Academy converter · Sunderland

Valley Road Academy

2–11Ages
344Pupils
PrimaryPhase
144221URN

Corporation Road, Hendon, Sunderland, SR2 8PL · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded GoodMay 2013

School remains GoodUngraded inspection · Oct 2022

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.4per place

close to Sunderland median (1.5)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Sunderland

47 applications for 34 places · 49th of 73 in Sunderland

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

85%met the expected standard

Sunderland 68% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded GoodMay 2013

School remains GoodUngraded inspection · Oct 2022

Inspection history

19 October 2022
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good
14 May 2013
Graded inspection: Good · as Valley Road Community Primary School, URN 133559

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

1.4applications per place, Reception

close to Sunderland median (1.5) 0.8 below England median (2.2)

47 applications · 34 places offered · 34 named it first

HistoryEarlier years not shown: formed from, or split from, other schools.

2026 1.4; Sunderland median median 1.5
2025 1.5; Sunderland median median 1.6
2024 1.4; Sunderland median median 1.6
2023 1.2; Sunderland median median 1.5
2022 1.3; Sunderland median median 1.6
2021 1.2; Sunderland median median 1.6
2020 1.7; Sunderland median median 2.1
2019 1.7; Sunderland median median 2.0
2018 1.3; Sunderland median median 2.0; as the previous school
2017 1.5; Sunderland median median 2.0; as the previous school
2016 1.3; Sunderland median median 2.1; as the previous school
2015 1.5; Sunderland median median 1.9; as the previous school
2014 1.5; Sunderland median median 1.8; as the previous school

More applications per place than the Sunderland median in 0 of 8 years.

This school
Sunderland median

Dashed bars: as Valley Road Community Primary School (URN 133559), the previous school.

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	34	47	1.4	34	1.00
Sep 2025	39	57	1.5	38	0.97
Sep 2024	36	50	1.4	36	1.00
Sep 2023	34	41	1.2	34	1.00
Sep 2022	33	42	1.3	32	0.97
Sep 2021	45	52	1.2	43	0.96
Sep 2020	26	44	1.7	26	1.00
Sep 2019	33	55	1.7	33	1.00
Sep 2018 *	42	53	1.3	42	1.00
Sep 2017 *	39	59	1.5	39	1.00
Sep 2016 *	51	65	1.3	51	1.00
Sep 2015 *	37	57	1.5	36	0.97
Sep 2014 *	32	49	1.5	34	1.06

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 89% · Writing 85% · Maths 87% → all three 85% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard85%8th of 73 in Sunderland

Sunderland 68% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard89%

Sunderland 78% England 78%

Higher standard50%

Sunderland 34% England 33%

Average scaled score 109 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard85%

Sunderland 76% England 75%

Greater depth33%

Sunderland 16% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard87%

Sunderland 81% England 77%

Higher standard37%

Sunderland 25% England 24%

Average scaled score 108 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Sunderland median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	85%	15%	109	108
2023/24	78%	11%	110	106
2022/23	89%	8%	107	107

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Valley Road AcademyThis school
This school

Remains Good2022

1.4applications per place 85%met the SATs standard
Grangetown Primary School
0.8 km · Sunderland

Remains Good2022

1.2applications per place 63%met the SATs standard
Hudson Road Primary School
0.9 km · Sunderland

Good2023

1.5applications per place 68%met the SATs standard
Hill View Junior Academy
1.2 km · Sunderland

Standards maintained2025

81%met the SATs standard
Hill View Infant Academy
1.6 km · Sunderland

Good2022

1.3applications per place
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland
1.8 km · Sunderland

Improved significantly2024

1.8applications per place 95%met the SATs standard
Richard Avenue Primary School
2.1 km · Sunderland

Remains Good2023

1.2applications per place 64%met the SATs standard
Dame Dorothy Primary School
2.1 km · Sunderland

Remains Good2022

1.2applications per place
Barnes Infant Academy
2.6 km · Sunderland

2026

1.8applications per place

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: Primary
URN · DfE number: 144221 · 394/2341
Trust: Iris Learning Trust
Capacity: 420 pupils · 344 on roll
Free school meals: 38.5% of pupils (England median 23%)
SEN provision: Resourced provision and SEN unit
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 June 2018
Replaced: Valley Road Community Primary School (URN 133559)
Address: Corporation Road, Hendon, Sunderland, SR2 8PL
Local authority: Sunderland

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources