Some schools do well by their children in many different ways - but everyone has to take exams at the end of the year.
These were the primary schools in Sheffield that got the lowest grades in 2023 based on their SATs.
The SAT scores - taken from exams at the end of Year 6 - for every school in the Steel City were released in December by the Department for Education for the first time since 2019.
It comes after primary school assessment tests were scrapped during the pandemic due to the disruption caused by the Covid-19 restrictions and lockdowns.
They work by giving each primary school a score out of 120 based on their grades in reading, mathematics, and writing in 2023 to create an average.
At face value, it may seem diminutive to reduce a school down to just its exam scores - many schools help their children in more ways than just their results.
It's why it's worth noting that out of all the schools listen below, only one is currently rated anything less than 'Good' by Ofsted.
So even if Oasis Academy Fir Vale is the 'worst-performing' school by grades, Ofsted recognises the hard work it does to help children who speak English as a second language, which makes up the bulk of its co-hort.
There's also Hatfield Academy, which came sixth from the bottom, but was also praised by the watchdog in 2023 for its eight-year journey to earn an overall rating of "Good", as well as instilling a love of reading in its children.
Arbourthorne Community Primary was called "a place of joy", Acres Hill makes its lessons and experiences "memorable", and children at E-ACT Pathways are "enjoy their lessons and are happy to come to school".
Four of the schools - Acres Hill, Hatfield, Emmaus, and Norfolk Community - also tied with their average SAT scores of 99.3, and are ranked only fractional differences known only to the Department of Education.
The scores are worth comparing to the Sheffield schools that got the best grades of all in 2023, which The Star revealed earlier this week.
Below are the bottom 10 Sheffield schools based on their SAT results, as well as what Ofsted has to say about them.
1. Oasis Academy Fir Vale
Oasis Academy Fir Vale was the worst performing primary school in Sheffield in 2022/23, with an average score of 91 But it is also highly praised by Ofsted, who in late 2021 rated it 'Good' with an 'Outstanding' for personal development. The report reads: "Oasis Academy Fir Vale is a welcoming school at the very heart of the community. "The vast majority of pupils speak English as an additional language. Those new to the country often have had no formal schooling. Staff waste no time in developing pupils’ skills to enable them to be successful learners." - https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50175978 Photo: Alastair Ulke
2. Bankwood Community Primary School
Bankwood Community Primary in Gleadless, was the second worst-performing school in Sheffield in 2023, with an average SAT score of 98.3. It comes after it was sadly downgraded from 'Good' to 'Inadequate' in June 2022, shortly after which it was converted into an academy. The report from 2022 said Bankwood had a "poorly designed curriculum" and leaders who had an "an overly generous view of the school’s effectiveness". - https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/21/107066 Photo: Alastair Ulke
3. Beck Primary School entrance
Beck Primary School, in Shiregreen, was the third worst-performing school in 2023, with an average SAT score of 99. Ofsted was complimentary to Beck at its last visit in 2019, where it was rated Good overall and Outstanding in three separate areas. Inspectors wrote: "Leaders rigorously check the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. Regular monitoring, alongside tailor-made professional development, is resulting in improvements to the quality of teaching and learning." - https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/21/142542
4. Acres Hill Community Primary School
Acres Hill Community Primary School, in Littledale, was the fourth worst-performing school in 2023, with an average SAT score of 99.3. Ofsted rated Acres Hill 'Good' in all areas at their last inspection in 2019, writing: "The headteacher and staff have developed an effective curriculum. In addition to what is taught in lessons, a range of trips and visitors to the school make learning memorable." - https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/21/143546 Photo: Google