St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy

St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic primary academy in Sheffield and part of St Clare Catholic Multi Academy Trust, was inspected in June 2025. This was its first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic and its first section 5 inspection since 2014, having previously been judged outstanding and exempt from routine inspection. The school has a new headteacher and deputy headteacher appointed in January 2022, and it includes a specially resourced provision called 'The Hive' for up to 11 pupils with physical disabilities, all of whom have an education, health and care plan. Inspectors found a welcoming and inclusive school where pupils feel safe and valued, with strong relationships between staff and pupils and high expectations for success. The ambitious curriculum is well structured from early years to Year 6, and mathematics and reading are particular strengths: phonics is skilfully taught, pupils become confident fluent readers, and mathematics teaching builds fluency, reasoning and problem-solving. Early years provision is strong, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are identified and supported effectively (especially in 'The Hive'), and personal development is broad, including enrichment, charity work and mental health support. Behaviour is generally positive, attendance is good, safeguarding is effective, and leaders are mindful of staff workload while trustees and governors provide strong strategic oversight. Two main areas need improvement. The early writing curriculum does not clearly sequence transcription, so pupils attempt longer writing before mastering grip strength, fine motor control and correct letter formation, leading to persistent handwriting errors that affect confidence and progress. In addition, some learning activities across the wider curriculum are not well matched to pupils' needs—either too hard to access or not challenging enough—so pupils do not always progress as intended. Behaviour occasionally falls below leaders' expectations at unstructured times, and leaders are working to ensure consistency throughout the school day.

Strengths

• Welcoming and inclusive environment where pupils feel safe and valued
• Strong relationships between staff and pupils built on trust and warmth
• High expectations for success with pupils achieving well
• Ambitious curriculum with clearly sequenced knowledge from early years to Year 6
• Mathematics taught well with regular revisiting to build fluency and reasoning
• Comprehensive phonics programme skilfully taught, producing confident fluent readers
• Swift and effective support for pupils at risk of falling behind in reading
• Effective early identification and support for pupils with SEND
• Individualised teaching and well-structured support in 'The Hive'
• Pupils' behaviour generally positive, kind and respectful
• Broad personal development including enrichment, charity work and mental health support
• Leaders mindful of staff workload and well-being, creating a supportive environment
• Trustees and governors provide strategic oversight, challenge and support
• Effective safeguarding arrangements
• Positive attendance levels and proactive support to address absence

Areas for Improvement

• Early writing curriculum lacks a clear sequence for transcription, leading to persistent handwriting errors
• Some learning activities are not well matched to pupils' needs, being either too difficult to access or insufficiently challenging
• Behaviour occasionally falls below leaders' expectations at unstructured times of the day

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 St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy attended 96.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 9.7% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

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, 1.3% of pupils at St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). 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 St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy had 21.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

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, 6.6% of pupils at St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 6.6% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

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 primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy received £7,546 and spent £8,289 for each of its 229 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £213,000 (-£929 per pupil).

Across all 13 schools of St Clare Catholic Multi Academy Trust, income was £8,072 and spending £8,099 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

St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy is part of St Clare Catholic Multi Academy Trust, which runs 13 schools. The nearest others:

• St Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School Sheffield
• All Saints' Catholic High School Sheffield
• St Marie's School, A Catholic Voluntary Academy Sheffield
• Notre Dame High School Sheffield
• Emmaus Catholic and CofE Primary School Sheffield
• St John Fisher Primary, A Catholic Voluntary Academy Sheffield
• Sacred Heart School, A Catholic Voluntary Academy Sheffield
• St Catherine's Catholic Primary School (Hallam) Sheffield
• St Mary's Primary School, A Catholic Voluntary Academy Sheffield
• St Ann's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy Sheffield

What is St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy is Good, from an inspection in July 2025.

When was St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy was last inspected in July 2025.

How many pupils does St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy have?

St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy has 211 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy cover?

St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 67% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy?

St Thomas of Canterbury School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy is at Chancet Wood Drive, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S8 7TR.