Best secondary schools in South Yorkshire (2026)
South Yorkshire has 70 ranked secondary schools with published results. The top-ranked is Mercia School, in the top 4% in England. The average Attainment 8 here in 2025 was 44.6, against 46.1 for England. 2 are in England's top 10%, and 1 are rated Outstanding by Ofsted. South Yorkshire has no grammar schools.
| Rank | School | Attainment 8 (2023–2025 average) | Attainment 8 2025 | Trend | Grade 5+ Eng & maths | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Top 4% in England |
Mercia School Sheffield |
69.2 | 68.1 | 83% | Outstanding | |
2 Top 7% in England |
High Storrs School Sheffield |
60.8 | 61.0 | 74% | No rating | |
3 Top 11% in England |
Tapton School & Sixth Form Sheffield |
57.7 | 58.0 | 68% | Not judged | |
4 Top 11% in England |
Silverdale School Sheffield |
57.1 | 56.7 | 70% | Good | |
5 Top 13% in England |
King Ecgbert School Sheffield |
55.5 | 56.1 | 64% | Not judged | |
6 Top 15% in England |
Penistone Grammar School Penistone |
54.9 | 53.6 | 60% | No rating | |
7 Top 16% in England |
Notre Dame High School Sheffield · Roman Catholic |
55.2 | 52.8 | 54% | Good | |
8 Top 21% in England |
The Hayfield School Finningley |
52.0 | 52.6 | 60% | No rating | |
9 Top 26% in England |
Darton Academy Darton |
50.3 | 52.1 | 65% | Good | |
10 Top 29% in England |
Hungerhill School Kirk Sandall and Edenthorpe |
50.6 | 49.2 | 50% | Not judged | |
11 Top 29% in England |
King Edward VII School Sheffield |
50.0 | 50.8 | 55% | Good | |
12 Top 33% in England |
Wingfield Academy Rotherham |
49.2 | 47.0 | 50% | Report card | |
13 Top 33% in England |
Wickersley School and Sports College Wickersley and Bramley |
48.7 | 49.0 | 56% | Good | |
14 Top 35% in England |
Kirk Balk Academy Hoyland |
47.8 | 46.0 | 55% | Good | |
15 Top 36% in England |
Hall Cross Academy Doncaster |
49.1 | 47.8 | 46% | No rating | |
16 Top 36% in England |
Wath Academy Wath upon Dearne |
49.2 | 47.8 | 45% | Good | |
17 Top 37% in England |
Don Valley Academy Scawthorpe and Cusworth |
47.9 | 48.0 | 55% | No rating | |
18 Top 38% in England |
St Bernard's Catholic High School Rotherham · Roman Catholic |
48.7 | 48.9 | 43% | Good | |
19 Top 39% in England |
Forge Valley School & Sixth Form Sheffield |
47.4 | 46.6 | 55% | Good | |
20 Top 39% in England |
Bradfield Secondary School Worrall |
47.1 | 49.2 | 54% | Not judged | |
21 Top 40% in England |
Ridgewood School Doncaster |
47.3 | 49.5 | 54% | Good | |
22 Top 42% in England |
All Saints' Catholic High School Sheffield · Roman Catholic |
48.0 | 49.9 | 54% | Report card | |
23 Top 42% in England |
Horizon Community College Barnsley |
48.1 | 49.8 | 48% | No rating | |
24 Top 43% in England |
Rossington All Saints Academy New Rossington and Rossington · Church of England |
46.5 | 47.4 | 56% | Good | |
25 Top 43% in England |
De Warenne Academy Conisbrough |
47.3 | 48.9 | 54% | Report card | |
26 Top 47% in England |
Sir Thomas Wharton Academy Warmsworth |
46.6 | 43.3 | 33% | Report card | |
27 Top 49% in England |
Meadowhead School Academy Trust Sheffield |
46.1 | 46.0 | 41% | Good | |
28 Top 50% in England |
Oakwood High School Rotherham |
46.9 | 47.5 | 38% | Report card | |
29 Bottom 50% in England |
The Laurel Academy Mexborough |
45.4 | 50.2 | 60% | Good | |
30 Bottom 49% in England |
Wales High School Kiveton Park |
45.9 | 45.3 | 41% | No rating | |
31 Bottom 47% in England |
Ash Hill Academy Dunscroft and Hatfield |
44.7 | 46.9 | 49% | Good | |
32 Bottom 46% in England |
Aston Academy Swallownest and Aston |
44.1 | 44.2 | 45% | Report card | |
33 Bottom 44% in England |
Newfield Secondary School Sheffield |
45.5 | 47.9 | 41% | No rating | |
34 Bottom 42% in England |
Astrea Academy Sheffield Sheffield |
44.1 | 45.4 | 47% | Good | |
35 Bottom 42% in England |
Barnsley Academy Barnsley · Christian |
43.3 | 45.1 | 44% | Good | |
36 Bottom 40% in England |
The McAuley Catholic High School Doncaster · Roman Catholic |
44.3 | 42.5 | 35% | Good | |
37 Bottom 38% in England |
Brinsworth Academy Brinsworth |
44.0 | 44.5 | 39% | No rating | |
38 Bottom 34% in England |
Dinnington High School Dinnington (Rotherham) |
42.3 | 42.3 | 39% | Requires improvement | |
