School profile

Mercia School

Secondary · Free schools · Sheffield, S7 2DY

Outstanding

Map showing Mercia School

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#128 of 3,312

Better than 96% of schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

A-level 2024/25

#294 of 2,536

Better than 88% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

Mercia School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 8 Feb 2023

Ofsted rating
Outstanding
Quality of education
Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership and management
Outstanding
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeFree schools
Ages11 to 18
Pupils1,070
GenderMixed
Head teacherHeadteacher Joshua Fisher
TrustMERCIA LEARNING TRUST
Local authoritySheffield
Opened01 Sept 2018
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 145897.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolSheffieldEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.66.6, better than England-46.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.93.2%, better than England-64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.78.5%, better than England-46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.42.9%, better than England-14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths92.7%, better than England-60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4177--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

A-level results

2024/25

Results for students at the end of 16 to 18 study.

MeasureThis schoolSheffieldEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.42.13, better than England-35
Average A-level gradeB+--
Average points, best three A-levels42, better than England-35.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsB+--
AAB or better38.3%, better than England-17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.-0.24, worse than England--
A-level progressBelow average, worse than England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study60--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.z--

Source: DfE, 16 to 19 performance, Academic year 2024/25, published 23 Apr 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils1,070
Girls567
Boys503
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.23.2%
First language not English31.8%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,200
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.10.8%
Sixth form places2024/25300
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.133
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.21
Average class size23.7

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

Pakistani
33.4%
White British
32.9%
White and Asian
4.6%
Other Asian
4%
Other ethnic group
3.8%
African
3.6%
Other White
3.3%
Other mixed
3.2%
Chinese
2.1%
Indian
1.8%

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 teacher13.8
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.13.5
Teachers (FTE)77.4
Teaching assistants (FTE)0
Support staff (FTE)21.17
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2572
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2561.4
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/256.6
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/254

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 (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.194
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.1,060
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.385
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.187
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)7

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 schoolSheffieldEngland
Overall absence3.5%, better than England-8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.9.4%, better than England-21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.0.5%, better than England-3.6%

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 rate6.6%
Pupils with one or more suspensions4%
Permanent exclusion rate0.4%
Permanent exclusions4

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

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.94.9%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.94.9%
School sixth form83.9%
Further education8.5%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.3.4%
Sixth form college2.5%
Apprenticeship0%
Employment0%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 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 Mercia School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.2 miPrimaryCarter Knowle Junior SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.2 miPrimaryHolt House Infant SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.4 miPrimarySt Wilfrid's Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.5 miNot applicableMylnhurst Preparatory School and NurseryOther independent school
Unrated
0.6 miPrimaryDobcroft Nursery Infant SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.6 miPrimaryDobcroft Junior SchoolAcademy converter
Outstanding
0.7 miPrimaryNether Edge Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Outstanding
0.7 miPrimaryMeersbrook Bank Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.8 miPrimaryWoodseats Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.9 miPrimaryClifford All Saints CofE Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Requires improvement

Frequently asked questions about Mercia School

What is Mercia School's Ofsted rating?

Mercia School is rated Outstanding by Ofsted, last inspected on 8 Feb 2023.

How does Mercia School rank in England?

Mercia School ranks 128 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (better than 96% of schools) and 294 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (better than 88% of schools).

What are Mercia School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 78.5% of pupils at Mercia School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 66.6 (England 46.2).

What are Mercia School's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at Mercia School was B+, and 38.3% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into Mercia School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Mercia School made 194 offers from 1,060 applications (5.5 per offer), and 187 of 385 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Mercia School?

Mercia School has 1,070 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of Mercia School?

Mercia School had 1,200 school places in 2024/25.

Does Mercia School have a sixth form?

Yes, Mercia School has a sixth form with 300 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Mercia School?

At Mercia School, the average class had 23.7 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 13.8 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Mercia School?

In 2025/26, pupils at Mercia School missed 3.5% of sessions (England 8%), and 9.4% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

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.