Best Primary & Secondary Schools in Sunderland 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 124 schools across Sunderland. Updated with 2025–26 data.

Sunderland has 124 open primary & secondary schools. Of the 121 with a published Ofsted inspection, 18 (15%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 95% held Good or Outstanding — these are the last single-word grades from before Ofsted retired them on 10 November 2025 (how we treat Ofsted data). On our composite Schools Near Me score, Bernard Gilpin Primary School currently leads the local rankings. Closed schools are excluded from every list on this page.

Use the ranked table below to compare schools side by side, then open any school for the full picture. Application deadlines in Sunderland follow the national calendar: 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively.

124
Total schools
18
Outstanding (historic grade)
15%
of inspected schools (pre-Nov-2025)
66.5%
Avg KS2 SATs
38.2
Avg GCSE A8
All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score Profile
1. Bernard Gilpin Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 91 View school
2. Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy
Primary
 Outstanding 91 View school
3. St John Boste Catholic Primary School, Washington
Primary
 Outstanding 87 View school
4. St Leonard's Catholic Primary School, Silksworth
Primary
 Good 86 View school
5. St Paul's CofE Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 85 View school
6. Fulwell Junior School
Primary
 Outstanding 82 View school
7. Fulwell Infant School Academy
Primary
 Outstanding 81 View school
8. Bexhill Academy
Primary
 Outstanding 81 View school
9. St Anne's Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School
Primary
 Good 80 View school
10. Blackfell Primary School
Primary
 Good 80 View school
11. St Michael's Catholic Primary School, Houghton
Primary
 Good 79 View school
12. East Rainton Primary School
Primary
 Good 77 View school
13. Valley Road Academy
Primary
 Good 76 View school
14. St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland
Primary
 Good 76 View school
15. Holley Park Academy
Primary
 Good 76 View school
16. Rickleton Primary School
Primary
 Good 75 View school
17. Hill View Junior Academy
Primary
 Good 74 View school
18. Biddick Primary School
Primary
 Good 73 View school
19. St Bede's Catholic Primary School, Washington
Primary
 Good 73 View school
20. Mill Hill Primary School
Primary
 Good 72 View school

Ranked by the Schools Near Me score. Ofsted grades shown are each school's last single-word grade from before 10 November 2025, when Ofsted retired single-word overall judgements — they are historic and not comparable to the new report cards. How we use Ofsted data. Closed schools are excluded.

Top primary & secondary schools in Sunderland

Split by phase and ranked by the Schools Near Me score. Ofsted labels are each school's last single-word grade from before 10 November 2025 (historic, not current). Closed schools are excluded.

Top primary schools in Sunderland

The leading 8 open primary schools by score.

  1. 1 Bernard Gilpin Primary School Outstanding 91
  2. 2 Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy Outstanding 91
  3. 3 St John Boste Catholic Primary School, Washington Outstanding 87
  4. 4 St Leonard's Catholic Primary School, Silksworth Good 86
  5. 5 St Paul's CofE Primary School Outstanding 85
  6. 6 Fulwell Junior School Outstanding 82
  7. 7 Fulwell Infant School Academy Outstanding 81
  8. 8 Bexhill Academy Outstanding 81

Top secondary schools in Sunderland

The leading 8 open secondary schools by score.

  1. 1 Southmoor Academy Good 66
  2. 2 St Anthony's Girls' Catholic Academy Good 65
  3. 3 St Robert of Newminster Catholic School and Sixth Form College, Washington Good 64
  4. 4 Monkwearmouth Academy Good 60
  5. 5 St Aidan's Catholic Academy Good 59
  6. 6 Venerable Bede Church of England Academy Good 54
  7. 7 Oxclose Community Academy Good 53
  8. 8 Kepier Good 53

Related lists for Sunderland

Best primary schools in SunderlandTop-ranked Reception–Year 6 Best secondary schools in SunderlandTop-ranked Year 7 onwards Primary schools in SunderlandReception–Year 6 only Secondary schools in SunderlandYear 7 onwards How the Schools Near Me score worksOur ranking methodology, explained

Nearby areas

Schools in South TynesideCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in GatesheadCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in North TynesideCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in Newcastle upon TyneCompare neighbouring authority

See full data for any school in Sunderland

Catchment distances, exam trends, SEN data, attendance, and more — all in one place.

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Frequently asked questions

How many primary & secondary schools are there in Sunderland?
There are 124 open primary & secondary schools in Sunderland (closed schools are excluded). 18 of the 121 with a published inspection held a historic Ofsted grade of Outstanding (the last single-word grade before single-word grades were retired on 10 November 2025).
What are the best-rated primary & secondary schools in Sunderland?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked primary & secondary school in Sunderland is Bernard Gilpin Primary School. The full ranked table above lists the top 20 schools with their score and last historic Ofsted grade. We never list closed schools.
How is the Schools Near Me score calculated?
The Schools Near Me score is a 0–100 composite combining the school's last historic Ofsted grade, published exam and assessment results, attendance and pupil–teacher ratio. It is not an Ofsted rating. Full methodology: https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#score
Are Ofsted single-word grades still current in Sunderland?
No. Ofsted retired single-word overall grades (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate) on 10 November 2025 and replaced them with report cards. Any single-word grade shown on this page is the school's last historic grade from before that date and is not comparable to the new report cards. See https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#ofsted
How do I apply for a school place in Sunderland?
Primary and secondary applications in Sunderland are coordinated by the local authority on the national timetable: apply by 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and by 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively. Check the Sunderland council website for local forms and any in-year rules.
What is the top-ranked primary school in Sunderland?
On the Schools Near Me score, the highest-ranked open primary school in Sunderland is Bernard Gilpin Primary School. The "Top primary schools in Sunderland" list on this page shows the leading 8 primary schools with their score and last historic Ofsted grade (pre-Nov-2025). Closed schools are never included.
What is the top-ranked secondary school in Sunderland?
On the Schools Near Me score, the highest-ranked open secondary school in Sunderland is Southmoor Academy. See the "Top secondary schools in Sunderland" list on this page for the leading 8 secondary schools, each with its score and last historic single-word Ofsted grade (from before Ofsted retired single-word grades on 10 November 2025).
Is Sunderland a good place to find a school?
Sunderland is one of England's largest urban authorities, with 124 open primary & secondary schools to choose from, 18 of them holding a historic Ofsted grade of Outstanding (the last single-word grade before those grades were retired on 10 November 2025). Because choice is wide, compare schools on the ranked tables above and open any school for catchment areas, results trends and more. See how we score schools: https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#score

Data sourced from Ofsted, Department for Education, and ISI. School rankings reflect the Schools Near Me composite score combining Ofsted ratings, exam results, attendance, and pupil-teacher ratios. Last updated April 2026.