Far fewer Sheffield pupils earned top grades of AAB in their A-Levels in 2023, according to a Department for Education rating.
The Star looked at Government data to sort the Steel City’s schools in order of the strongest A Level results – that is, what percentage of its cohort at the end of the academic year in 2023 earned an AAB or higher.
However, it appears the Government’s goalposts for 2023 have changed.
The number of pupils earning an AAB has dropped dramatically across Sheffield - but so have the number of pupils the DfE are interested in.
This is because this year’s data is only concerned with pupils who entered into at least two “facilitating” subjects, which are considered the most important for earning a place at university.
These subjects are biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, further mathematics, geography, history, English literature and classical or modern languages.
The impact this had had on the data is dramatic. For example, in 2022, Longley Park Academy’s sixth form had a student cohort of 560. In 2023, the Government was only concerned with 59 pupils who were taking facilitating subjects.
But even then, top graded A-Levels have dipped across the city. Silverdale School had roughly the same number of eligible pupils in 2022 (186) and 2023 (180), but the number of pupils earning an AAB or higher fell from 40.5 per cent to 31.1.
Sheffield High School for Girls is once again the top performing school in the city. But compared to 2022, when an astonishing 64.3 per cent of pupils earned an AAB or higher, this year that number fell to 42.
The gallery below lists Sheffield’s sixth form schools by the number of pupils earning an AAB or higher in their A-Levels while studying two of these “facilitating subjects” from fewest to greatest.
This is far from a ranking of schools from “best to worst”, as several of Sheffield’s colleges that appear to have weak A-Level results are better known for their technical qualifications and post extremely strong results in those every year.
Similarly, this ranking does not take into account other measures of a school’s success, such as how many of its pupils enter higher education or fulfil other ambitions after school.
The Star has also left out a number of sixth forms because the number of eligible pupils they could put up was so low. For example, UTC Sheffield City Centre technically had one of the best rates in the city for scoring AABs at A-Levels in 2023 - but only seven eligible pupils. Likewise, Sheffield Park Academy had only 12 eligible pupils, and UTC Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park had six.
Several non-special sixth forms also do not have data available for 2023 on the DfE website. They are; Astrea Academy; Bradfield School; and Mercia School.
Here are Sheffield's 13 sixth form offerings ranked by how many AAB results they got in 2023.
1. Longley Park Sixth Form Academy
Out of its 560 pupils who completed their studies in 2022 at Longley Park Sixth Form Academy, 1.9 per cent achieved AAB or better. The impact of how the DfE has changed how it assesses pupils is on full display here - as just 59 pupils were eligible in 2023. 1.7 per cent of those pupils earned an AAB in a facilitating subject. The 'Good' rated school, part of Brigantia Learning Trust, says 99 per cent of its leavers progress beyond A Levels into higher education and apprenticeships, and also offers Applied General Qualifications. | Google MapsPhoto: Google
2. All Saints Catholic High School
All Saints' Catholic High School had 215 leavers in 2022, and 15.6 per cent of them earned an AAB of higher in their A-Levels. Both of these measures were much smaller in 2023, with 106 eligible students and with 6.6 per cent of them earning an AAB at their A-Levels. | National WorldPhoto: Scott Merrylees
3. King Edward VII School
King Edward VII School had an arduous 2023 after facing the possibility of "forced" academization. At the end of 2022, 22 per cent of its 269 leavers earned an AAB or higher in their A Levels. In 2023, it had a comparable 255 eligible leavers, but 14.5 per cent of them earned an AAB in their A-Levels. | Google MapsPhoto: submit
4. Chapeltown Academy
Government data says Chapeltown Academy, in Nether Lane, that nine per cent of its 117 leavers last year earned an AAB, but this isn't reflected in their other results. A brilliant 90 per cent of their 78 pupil cohort progressed into higher education. Further, a third of their cohort went to a Russell Group universities and three per cent went to Oxbridge. HOLD 98 students, 16.3 per cent | Andrew RoePhoto: Andrew Roe