39 Bottom 33% in England |
Westfield School Sheffield |
41.9 | 41.5 | 38% | Report card | |
40 Bottom 33% in England |
Netherwood Academy Wombwell |
42.5 | 42.6 | 39% | Good | |
41 Bottom 32% in England |
Maltby Academy Maltby |
42.8 | 42.0 | 34% | Report card | |
42 Bottom 32% in England |
Outwood Academy Danum Doncaster |
41.7 | 42.8 | 43% | Good | |
43 Bottom 30% in England |
Outwood Academy Carlton Carlton (Barnsley) |
40.9 | 41.5 | 40% | No rating | |
44 Bottom 29% in England |
Outwood Academy Shafton Barnsley |
41.0 | 42.0 | 45% | Not judged | |
45 Bottom 29% in England |
Ecclesfield School Sheffield |
42.0 | 41.5 | 32% | Good | |
46 Bottom 29% in England |
XP School Doncaster |
42.0 | 39.8 | 28% | Good | |
47 Bottom 27% in England |
Trinity Academy Thorne · Christian |
41.9 | 42.4 | 41% | Good | |
48 Bottom 27% in England |
Campsmount Academy Campsall |
41.0 | 41.5 | 40% | Good | |
49 Bottom 27% in England |
Hinde House 2-16 Academy Sheffield |
40.5 | 41.1 | 41% | Report card | |
50 Bottom 26% in England |
Swinton Academy Swinton (Rotherham) |
40.6 | 41.1 | 42% | Good | |
51 Bottom 25% in England |
Outwood Academy City Sheffield |
40.2 | 40.4 | 40% | Not judged | |
52 Bottom 24% in England |
Outwood Academy Adwick Adwick le Street |
40.6 | 43.7 | 42% | Good | |
53 Bottom 24% in England |
Winterhill School Rotherham |
40.3 | 39.3 | 37% | No rating | |
54 Bottom 23% in England |
XP East Doncaster |
40.9 | 36.9 | 23% | Requires improvement | |
55 Bottom 23% in England |
Stocksbridge High School Stocksbridge |
41.2 | 39.5 | 26% | Report card | |
56 Bottom 19% in England |
Yewlands Academy Sheffield |
39.8 | 37.3 | 30% | Not judged | |
57 Bottom 19% in England |
Astrea Academy Dearne Goldthorpe |
38.9 | 40.2 | 40% | Good | |
58 Bottom 17% in England |
Handsworth Grange Community Sports College Sheffield |
39.3 | 36.6 | 27% | Not judged | |
59 Bottom 15% in England |
The Birley Academy Sheffield |
37.8 | 37.2 | 27% | Not judged | |
60 Bottom 14% in England |
Rawmarsh Community School Rawmarsh |
38.4 | 38.8 | 36% | Report card | |
61 Bottom 13% in England |
Armthorpe Academy Armthorpe |
38.3 | 39.5 | 29% | Requires improvement | |
62 Bottom 12% in England |
Oasis Academy Don Valley Sheffield |
36.8 | 36.8 | 27% | Report card | |
63 Bottom 11% in England |
Lift Firth Park Sheffield |
36.1 | 32.7 | 25% | Not judged | |
64 Bottom 11% in England |
E-Act Parkwood Academy Sheffield |
36.7 | 36.5 | 27% | No rating | |
65 Bottom 10% in England |
Astrea Academy Woodfields Doncaster |
35.2 | 36.8 | 31% | Good | |
66 Bottom 9% in England |
Sheffield Springs Academy Sheffield · Christian |
35.4 | 38.9 | 38% | Not judged | |
67 Bottom 9% in England |
Sheffield Park Academy Sheffield · Christian |
35.4 | 35.1 | 24% | No rating | |
68 Bottom 6% in England |
Holy Trinity Catholic and Church of England School Barnsley · Church of England/Roman Catholic |
36.3 | 37.5 | 20% | Not judged | |
69 Bottom 4% in England |
Clifton Community School Rotherham |
33.4 | 29.4 | 18% | Good | |
70 Bottom 2% in England |
Thrybergh Academy Thrybergh and Dalton |
30.7 | 28.8 | 13% | Requires improvement |
Best secondary school in each town
- Sheffield · best: Mercia School
- Rotherham · best: Wingfield Academy
- Doncaster · best: Hall Cross Academy
- Barnsley · best: Horizon Community College
Also see
Questions
What is the best secondary school in South Yorkshire?
On exam results over the last three years, Mercia School is the top-ranked secondary school in South Yorkshire, in the top 4% of schools in England.
How are the schools ranked?
By published Department for Education exam results averaged over three years: for secondary schools, Attainment 8 plus a quarter of the share getting grade 5+ in English and maths; for primary schools, the share reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths plus half the share reaching the higher standard. The order uses the three-year average, so a school can rank above one with a higher single-year result. Schools with fewer than 10 pupils taking the tests are not ranked. Exam results are only part of the picture: visit, read the Ofsted report and check admissions rules, as living nearby does not guarantee a place.