All Saints Catholic High School, Sheffield

All Saints Catholic High School is a Roman Catholic secondary school with academy status in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England.

All Saints Catholic High School
Location
Granville Road Sheffield , South Yorkshire , S2 2RJ England
Coordinates	53°22′24″N 1°27′26″W
Information
Type	Academy
Motto	Fortis in Fide
Religious affiliation(s)	Roman Catholic
Established	1976
Specialist	Sports
Department for Education URN	138337 Tables
Ofsted	Reports
Headteacher	Sean Pender
Gender	Coeducational
Age	11 to 18
Enrolment	1347
Houses	5
Diocese	Hallam
Website	http://www.allsaints.sheffield.sch.uk/

Admissions

The All Saints Catholic High School serves boys and girls between the ages of eleven and eighteen. Currently, there are approximately 1,300 pupils along with 114 teaching staff and 64 support staff.^{[citation needed]}

History

De la Salle College was a direct grant grammar school from 1946 until 1976. It was located on Scott Road, in the suburb of Pitsmoor. The area is now a housing estate, featuring names that remember the past use of the site such as College Close and De la Salle Drive. The college was used in the war by the Royal Air Force as a barrage balloon unit headquarters for defending Sheffield from aerial attack.^{[citation needed]}

The school in its present form was founded in September 1976 with the merger of De la Salle College (a grammar school) and St. Paul's school (on the current site). In 1983, the De la Salle site was closed and, along with the closure of St. Peter's RC school, many pupils and staff moved to the All Saints site.

The school's headteachers have been J. P. Kelly (1976–c. 2001), Robert Sawyer (c. 2001–2013), Clare Scott (2013–2017), and Sean Pender (2017 – present).^[1]

All Saints Catholic High School is currently situated on Granville Road (A6135), next to The Sheffield College in Sheffield.

Stabbing

At 12:17 GMT on 3 February 2025, police were called to the school after 15-year-old Harvey Willgoose, a student at the school was fatally stabbed with a hunting knife, allegedly by another 15-year-old boy.^[2][3] Willgoose was stabbed three times in a school courtyard as pupils watched. Shortly after the police arrived, the area outside the school was subject to a cordon to aid with the investigation.^[4] Emergency responders, including an air ambulance, arrived at the school, which was promptly locked down. Despite desperate efforts to save him, Willgoose died shortly before 4:00 p.m.^[5]

On 28 April 2025, a 15-year-old boy admitted killing Willgoose, but denied murder.^[6] He was found guilty of murder on 8 August.^[7]

Ethos

The school has a strong Catholic ethos which is reflected in its motto "Fortis in Fide" (Strength in Faith).^{[citation needed]}

The school, which has a chapel and a chaplaincy team, holds Catholic Mass twice a year.^{[clarification needed]}

Facilities

The school has been awarded a Sports College status and is home to one of the biggest sporting facilities in England.^{[citation needed]} A new sports hall was built in the summer of 2007. There are also nine AstroTurf pitches available.

As of 2011, a new school has been expanded (co-located) on the grounds, accommodating the needs of Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) students. This new extension is called the "Seven Hills School".^[8]

Academic performance

The school gets above-average results at GCSE level.^{[verification needed]} It is one of six state schools in Sheffield that has a sixth form. Most schools that offer sixth form education are also former grammar schools. Sheffield College, which is located next door, also offers A Levels.

Notable alumni

Alumni of All Saints are entitled to refer to themselves as 'Old Toussainters', in line with the school's origins as De La Salle Grammar, founded by French monks.

• Matt Dickins – former Lincoln City and Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper.
• Mark Gasser – concert pianist.
• Jonathan Marray – professional tennis player. 2012 Wimbledon men's doubles winner.^[9]
• Catherine Pickford – Church of England archdeacon

De La Salle College

• Martin Flannery, Labour MP for Sheffield Hillsborough from 1974 to 1992^[10]
• Dennis Hackett, former editor of Queen, Nova and Today^[11]
• Patrick McGoohan, writer, director, actor Danger Man, The Prisoner^[12]
• Andrew Pinder CBE, chairman of Becta from 2006 to 2009.

OFSTED Report

Academy

An OFSTED Short Inspection Report was published in 2018, confirming the 2014 Full Inspection rating of Good, with aspects of the school's work needing improvement.^[13]

Pre-Academy

A report at the beginning of 2011, before the school became an academy, showed an improvement in the school, which was rated "outstanding" by Ofsted.^[13]

Changes to the school 2010–11

In 2010, the school began to undergo construction to build new facilities and an entirely new building. The work was due to finish in September 2011. When completed, the school would be able to accommodate an additional 100–200 pupils from Seven Hills (approximate figure)^{[clarification needed]}. The reason for this was that the school agreed to let Seven Hills' new school be built, meaning All Saints and Seven Hills would both have new equipment.