School profile

Highwoods Academy

Primary · Academy converter · Mexborough, S64 9ES

Good

Map showing Highwoods Academy

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

Key stage 2 2024/25

#6,570 of 15,057

Similar to most schools in England

Ranked by pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Highwoods Academy Ofsted rating

Ofsted report cardInspected 28 Apr 2026

Area360 rating
Good
Inclusion
Strong standard
Curriculum and teaching
Strong standard
Achievement
Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour
Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing
Strong standard
Leadership and governance
Expected standard
Early years
Expected standard
Safeguarding
Met

School facts

PhasePrimary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages3 to 11
Pupils198
GenderMixed
Head teacherMr Paul Rust
TrustEMPOWERING MINDS ACADEMY TRUST
Local authorityDoncaster
Opened01 Jun 2017
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 144539.

Key stage 2 results

2024/25

Year 6 results in national curriculum tests and teacher assessments. The expected standard is the level pupils should reach by the end of primary school.

MeasureThis schoolDoncasterEngland
Expected standard in reading, writing and maths67%, better than England, better than Doncaster63%63%
Higher standard in reading, writing and mathsScore of 110 or more in reading and maths, greater depth in writing.5%, worse than England, similar to Doncaster6%8%
Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 meets the expected standard.111, better than England, better than Doncaster105106
Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 meets the expected standard.106, similar to England, better than Doncaster104105
Average grammar, punctuation and spelling scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 meets the expected standard.110, better than England, better than Doncaster104105
Expected standard in reading86%, better than England, better than Doncaster74%76%
Expected standard in writing71%, similar to England, similar to Doncaster73%73%
Expected standard in maths76%, similar to England, similar to Doncaster75%75%
Pupils taking tests21--

Source: DfE, Compare school performance, Compare school performance 2024-2025.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils198
Girls101
Boys97
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.47.5%
First language not English12.1%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.210
Pupils excluding nurseryPupils who take up school places.180
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.14.3%
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.31
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.3
Average class size21.6

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
83.8%
Other White
5.6%
African
2%
Other ethnic group
1.5%
Gypsy/Roma
1%
Other Asian
1%
Chinese
1%
White and Asian
0.5%
Other mixed
0.5%
Indian
0.5%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher23.6
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.12.1
Teachers (FTE)8
Teaching assistants (FTE)7.58
Support staff (FTE)11.85
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/255.9
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/255.2
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/250
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/250.7

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Reception)Places offered on national offer day.24
Applications (Reception)Includes every preference parents listed.36
First preference applications (Reception)Families who put this school as their first choice.23
First preference offers (Reception)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.23
Applications from another local authority (Reception)0

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolDoncasterEngland
Overall absence5.4%, similar to England, similar to Doncaster5%5.1%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.12.8%, similar to England, similar to Doncaster13.2%13.2%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.2.4%, worse than England, worse than Doncaster0.9%1%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate16.9%
Pupils with one or more suspensions4%
Permanent exclusion rate0%
Permanent exclusions0

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near Highwoods Academy
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.3 miSecondaryThe Laurel AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.5 miPrimaryMontagu AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.8 miPrimaryMexborough St John the Baptist CofE Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.8 miPrimarySwinton Queen Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.2 miPrimaryBrookfield Primary AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Good
1.2 miPrimaryWath Victoria Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Requires improvement
1.3 miPrimaryNew Pastures Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.3 miPrimaryWindhill Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.4 miSecondarySwinton AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Good
1.5 miPrimarySwinton Fitzwilliam Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good

Frequently asked questions about Highwoods Academy

What is Highwoods Academy's Ofsted rating?

Highwoods Academy is rated Good, last inspected on 28 Apr 2026. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does Highwoods Academy rank in England?

Highwoods Academy ranks 6,570 of 15,057 schools in England for Key stage 2 2024/25 (similar to most schools).

What are Highwoods Academy's SATs results?

In 2024/25, 67% of pupils at Highwoods Academy met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (England 63%).

How hard is it to get into Highwoods Academy?

For Reception entry in 2026/27, Highwoods Academy made 24 offers from 36 applications (1.5 per offer), and 23 of 23 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Highwoods Academy?

Highwoods Academy has 198 pupils aged 3 to 11.

What is the capacity of Highwoods Academy?

Highwoods Academy had 210 school places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Highwoods Academy?

At Highwoods Academy, the average class had 21.6 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 23.6 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Highwoods Academy?

In 2025/26, pupils at Highwoods Academy missed 5.4% of sessions (England 5.1%), and 12.8% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 13.2%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.