Wickersley School and Sports College

Wickersley School and Sports College has demonstrated overall good performance in its first inspection under the Education Act 2005. The school has effectively addressed previous educational weaknesses by implementing a broad curriculum that has begun to enhance pupils' knowledge retention and engagement. Notably, the behaviour of pupils has improved considerably, with most respecting school rules and working well in lessons. The school is well-supported by the Wickersley Partnership Trust and is benefiting from a more stable staffing situation after recent challenges.

Strengths

• Broad curriculum that supports all pupils, including those with SEND.
• Effective behaviour management and improved expectations post-pandemic.
• Strong support for students in the sixth form with diverse subject offerings.
• Well-prepared students for future education and careers through effective PSHE and careers programs.
• High-quality support for pupils with SEND by well-trained staff.

Areas for Improvement

• Some pupils do not receive adequate support to develop phonics knowledge for reading.
• Teachers do not consistently check pupils' understanding before progressing in lessons.

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 Wickersley School and Sports College attended 93.2% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 16.5% 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, 4.5% of pupils at Wickersley School and Sports College were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 4 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 Wickersley School and Sports College had 17.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 18.7% 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, 11.5% of pupils at Wickersley School and Sports College were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 3.8% 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 Wickersley School and Sports College received £7,800 and spent £7,907 for each of its 2,005 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £423,000 (£211 per pupil).

Across all 13 schools of Wickersley Partnership Trust, income was £8,491 and spending £8,459 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 Rotherham · Rotherham local authority: places and applications

Wickersley School and Sports College is part of Wickersley Partnership Trust, which runs 13 schools. The nearest others:

• Foljambe Primary School Rotherham
• Thrybergh Primary School Rotherham
• Thrybergh Academy Rotherham
• Clifton Community School Rotherham
• Rawmarsh Sandhill Primary School Rotherham
• Rawmarsh Ashwood Primary School Rotherham
• Brinsworth Whitehill Primary School Rotherham
• Rawmarsh Community School Rotherham
• Aston Hall Junior and Infant School Sheffield
• Aston Lodge Primary School Sheffield

What is Wickersley School and Sports College's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Wickersley School and Sports College is Good, from an inspection in January 2024.

When was Wickersley School and Sports College last inspected by Ofsted?

Wickersley School and Sports College was last inspected in January 2024.

How many pupils does Wickersley School and Sports College have?

Wickersley School and Sports College has 1,984 pupils on roll.

What age range does Wickersley School and Sports College cover?

Wickersley School and Sports College for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Wickersley School and Sports College's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 48.8, and 51% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Wickersley School and Sports College?

Wickersley School and Sports College is at Bawtry Road, Wickersley, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, S66 1JL.