Sycamore Hall Preparatory School, Doncaster
Sycamore Hall Preparatory School is an independent school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Doncaster. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2024.
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Sycamore Hall Preparatory School in detail
What parents say
14 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Sycamore Hall Preparatory School (as of September 2025): 100% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that their child is happy at the school (100%).
Who goes there
In 2026, 0 pupils (0%) received SEN support and 1 (6.3%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Doncaster Rail Station, about 1.4 miles away in a straight line.
12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Warmsworth Road/Hall Flat Lane (adjacent), 60 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Sycamore Hall Preparatory School 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 331 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 Doncaster (131), as is usual near a town centre.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Safeguarding: effective
Independent school standards
Met all the independent school standards.
- Part 1: quality of educationMet
- Part 2: pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural developmentMet
- Part 3: welfare, health and safetyMet
- Part 4: suitability of staff and proprietorsMet
- Part 5: premises and accommodationMet
- Part 6: information for parentsMet
- Part 7: handling of complaintsMet
- Part 8: leadership and managementMet
Source: Ofsted, non-association independent schools inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Sycamore Hall creates a calm, orderly environment where pupils feel safe and love learning. Staff are enthusiastic and pupils make excellent progress across the curriculum, with particularly strong reading support and a well-structured mathematics programme. The school develops well-rounded individuals through leadership opportunities, teaching about different faiths and beliefs, and offering a broad, engaging wider curriculum.
Key Strengths
- Ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum with clear progression in knowledge and skills across all subjects
- Strong focus on reading excellence with swift, targeted support for struggling readers
- Excellent behaviour and attendance, with pupils showing respect and self-discipline
- Strong leadership and high staff morale with significant investment in professional development
- Rich enrichment offer including sports, drama, music and local trips
Areas for Improvement
- New PSHE curriculum not yet fully embedded - staff still adapting to teaching new content
- Some teaching activities do not sufficiently focus on essential knowledge pupils need to learn
- Some lessons could better support intended learning outcomes through more carefully selected tasks
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with clear policies and procedures that staff know and follow.
Extracurricular Activities
Sports, drama, music, local trips
Sycamore Hall Preparatory School merges traditional values with quality education for all pupils, with staff enthusiastically engaging pupils in learning. The school has improved from its previous Inadequate rating to achieve a Good overall effectiveness rating.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
14 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Keep up with Sycamore Hall Preparatory School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 34
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 9
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 34 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 5 serious and 28 slight.
9 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot, 4 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
9 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 Doncaster is 10 (the median across 143 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
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
36%
Available places
16 pupils
45 places
29 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Doncaster
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Doncaster
Across Doncaster council
Places available
3,913
Applications
3,506
Got 1st preference
89.9%
Got preferred school
97.4%
All secondary applications across Doncaster council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(11)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
6.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
16
Total Pupils
9
Boys
7
Girls
2026 academic year
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
Sycamore Hall Preparatory School
Questions parents ask about Sycamore Hall Preparatory School
What is Sycamore Hall Preparatory School's Ofsted rating?
Sycamore Hall Preparatory School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2024.
Does Sycamore Hall Preparatory School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in November 2024, Sycamore Hall Preparatory School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Sycamore Hall Preparatory School?
Sycamore Hall Preparatory School has around 16 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Sycamore Hall Preparatory School?
Sycamore Hall Preparatory School is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near Sycamore Hall Preparatory School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 34 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 5 serious and 28 slight. 9 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot, 4 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 9 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 Doncaster is 10 (the median across 143 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Sycamore Hall Preparatory School?
Sycamore Hall Preparatory School is at 1 Hall Flat Lane, Balby, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, DN4 8PT.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)