St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy, Sheffield
St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Sheffield, part of St Clare Catholic Multi Academy Trust. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 35th-highest of the 144 schools in Sheffield with published results, and 3,408th of 14,452 across England. It was 94% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2014)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
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 Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy in detail
St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy in its own words
In its own words: "At St. Thomas of Canterbury School we believe and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. You will find us to be loving, caring and spiritual."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 89% of Year 6 pupils at St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 81% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 73% and 72% in Sheffield and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 81% in reading and 77% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy
For September 2026 entry, 21 families put St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy as their first choice and 43 named it as one of their preferences, for 22 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 Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy are Abbey Lane Primary School (0.4 miles); Greenhill Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 54% reading, 47% maths); Woodseats Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 71% reading, 76% maths); and Lowedges Primary Academy (0.8 miles, Good, 68% reading, 61% maths).
St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy's 2025 results were higher than all 3 of them.
Abbey Lane Primary SchoolGreenhill Primary SchoolWoodseats Primary SchoolLowedges Primary Academy
The trust
St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy is one of 13 schools run by St Clare Catholic Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 67% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
68 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy (as of September 2025): 81% would recommend the school, 90% say their child is happy there and 55% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (94%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (55%).
Who goes there
In 2026, 14 pupils (6.6%) received SEN support and 14 (6.6%) 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.
St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy has a resourced provision for physical disability: 14 places, 6 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Dore & Totley Rail Station, about 1.5 miles away in a straight line.
16 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Meadowhead/Roxton Avenue (adjacent), 130 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy issued 11 suspensions, 4.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy are Meadowhead School Academy Trust (0.7 miles) and Newfield Secondary School (1.3 miles).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoThis judgement is from May 2014, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This school creates a warm, inclusive community where pupils feel safe and valued. Teachers are particularly skilled at teaching reading and mathematics, helping pupils develop deep understanding and confidence in these subjects. The school goes beyond academics to build resilience and independence through enrichment activities, mental health support, and teaching pupils about relationships, health, and British values.
Key Strengths
- Strong phonics teaching and reading support ensures pupils become confident, fluent readers
- Excellent mathematics teaching with consistent use of effective strategies to build fluency and reasoning
- Exceptional support for pupils with special educational needs, particularly through 'The Hive' specialist provision
- Positive behaviour underpinned by clear school values and swift handling of bullying
- Comprehensive personal development including charity work, mental health support, and enrichment activities
Areas for Improvement
- Early writing curriculum does not clearly sequence teaching of letter formation and fine motor skills, leading to persistent handwriting errors
- Learning activities are not always well-matched to pupils' needs and depth of understanding, making some tasks inaccessible while others lack sufficient challenge
- Behaviour occasionally falls below expectations during unstructured times of the day
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with leaders maintaining a strong focus on pupil safety and well-being.
Extracurricular Activities
Musical opportunities, sporting activities, charity work, breakfast club, after-school club
St Thomas of Canterbury School is a Catholic primary academy where pupils thrive in a welcoming, inclusive environment with strong relationships between staff and pupils. The school has ambitious expectations, good teaching in mathematics and reading, and a well-structured curriculum, though some areas need refinement.
At a Glance
18.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Resourced provision: Physical
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
68 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 81% to 89% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 77% to 81% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 81% to 67% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
26.3
Avg class size
27.5
Infant (KS1)
27.5
KS2
7
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy
School Newsletter 02.10.2026
2 Oct 2026
School Newsletter 25.09.2026
25 Sep 2026
School Newsletter 18.09.2026
18 Sep 2026
School Newsletter 04.09.2026
11 Sep 2026
School Newsletter 11.09.2026
11 Sep 2026
September 2026 School Information
4 Sep 2026
From St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy
Term dates
St Thomas of Canterbury School, a 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
You apply to the council where you live. St Thomas of Canterbury School, a 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
- 10
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 10 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 8 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt.
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 Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy
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What the report includes for St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy:
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- We hold no last distance offered figures from Sheffield, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Thomas of Canterbury School, a 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
94%
Near capacity
197 pupils
210 places
13 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
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
14
SEN Support
14
EHC Plans
13.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy has a resourced provision for physical disability: 14 places, 6 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
211
Total Pupils
101
Boys
110
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
11
Teachers
19.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,694
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,244
Per pupil
£1152k
Total funding
£53k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.9%
Overall absence
9.7%
Persistent absence
175
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 Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy
Questions parents ask about St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy
What are SATs results like at St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy?
Of the pupils at St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 89% reached the expected standard in reading and 81% did so in maths.
What is St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy's Ofsted rating?
St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in May 2014, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy?
No fixed boundary. When St Thomas of Canterbury School, a 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 Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy?
St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy was not full in 2025: it ran at 94% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy?
Classes at St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy average 26.3 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy?
St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy has around 211 pupils on roll. 18% are eligible for free school meals.
Does St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy have specialist SEN provision?
St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy has a resourced provision for physical disability: 14 places, 6 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy?
3.9% of sessions were missed at St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy in 2024/25. 9.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy?
Apply through Sheffield's coordinated admissions process, naming St Thomas of Canterbury School, a 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.
How many road collisions happen near St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 10 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 8 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt. 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 Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy?
St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy is at Chancet Wood Drive, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S8 7TR.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)