Free schools · Sunderland

Christ's College

4–18Ages
796Pupils
All-throughPhase
138567URN

Pennywell Road, Sunderland, SR4 8PG · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Oct 2023 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.9per place

0.5 above Sunderland median (1.4)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Sunderland

172 applications for 89 places · 4th of 18 in Sunderland

Every year since 2015

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

40.8of 90

Sunderland 43.1 England 46.0

17th of 18 in Sunderland

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 17 October 2023Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		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 entry

1.9applications per place, Year 7

0.5 above Sunderland median (1.4) 0.3 below England median (2.2)

172 applications · 89 places offered · 115 named it first

2026 1.9; Sunderland median median 1.5
2025 1.6; Sunderland median median 1.5
2024 1.6; Sunderland median median 1.6
2023 1.5; Sunderland median median 1.4
2022 1.4; Sunderland median median 1.4
2021 1.3; Sunderland median median 1.5
2020 2.5; Sunderland median median 1.9
2019 6.0; Sunderland median median 1.9
2018 6.7; Sunderland median median 1.9

This school
Sunderland median

Reception entry, September 2026: 1.5 per place (69 applications for 47 places).

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, 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	89	172	1.9	115	1.29
Sep 2025	87	140	1.6	87	1.00
Sep 2024	68	106	1.6	67	0.99
Sep 2023	67	102	1.5	60	0.90
Sep 2022	68	95	1.4	68	1.00
Sep 2021	81	106	1.3	72	0.89
Sep 2020	15	37	2.5	14	0.93
Sep 2019	18	108	6.0	23	1.28
Sep 2018	15	101	6.7	11	0.73
Sep 2017	0	84		14
Sep 2016	0	68		5
Sep 2015	0	104		16

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

85 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)40.817th of 18 in Sunderland

Sunderland 43.1 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths41%13th of 18 in Sunderland

Sunderland 45% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths57%

Sunderland 63% England 66%

This school
Sunderland median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.68

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	85	40.8	41%	57%	–
2024/25	72	43.2	43%	65%	–
2023/24	72	39.9	35%	58%	−0.68
2022/23	58	41.6	38%	55%	−0.56

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

Christ's CollegeThis school
This school

Good2023

1.9applications per place 40.8Attainment 8
Academy 360
0.4 km · Sunderland

Good2022

1.2applications per place 29.1Attainment 8
Sandhill View Academy
1.0 km · Sunderland

2025

1.4applications per place 41.1Attainment 8
Castle View Enterprise Academy
2.6 km · Sunderland

Good2023

1.2applications per place 43.1Attainment 8
Farringdon Community Academy
2.6 km · Sunderland

2026

1.3applications per place 46.2Attainment 8
Thornhill Academy
2.8 km · Sunderland

Good2024

1.6applications per place 42.8Attainment 8
St Anthony's Girls' Catholic Academy
2.9 km · Sunderland

Good2023

1.7applications per place 52.1Attainment 8
St Aidan's Catholic Academy
3.1 km · Sunderland

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.6applications per place 53.6Attainment 8
Red House Academy
3.8 km · Sunderland

Standards maintained2025

1.5applications per place 49.8Attainment 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: Free schools
Phase: All-through
URN · DfE number: 138567 · 394/6010
Trust: Emmanuel Schools Foundation
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 860 pupils · 796 on roll
Free school meals: 34.9% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 10 September 2012
Replaced: Grindon Hall Christian School (URN 108875)
Address: Pennywell Road, Sunderland, SR4 8PG
Local authority: Sunderland

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources