Ofsted: Requires improvement trending_up Places Available emoji_events #35 in Sheffield public Top 36% UK

Fir Vale School

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personHead not listed

corporate_fareFIR VALE SCHOOL ACADEMY TRUST

location_onSheffield, S4 8GB

language Visit Website phone 1142439391

verified

Ofsted

Requires improvement

Inspected 2025

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Students

1,022

trending_up

Attainment 8

25.7

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GCSE Rank

#35 in Sheffield

#3,731 of 4,663 nationally

summarize

Fir Vale School is a Academy converter secondary school in Sheffield, serving ages 11-16. Currently Requires Improvement according to Ofsted — the school is working to raise standards.

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School Summary

Fir Vale School is an academy converter in Sheffield, admitting pupils aged 11-16. It is part of FIR VALE SCHOOL ACADEMY TRUST. The school has approximately 984 pupils on roll, of whom 72% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 25.7, placing the school #35 in Sheffield and #3,731 of 4,663 nationally. 19.00% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths. 6.5% of all GCSE entries were graded 9–7.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2025. The school's current overall rating is Requires improvement. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Requires improvement, behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement, personal development Good, and leadership and management Requires improvement.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 0.8× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 18.2:1. There are 2 teaching vacancies. Teacher turnover in the previous year was 18.1%.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were 7 permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 25.0 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

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Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

2025

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

25.7

Grade 5+ E&M

19.00%

Grade 9–7 (all GCSEs)6.5%

Entering EBacc7.40%

EBacc APS2.04

2024

Progress 8 Score

-1.09

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

25.5

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc15.40%

EBacc APS2.17

2023

Progress 8 Score

-1.09

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

26.8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc13%

EBacc APS2.19

2022

Progress 8 Score

-1.14

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

29.2

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc12%

EBacc APS2.33

2021

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc12%

EBacc APS-

2019

Progress 8 Score

-0.2

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

34.4

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc56%

EBacc APS3.03

2018

Progress 8 Score

-0.2

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

31.3

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc62%

EBacc APS2.71

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Student Destinations (After Secondary)

This module shows what students did after finishing Key Stage 4 (GCSEs). It reflects how well the school prepares pupils for the real world.

2025

Stayed in Education / Employment

67%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)64%

Apprenticeships1%

Employment2%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)20%

2024

Stayed in Education / Employment

68%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)64%

Apprenticeships0%

Employment3%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)30%

2023

Stayed in Education / Employment

79%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)74%

Apprenticeships0%

Employment4%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)16%

2022

Stayed in Education / Employment

88%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)87%

Apprenticeships1%

Employment1%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)10%

2021

Stayed in Education / Employment

92%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)88%

Apprenticeships2%

Employment2%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)6%

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

30 June 2025

Inspection Report

25 February 2025

Inspection Report

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25 January 2024

Inspection Report

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18 October 2022

Inspection Report

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06 March 2019

Inspection Report

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02 June 2015

Inspection Report

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24 February 2015

Inspection Report

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09 October 2013

Inspection Report

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10 July 2013

Inspection Report

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02 November 2012

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

4 Evaluations

2025-02-25

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 2 EIF

Not Judged

info

Why no overall grade?

From autumn 2024, Ofsted stopped issuing a single headline grade (Outstanding / Good / RI / Inadequate). Instead, each inspection area is graded individually. This follows a major review after the death of headteacher Ruth Perry in 2023. The overall effectiveness field is left as "Not judged" in the published data.

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Requires improvement

Development

Good

Leadership

Requires improvement

2022-10-18

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 1 EIF

Requires improvement

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Requires improvement

2019-03-06

S5 Inspection Legacy

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Requires improvement

2015-06-02

None Legacy

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

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Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

0.0%per term

sentiment_satisfied Below Average (Good)

National average: 7.3% for this term (secondary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

0.0%(0 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 7.398% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 984 pupils. During this period, there were 0 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 0.0%, which is below the termly national average of 7.3%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg	Perm. Excl.
2024/25 (Spring term)	984	0	0.0%	7.3%	0
2024/25 (Autumn term)	978	489	50.0%	7.8%	7
2023/24 (Summer term)	984	149	15.1%	7.4%	4
2023/24 (Spring term)	981	174	17.7%	7.1%	6
2023/24 (Autumn term)	1,026	340	33.1%	8.2%	8
2022/23 (Summer term)	1,026	186	18.1%	6.6%	4
2022/23 (Spring term)	1,022	240	23.5%	6.4%	4
2022/23 (Autumn term)	1,025	306	29.9%	5.9%	5
2021/22 (Summer term)	1,006	134	13.3%	4.7%	1
2021/22 (Spring term)	1,000	203	20.3%	4.9%	7
2021/22 (Autumn term)	986	263	26.7%	4.4%	4
2020/21 (Summer term)	969	157	16.2%	3.6%	4
2020/21 (Spring term)	967	34	3.5%	1.0%	0
2020/21 (Autumn term)	977	229	23.4%	3.9%	4
2019/20 (Summer term)	947	0	0.0%	0.0%	0
2019/20 (Spring term)	947	175	18.5%	3.2%	1
2019/20 (Autumn term)	940	281	29.9%	4.2%	4
2018/19 (Summer term)	987	245	24.8%	3.1%	3
2018/19 (Spring term)	1,024	372	36.3%	3.8%	6
2018/19 (Autumn term)	1,061	388	36.6%	3.8%	10
2017/18 (Summer term)	1,027	14	1.4%	3.4%	1
2017/18 (Spring term)	1,030	33	3.2%	3.0%	2
2017/18 (Autumn term)	1,007	48	4.8%	3.7%	1
2016/17 (Summer term)	989	69	7.0%	3.0%	1
2016/17 (Spring term)	1,012	95	9.4%	3.3%	2
2016/17 (Autumn term)	1,038	130	12.5%	3.1%	5

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Moderate Learning Difficulty 64 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 63 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 38 pupils

Hearing Impairment 19 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 12 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 8 pupils

Visual Impairment 6 pupils

Severe Learning Difficulty 2 pupils

Physical Disability 2 pupils