 miles, Good, 44% reading, 51% maths); Hucklow Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 58% reading, 72% maths); and Southey Green Nursery & Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 74% reading, 75% maths).
St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.
Hartley Brook Primary SchoolHatfield AcademyHucklow Primary SchoolSouthey Green Nursery & Primary School
The trust
St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy is run by its own single-school academy trust.
What parents say
20 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy (as of April 2026): 25% would recommend the school, 35% say their child is happy there and 9% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (50%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (9%).
Who goes there
43.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Black (34%), Asian (29%) and Mixed (18%).
In 2026, 40 pupils (14%) received SEN support and 4 (1.4%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.
Staffing
St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy had 11 teachers in 2026, one for every 25 pupils: fewer teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Medowhall Rail Station, about 1.7 miles away in a straight line.
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Barnsley Road/Homestead Road (opposite), 70 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 510 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Sheffield (267), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy issued 16 suspensions, 5.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy are Lift Firth Park (0.5 miles), Hinde House 2-16 Academy (1 mile), Fir Vale Academy (1.1 miles) and Mercia Northridge School (1.3 miles).
Lift Firth ParkHinde House 2-16 AcademyFir Vale AcademyMercia Northridge School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 months agoThis judgement is from April 2015, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The school has made real progress in improving early years provision, creating a calm environment where young children are developing strong independence and phonics skills. Teachers are now using a consistent lesson structure that helps pupils understand what is expected, and they address common misconceptions well. New leadership is firmly focused on improvement with clear plans in place, supported by external expertise from St Clare's trust.
Key Strengths
- New substantive headteacher appointed with clear improvement plans in place
- Early years environment is now calm, settled and purposeful with children showing high levels of independence
- Consistent lesson structure helps pupils understand expectations and contributes to positive learning environment
- Teachers address misconceptions during lessons and teach subject-specific vocabulary well
- Children in early years developing strong phonics knowledge and early literacy skills
Areas for Improvement
- Some teachers do not clearly explain important knowledge when introducing new concepts, leading to pupils being given work that is too difficult
- Inconsistent checking of pupils' understanding during lessons, particularly affecting pupils with SEND
- SEND identification and support still needs improvement - staff not fully trained to meet these pupils' needs
- Behaviour policy not consistently implemented by all staff, leading to disruptions and bullying concerns
- Safeguarding records not consistently completed or recorded in a timely manner
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is effective overall, but the school must improve systems for recording safeguarding concerns and documenting actions taken, as some records are not completed promptly.
St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy is a primary school in Sheffield that is currently in special measures and working to address significant weaknesses identified in leadership, curriculum delivery, and support for pupils with SEND. Leaders and governors are taking effective action to improve the school, though continued work is needed to remove the special measures designation.
At a Glance
31.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
20 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at April 2026 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 75% to 68% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 70% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 53% to 8% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
27.3
Avg class size
24.3
Infant (KS1)
30.8
KS2
10
Total classes
3 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy
From St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy.
- Happy Hearts After - School Club980m away · Not yet graded
- Let's Play @ Concord Sports Centre980m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Sheffield's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy is in Sheffield; for families living there:
- Sheffield's school travel policy: Home to School Travel and Transport Policy September 2023
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 40
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 16
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 40 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 16 serious and 24 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Sheffield is 17 (the median across 193 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy
Will you get a place at St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Sheffield, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Sheffield got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
96%
Near capacity
275 pupils
285 places
10 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Sheffield
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Sheffield
Across Sheffield council
Places available
6,785
Applications
5,415
Got 1st preference
95.1%
Got preferred school
98.9%
All primary applications across Sheffield council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
40
SEN Support
4
EHC Plans
15.4%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
285
Total Pupils
143
Boys
142
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
11
Teachers
25.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£46,703
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,892
Per pupil
£1850k
Total funding
£132k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.8%
Overall absence
10.2%
Persistent absence
246
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy
Questions parents ask about St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy
What are SATs results like at St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy?
Of the pupils at St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 68% reached the expected standard in reading and 70% did so in maths.
What is St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy's Ofsted rating?
St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2026, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in April 2015, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy?
No fixed boundary. When St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy is oversubscribed, Sheffield allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy?
St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy was close to full in 2025, at 96% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy?
Classes at St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy average 27.3 pupils (2025/26). 3 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy?
St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy has around 285 pupils on roll. 32% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy?
4.8% of sessions were missed at St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy in 2024/25. 10.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy?
Apply through Sheffield's coordinated admissions process, naming St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 2 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy: Happy Hearts After - School Club (980m away, registered, not yet graded) and Let's Play @ Concord Sports Centre (980m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 40 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 16 serious and 24 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Sheffield is 17 (the median across 193 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy?
St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy is at Barnsley Road, Sheffield Lane Top, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S5 0QF.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)