Don Valley Academy

Don Valley Academy maintains its good overall judgment following a recent ungraded inspection, although findings suggest it could attain an outstanding rating in a graded inspection. The school demonstrates a strong commitment to its pupils and the local community, with a rich curriculum that effectively prepares students for life beyond education. Positive relationships and a calm learning environment enhance student engagement and success across various subjects, especially in English and mathematics. The school also provides ample opportunities for career education and enrichment, indicating a well-rounded educational approach.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve well across a broad and balanced curriculum.
• The school has a consistent approach to teaching that benefits all pupils, including those with SEND.
• Effective reading interventions are in place, resulting in rapid improvement for pupils with weak reading skills.
• Strong relationships exist between staff and pupils, contributing to a positive school culture.
• Pupils have a solid understanding of safety and health topics, reflecting a well-implemented safeguarding program.

Areas for Improvement

• Suspensions have historically been higher than the national average, although they are decreasing.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Don Valley Academy attended 92.0% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 22.5% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 18.6% of pupils at Don Valley Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 7 pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Don Valley Academy had 22.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 8.3% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 13.2% of pupils at Don Valley Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 3.0% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Don Valley Academy received £8,198 and spent £7,651 for each of its 1,104 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £927,000 (£840 per pupil).

Across all 62 schools of Delta Academies Trust, income was £7,459 and spending £7,562 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Doncaster · Doncaster local authority: places and applications

Don Valley Academy is part of Delta Academies Trust, which runs 62 schools. The nearest others:

• Highfields Primary Academy Doncaster
• Rowena Academy Doncaster
• De Warenne Academy Doncaster
• Morley Place Academy Doncaster
• Goldthorpe Primary Academy Rotherham
• Montagu Academy Mexborough
• Pheasant Bank Academy Doncaster
• The Laurel Academy Mexborough
• Grange Lane Infant Academy Doncaster
• Crookesbroom Primary Academy Doncaster

What is Don Valley Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Don Valley Academy is Good, from an inspection in September 2024.

When was Don Valley Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Don Valley Academy was last inspected in September 2024.

How many pupils does Don Valley Academy have?

Don Valley Academy has 1,093 pupils on roll.

What age range does Don Valley Academy cover?

Don Valley Academy for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Don Valley Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 48.7, and 59% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Don Valley Academy?

Don Valley Academy is at Jossey Lane, Scawthorpe, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, DN5 9DD.