Best Secondary Schools in Sunderland 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 16 schools across Sunderland. Updated with 2025–26 data.

How many schools?
16
Open secondary schools in Sunderland
Closed schools excluded
Inspection picture
13 Good or better
of 16 with a historic Ofsted grade
Historic single-word grades · pre-Nov-2025
How is this list ordered?
SNM score
St Anthony's Girls' Catholic Academy currently leads
Methodology

Sunderland has 16 open secondary schools. On our composite Schools Near Me score, St Anthony's Girls' Catholic Academy 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.

All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score Profile
1. St Anthony's Girls' Catholic Academy
Secondary
 Good 66 View school
2. Southmoor Academy
Secondary
 Good 62 View school
3. St Aidan's Catholic Academy
Secondary
 Good 61 View school
4. St Robert of Newminster Catholic School and Sixth Form College, Washington
Secondary
 Good 56 View school
5. Castle View Enterprise Academy
Secondary
 Good 53 View school
6. Kepier
Secondary
 Good 50 View school
7. Oxclose Community Academy
Secondary
 Good 47 View school
8. Monkwearmouth Academy
Secondary
 Good 46 View school
9. Venerable Bede Church of England Academy
Secondary
 Good 45 View school
10. Hetton Academy
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 42 View school
11. Red House Academy
Secondary
 Good 41 View school
12. Thornhill Academy
Secondary
 Good 41 View school
13. Biddick Academy
Secondary
 Good 36 View school
14. Sandhill View Academy
Secondary
 Good 33 View school
15. Farringdon Community Academy
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 28 View school
16. Washington Academy
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 12 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.

Related lists for Sunderland

Best primary schools in SunderlandTop-ranked Reception–Year 6 Best secondary schools in SunderlandTop-ranked Year 7 onwards All schools in SunderlandPrimary & secondary combined Primary schools in SunderlandReception–Year 6 only 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 secondary schools are there in Sunderland?
There are 16 open secondary schools in Sunderland (closed schools are excluded). 0 of the 16 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 secondary schools in Sunderland?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked secondary school in Sunderland is St Anthony's Girls' Catholic Academy. The full ranked table above lists the top 16 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.

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.