Hall Cross Academy

Hall Cross Academy continues to perform well as a good school, focusing on academic rigor alongside personal development. The school is noted for its inclusive culture, with positive relationships between pupils and staff. High expectations for behavior contribute to a calm learning environment where pupils feel safe and supported. The leadership team is ambitious and committed to creating pathways for success for all students, ensuring that those with special educational needs also thrive. However, the school acknowledges the need to improve the uptake of modern languages and humanities to provide a broader academic experience for students.

Strengths

• Strong and inclusive school culture
• Effective support and care for pupils, including those with SEND
• Ambitious curriculum focused on high expectations
• Excellent extra-curricular opportunities that engage all students
• High-quality careers guidance provided to all pupils
• Strong leadership and committed governing body
• Well-planned personal development programs for students

Areas for Improvement

• Low number of pupils studying modern languages and humanities limiting EBacc participation
• Inconsistent use of assessment across subjects leading to gaps in understanding

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 Hall Cross Academy attended 93.0% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 19.5% 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, 1.2% of pupils at Hall Cross Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). No 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 Hall Cross Academy had 15.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 5.6% 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, 6.5% of pupils at Hall Cross Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 2.5% 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 Hall Cross Academy received £7,495 and spent £7,493 for each of its 2,045 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,127,000 (£551 per pupil).

Across all 10 schools of Exceed Learning Partnership, income was £7,056 and spending £6,961 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

Hall Cross Academy is part of Exceed Learning Partnership, which runs 10 schools. The nearest others:

• Sandringham Primary School Doncaster
• Bentley High Street Primary School Doncaster
• Carr Lodge Academy Doncaster
• Willow Primary School Doncaster
• The Mallard Academy Doncaster
• Rosedale Primary School Doncaster
• Edlington Victoria Academy Doncaster
• Hill Top Academy Doncaster
• Sheep Dip Lane Academy Doncaster

What is Hall Cross Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Hall Cross Academy is Good, from an inspection in July 2023.

When was Hall Cross Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Hall Cross Academy was last inspected in July 2023.

How many pupils does Hall Cross Academy have?

Hall Cross Academy has 2,039 pupils on roll.

What age range does Hall Cross Academy cover?

Hall Cross Academy for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Hall Cross Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 47.6, and 49% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Hall Cross Academy?

Hall Cross Academy is at Thorne Road, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, DN1 2HY.