E-ACT Pathways Academy

E-ACT Pathways Academy is a good school overall, with inspectors judging the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision all to be good. Pupils are proud of their school, work hard and behave respectfully, and staff know families well and create a warm, caring environment. The school has a broad, ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum, strong teaching of reading and phonics, effective SEND support, improving attendance and a wide range of enrichment opportunities. Safeguarding is effective, and trust leaders are closely involved and mindful of staff workload. The report notes significant context: this was the school's first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic, and the school has experienced staffing turbulence, including four headteachers since the last inspection. A high proportion of pupils arrive throughout the year, and the school has systems to support them well. Published key stage 2 outcomes in 2024 are below the national average, but inspectors found that the school has taken effective action to strengthen the curriculum, so current provision is stronger than those published results suggest. Two main areas for improvement remain. In some lessons, staff do not check pupils' understanding carefully enough, so activities are not always adapted to correct misconceptions or challenge pupils more deeply. In a few subjects, subject leaders do not yet have the information they need to identify strengths and development priorities, which means staff do not consistently receive the guidance needed to improve their practice.

Strengths

• Pupils are proud of their school, work hard and take pride in their work.
• Staff build warm, caring relationships with pupils and know families well.
• Pupils are polite and respectful, with rare behaviour incidents handled swiftly and effectively.
• Pupils are happy and safe, and difference and diversity are celebrated.
• Reading and phonics are taught well, with skilled staff and effective support for pupils who need it.
• The curriculum is broad, ambitious and carefully sequenced from early years to Year 6.
• Pupils regularly revisit important knowledge, helping them progress well through the curriculum.
• Pupils achieve well in most subjects and can talk confidently about their learning.
• Teachers typically explain new learning clearly and use well-considered activities.
• SEND identification is effective, with bespoke support and full inclusion in school life.
• Early years provision is nurturing and helps children learn routines and prepare for Year 1.
• Attendance has improved because the school tracks absence diligently and works closely with families.
• Personal development includes safety, health, enrichment clubs and memorable trips.
• Trust leaders share expertise, monitor practice and are mindful of staff workload.

Areas for Improvement

• Teacher checks on pupils' understanding are sometimes not careful enough, so misconceptions are not always corrected or work not adapted to challenge pupils.
• In a few subjects, subject leaders lack the information needed to identify strengths and areas for development, limiting the guidance staff receive.
• Published key stage 2 outcomes in 2024 are below the national average, although current provision is stronger.

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 E-ACT Pathways Academy attended 94.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 18.5% 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, 0.0% of pupils at E-ACT Pathways 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 E-ACT Pathways Academy had 16.9 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, 19.4% of pupils at E-ACT Pathways Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.9% 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 E-ACT Pathways Academy received £7,604 and spent £7,453 for each of its 370 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £397,000 (£1,074 per pupil).

Across all 37 schools of E-Act, income was £8,727 and spending £8,448 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

E-ACT Pathways Academy is part of E-Act, which runs 37 schools. The nearest others:

• E-Act Parkwood Academy Sheffield
• E-ACT Royton and Crompton Academy Oldham
• E-ACT the Oldham Academy North Oldham
• E-ACT Blackley Academy Manchester
• Willenhall E-ACT Academy Willenhall
• Reedswood E-ACT Academy Walsall
• West Walsall E-ACT Academy Walsall
• E-ACT North Birmingham Academy Birmingham
• E-ACT Nechells Academy Birmingham
• Mansfield Green E-ACT Academy Birmingham

What is E-ACT Pathways Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for E-ACT Pathways Academy is Good, from an inspection in May 2025.

When was E-ACT Pathways Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

E-ACT Pathways Academy was last inspected in May 2025.

How many pupils does E-ACT Pathways Academy have?

E-ACT Pathways Academy has 381 pupils on roll.

What age range does E-ACT Pathways Academy cover?

E-ACT Pathways Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are E-ACT Pathways Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 62% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is E-ACT Pathways Academy?

E-ACT Pathways Academy is at Raisen Hall Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S5 7NA.