Outwood Academy City Review 2026: An improving, inclusive Sheffield secondary with strong pastoral foundations

A large 11–16 secondary serving Handsworth and surrounding Sheffield neighbourhoods, Outwood Academy City combines clear ambition with a deliberate focus on care and inclusion. The most recent inspection judged quality of education, personal development, and leadership and management as Good, while behaviour and attitudes was judged Requires Improvement, reflecting a school that is improving, but still tightening consistency at social times and in some lessons.

Leadership has changed relatively recently, with Principal Emily Rosaman appointed in September 2023, and the inspection notes that new leaders have begun to shift culture and improve behaviour.

For parents, the practical headline is competition for places. In the latest admissions cycle with published demand data, there were 381 applications for 238 offers, which equates to around 1.6 applications per place.

The strongest thread running through official evidence is pastoral care. Pupils are described as safe and well cared for, with staff who understand the local community and make decisions in pupils’ best interests. High expectations are clear, and the school is positioned as inclusive and proud of its diverse community.

Behaviour is a more mixed picture, and it is important to be precise about what that means day to day. Many pupils behave well and work hard in lessons, and pupils understand the behaviour policy and see it as fair. However, some pupils do not meet expectations; disruption in lessons still occurs at times, and social times can be less comfortable for some pupils than the school wants. The direction of travel matters here, leaders have already reduced suspensions, but the inspection also indicates they remain high, which signals continuing work in this area.

Community participation is not treated as an optional extra. The school’s wider culture includes structured pupil leadership, including a junior leadership team delivering assemblies on issues such as racism, alongside roles linked to student voice and wellbeing.

Outwood Academy City sits below England average on the FindMySchool GCSE performance ranking. Ranked 2867th in England and 29th in Sheffield for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), this places performance in the lower band when compared across schools in England.

The attainment picture shows:

• Attainment 8 score of 38.8.

• Progress 8 score of -0.51, indicating students make less progress, on average, than similar pupils nationally from their starting points.

• EBacc average point score (APS) of 3.38, with 14% achieving grades 5 or above across the EBacc subjects.

These figures suggest that outcomes are challenged by both progress and the proportion of students reaching stronger EBacc thresholds, rather than being a story of isolated underperformance in a single area. (All exam metrics and rankings in this section are taken from the provided dataset.)

The most recent inspection describes an ambitious curriculum that has been carefully sequenced, including a commitment to breadth and access to the English Baccalaureate suite of subjects. Teaching is led by subject specialists, and the school has explicit delivery expectations described as the “5 pillars of learning”. Where implemented most effectively, this includes clear explanation, regular recall, and purposeful identification of gaps in knowledge.

The key caveat is consistency. There is variation in how effectively the curriculum is delivered across subjects, and where delivery is weaker, pupils do not secure learning as well as they could. For families, the implication is that a child’s experience can be strongly shaped by departmental strength and classroom routines, rather than the written curriculum alone.

Reading is treated as a priority, with targeted support for pupils who need it, including those at the earliest stages of reading. Dedicated reading for pleasure time and the “drop everything and listen” approach are intended to build fluency and listening habits, not only decoding.

Where Students Go Next

There is no sixth form, so post 16 progression is a core part of Year 11 guidance. Careers education is described as carefully planned and relevant, with structured support as pupils prepare for next steps at the end of key stage 4.

In practical terms, families should expect the school to support a range of pathways, including sixth form colleges, further education, and technical routes, alongside information and engagement with approved technical education and apprenticeships, which schools are required to provide.

Year 7 admissions are coordinated through Sheffield City Council rather than handled directly by the school. For September 2026 entry, the online application deadline was midday Tuesday 14 October 2025, with paper forms accepted until 31 October 2025. Allocation follows the national cycle, and because 1 March 2026 falls on a weekend, offer day is Monday 02 March 2026.

The school’s own calendar shows that, for the 2026 intake, the Year 6 open evening was scheduled for Thursday 25 September 2025 (16:30 to 18:30). For families planning further ahead, open events typically cluster in September, but dates vary each year and the school calendar is the reliable source.

Demand, as reflected admissions block, indicates an oversubscribed profile, 381 applications for 238 offers, around 1.6 applications per place. The best practical step is to use FindMySchoolMap Search to understand the local pattern of demand and shortlist realistic alternatives alongside first choice options.

Pastoral care is repeatedly positioned as a strength, and this is not presented as a soft add on. The inspection links high quality pastoral care with pupils feeling safe and well cared for, and it notes the school’s work with mental health professionals to support wellbeing.

The wider trust also frames wellbeing explicitly. The academy references a trust wide mental wellbeing strategy and highlights its status as a phone free school, both of which point to a culture where attention, routines, and emotional regulation are taken seriously.

A distinctive feature is the school’s Dog Mentor programme, with named school dogs Brucie (Border Collie) and Maisie (JackTzu). For some pupils, structured interaction with trained dogs can reduce anxiety and support calmer behaviour, particularly around transition points and stress heavy periods.

The enrichment offer is framed as a weekly programme of elective after school activities supported by trips, visits, events, commemorations, and charity work. This is backed by inspection evidence that pupils can access clubs, visits, and opportunities designed to develop teamwork and communication, including musical theatre club and sports clubs, plus charity fundraising.

There is also a clear leadership strand. Student Voice roles are described as a mechanism for pupils to participate in school improvement, and the Outwood Honours programme operates as an online badge based platform recognising personal development, character development, and achievements. These are not traditional “clubs”, but they can matter just as much for confidence, public speaking, and sustained commitment.

The published school day runs from an 08:25 start through to a 14:50 finish (with a structured personal development block in the morning), totalling 32.5 hours per week. This matters for families coordinating transport and caring responsibilities, and it also signals that personal development is timetabled rather than bolted on.

Term dates are published in detail, including holiday blocks and training day structure. For example, February half term 2026 runs 14 February to 22 February, with the summer holiday starting 16 July 2026.

Transport support includes an “academy bus” service described as covering the catchment area, priced at £1 per journey. (Service patterns can change, so treat this as a baseline rather than a guarantee.)

• Behaviour consistency. Behaviour and attitudes was judged Requires Improvement at the latest inspection, with particular emphasis on social times and some low level disruption in lessons. Families should ask how behaviour expectations are reinforced day to day, and what support is used before sanctions escalate.

• Attendance is a major driver of outcomes. The inspection highlights persistent absence as too high, which reduces how well pupils can access the curriculum. If a child has a history of disengagement or irregular attendance, parents should ask what early interventions are used.

• No sixth form. Post 16 transition planning matters earlier here than in 11–18 schools, because every student will move provider after Year 11. Families should factor travel and course availability into choices well before GCSE options are finalised.

Outwood Academy City is an improving Sheffield secondary with a clear pastoral spine and a curriculum that is designed to be ambitious and broad. The most credible strength is care and inclusion, combined with leadership momentum since 2023. The main constraint is consistency, especially around behaviour at social times, attendance, and stable progress across subjects.

It suits families who want a mainstream local secondary with visible structures for wellbeing and personal development, and who are prepared to work in partnership on routines, attendance, and behaviour expectations.