Lift Firth Park is a mainstream secondary school in Sheffield for children and young people aged 11 to 16. In January 2026, 180 of its 1,115 pupils (16.1%) were getting SEN support and 39 (3.5%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–16
- 1,115 pupils
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Sheffield.
16.1% get SEN support
180 of 1,115 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
3.5% have an EHC plan
39 of 1,115 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
About the same as the England average.
Most common needs
- Social, emotional and mental health70
- Speech, language and communication45
- Autism37
- Moderate learning difficulty31
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia9
- Hearing impairment5
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream secondary school
- Run as
- Academy (sponsored)
- Ages
- 11 to 16
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 1,115 (places for 1,350)
- Headteacher
- Ms Katrina Kerry (Principal)
- Part of
- Lift Schools
- Free school meals
- 55.7% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Sheffield
- School reference (URN)
- 139334
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask Sheffield council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Graded by area, June 2025; school remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next (April 2024)
Inspected in June 2025. Inspections from September 2024 to November 2025 graded each area but gave no overall grade.
- Quality of educationRequires improvement
- Behaviour and attitudesRequires improvement
- Personal developmentRequires improvement
- Leadership and managementRequires improvement
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: School remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next (ungraded inspection, April 2024).
Contact and getting there
Fircroft Avenue, Sheffield, S5 0SD
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- Beck Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.6 miles
- Hinde House 2-16 Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 2–16 · Ofsted report card (2026) 0.7 miles
- Lotus Academy Special school · Ages 6–16 · Ofsted: Inadequate 0.9 miles
- Woolley Wood School Special school · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Good 1.7 miles
Other mainstream schools
- Hatfield Academy Primary · Ages 5–11 · SEN support 29.7%, EHC plans 4.1% 0.2 miles
- Hartley Brook Primary School Primary · Ages 3–11 · SEN support 21.8%, EHC plans 3.1% 0.4 miles
- St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy Primary · Ages 3–11 · SEN support 14%, EHC plans 1.4% 0.5 miles
All mainstream schools in Sheffield SEND schools in Sheffield
Questions about Lift Firth Park
How many pupils at Lift Firth Park have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 180 of the 1,115 pupils (16.1%) were getting SEN support and 39 (3.5%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at Lift Firth Park?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (70 pupils), speech, language and communication needs (45 pupils) and autism (37 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at Lift Firth Park?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at Lift Firth Park?
Through Sheffield council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to Lift Firth Park?
You can ask for Lift Firth Park to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does Lift Firth Park have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is Beck Primary School, about 0.6 miles away.
Where is Lift Firth Park?
Fircroft Avenue, Sheffield, S5 0SD, in Sheffield.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.