Report card · inspected Jun 2026
- Exceptional
- Strong standard
- Expected standard
- Needs attention
- Urgent improvement
Safeguarding standards met
This schoolOther secondary schools in Sunderland
What did Ofsted find?
Ofsted data to 30 September 2026| Area | Exceptional | Strong standard | Expected standard | Needs attention | Urgent improvement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inclusion | Expected standard | ||||
| Curriculum and teaching | Expected standard | ||||
| Achievement | Expected standard | ||||
| Attendance and behaviour | Expected standard | ||||
| Personal development and wellbeing | Strong standard | ||||
| Early years | Does not apply to this school | ||||
| Post-16 provision | Does not apply to this school | ||||
| Leadership and governance | Expected standard | ||||
- Exceptional
- Strong standard
- Expected standard
- Needs attention
- Urgent improvement
- Does not apply
Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.
Inspection history
- 16 June 2026Report card · 1 Strong standard, 5 Expected standard
- 9 March 2022Graded inspection: Good
Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades
About these grades
Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.
How hard is it to get a place?
DfE · Sept 2026 entry372 applications · 257 places offered · 285 named it first
- 2026 1.5; Sunderland median median 1.5
- 2025 1.4; Sunderland median median 1.5
- 2024 1.3; Sunderland median median 1.6
- 2023 1.3; Sunderland median median 1.4
- 2022 1.2; Sunderland median median 1.4
- 2021 1.3; Sunderland median median 1.5
- 2020 1.5; Sunderland median median 1.9
- 2019 1.5; Sunderland median median 1.9
- 2018 1.5; Sunderland median median 1.9
- 2017 1.4; Sunderland median median 1.8
- 2016 1.5; Sunderland median median 1.7
- 2015 1.5; Sunderland median median 1.7
- 2014 1.3; Sunderland median median 1.6
- This school
- Sunderland median
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council
How this is measured
Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.
| Entry | Places | Applications | Per place | First preferences | First-pref. ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2026 | 257 | 372 | 1.5 | 285 | 1.11 |
| Sep 2025 | 224 | 318 | 1.4 | 238 | 1.06 |
| Sep 2024 | 211 | 277 | 1.3 | 205 | 0.97 |
| Sep 2023 | 255 | 323 | 1.3 | 260 | 1.02 |
| Sep 2022 | 256 | 296 | 1.2 | 244 | 0.95 |
| Sep 2021 | 208 | 266 | 1.3 | 193 | 0.93 |
| Sep 2020 | 223 | 324 | 1.5 | 204 | 0.91 |
| Sep 2019 | 195 | 299 | 1.5 | 176 | 0.90 |
| Sep 2018 | 208 | 313 | 1.5 | 200 | 0.96 |
| Sep 2017 | 196 | 272 | 1.4 | 179 | 0.91 |
| Sep 2016 | 149 | 218 | 1.5 | 138 | 0.93 |
| Sep 2015 | 142 | 214 | 1.5 | 134 | 0.94 |
| Sep 2014 | 195 | 262 | 1.3 | 187 | 0.96 |
How did pupils do at GCSE?
DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisionalEvery year as a table
| Year | Pupils | Attainment 8 | 5+ Eng & maths | 4+ Eng & maths | Progress 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 (prov.) | 204 | 46.3 | 46% | 64% | – |
| 2024/25 | 220 | 43.6 | 37% | 55% | – |
| 2023/24 | 204 | 46.9 | 43% | 68% | −0.29 |
| 2022/23 | 205 | 49.9 | 50% | 69% | −0.16 |
Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.
Schools nearby
The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority
- KepierThis schoolThis school20261.5applications per place 46.3Attainment 8
- 2.6 km · SunderlandGraded · no overall grade20241.3applications per place 52.2Attainment 8
- 4.7 km · Sunderland20261.3applications per place 46.2Attainment 8
- 6.0 km · Sunderland20251.4applications per place 41.1Attainment 8
- 6.1 km · SunderlandRemains Good20232.2applications per place 44.8Attainment 8
- 6.4 km · Sunderland20261.9applications per place 48.2Attainment 8
- 6.4 km · County DurhamGraded · no overall grade20252.1applications per place 46.8Attainment 8
- 6.7 km · SunderlandGood20231.9applications per place 40.8Attainment 8
- 6.7 km · SunderlandSerious weaknesses Graded · no overall grade20252.2applications per place 43.1Attainment 8
- Exceptional
- Strong standard
- Expected standard
- Needs attention
- Urgent improvement
- Does not apply
Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.
School details
- Type
- Academy converter
- Phase
- Secondary
- URN · DfE number
- 137262 · 394/4072
- Trust
- Eden Learning Trust
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Capacity
- 1,210 pupils · 1,131 on roll
- Free school meals
- 37.8% of pupils (England median 23%)
- Opened
- 1 August 2011
- Replaced
- Houghton Kepier Sports College:A Foundation School (URN 108868)
- Address
- Dairy Lane, Houghton le Spring, DH4 5BH
- Local authority
- Sunderland
Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources