Tapton School & Sixth Form

Tapton School is a large 11–18 mixed secondary academy within the Tapton School Academy Trust. This was its first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic, and it was judged outstanding in every area inspected: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision. The school was also outstanding at its previous inspection. Safeguarding arrangements are effective. Pupils are polite, conscientious and achieve highly, and staff have high expectations for them. The curriculum is broad, balanced and rich, with strong teaching and excellent subject knowledge. Reading is promoted daily across the school, including in the sixth form, and pupils who struggle receive quick, purposeful support. Pupils with SEND are well supported, with effective planning and review and strong use of internal and trust-wide support. Behaviour is calm and respectful, and pupils benefit from a wide range of extracurricular opportunities, including clubs, trips, academic speakers and leadership roles. Sixth-form students are mature, diligent and act as mentors to younger pupils. Leaders and governors have a strong understanding of the school, and staff and pupils feel respected and listened to. No significant weaknesses were identified in the report.

Strengths

• High expectations and strong pupil achievement across the school
• Broad, balanced and rich curriculum brought to life by staff
• Consistently high-quality teaching supported by superb subject knowledge
• Daily reading culture with quick, purposeful support for pupils who struggle
• Effective support for pupils with SEND, including timely internal and trust-wide help
• Calm, respectful behaviour that enhances learning
• Wide range of extracurricular activities open to all pupils
• Strong sixth-form provision with mature, diligent students who mentor younger pupils
• Leadership and governance are well informed and respected by staff and pupils
• Effective safeguarding arrangements

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 Tapton School & Sixth Form attended 94.0% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 15.4% 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, 4.7% of pupils at Tapton School & Sixth Form were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). One pupil was 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 Tapton School & Sixth Form had 17.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 10.2% 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, 11.1% of pupils at Tapton School & Sixth Form were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 3.1% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

The school has resourced provision with 7 pupils.

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 Tapton School & Sixth Form received £7,433 and spent £7,561 for each of its 1,763 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £2,316,000 (£1,314 per pupil).

Across all 8 schools of Inova Multi-Academy Trust Limited, income was £7,607 and spending £7,667 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 Sheffield · Sheffield local authority: places and applications

Tapton School & Sixth Form is part of Inova Multi-Academy Trust Limited, which runs 10 schools. The nearest others:

• Hallam Nursery & Primary School Sheffield
• Shooters Grove Nursery and Primary School Sheffield
• Forge Valley School & Sixth Form Sheffield
• Dobcroft Junior School Sheffield
• Wisewood Nursery & Primary School Sheffield
• Hillsborough Nursery & Primary School Sheffield
• Meynell Nursery & Primary School Sheffield
• Bradfield Secondary School Sheffield
• Southey Green Nursery & Primary School Sheffield

What is Tapton School & Sixth Form's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Tapton School & Sixth Form is Outstanding, from an inspection in January 2025.

When was Tapton School & Sixth Form last inspected by Ofsted?

Tapton School & Sixth Form was last inspected in January 2025.

How many pupils does Tapton School & Sixth Form have?

Tapton School & Sixth Form has 1,747 pupils on roll.

What age range does Tapton School & Sixth Form cover?

Tapton School & Sixth Form for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Tapton School & Sixth Form's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 59.1, and 73% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Tapton School & Sixth Form?

Tapton School & Sixth Form is at Darwin Lane, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S10 5RG.