Academy sponsor led · Sunderland

Thornhill Academy

11–16Ages
526Pupils
SecondaryPhase
144990URN

Thornholme Road, Sunderland, SR2 7NA · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · May 2024 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.6per place

close to Sunderland median (1.4)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Sunderland

132 applications for 83 places · 9th of 18 in Sunderland

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

42.8of 90

Sunderland 43.1 England 46.0

12th of 18 in Sunderland

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 1 May 2024Ofsted'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

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

1.6applications per place, Year 7

close to Sunderland median (1.4) 0.6 below England median (2.2)

132 applications · 83 places offered · 51 named it first

2026 1.6; Sunderland median median 1.5
2025 2.1; Sunderland median median 1.5
2024 2.4; Sunderland median median 1.6
2023 1.2; Sunderland median median 1.4
2022 1.6; Sunderland median median 1.4
2021 1.5; Sunderland median median 1.5
2020 2.7; Sunderland median median 1.9
2019 2.0; Sunderland median median 1.9
2018 2.4; Sunderland median median 1.9
2017 2.0; Sunderland median median 1.8; as the previous school
2016 1.9; Sunderland median median 1.7; as the previous school
2015 2.5; Sunderland median median 1.7; as the previous school
2014 2.0; Sunderland median median 1.6; as the previous school

More applications per place than the Sunderland median in 8 of 9 years.

This school
Sunderland median

Dashed bars: as Thornhill School Business & Enterprise College (URN 108860), the previous school.

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	83	132	1.6	51	0.61
Sep 2025	56	119	2.1	51	0.91
Sep 2024	56	135	2.4	50	0.89
Sep 2023	107	132	1.2	61	0.57
Sep 2022	78	123	1.6	69	0.88
Sep 2021	92	141	1.5	81	0.88
Sep 2020	77	211	2.7	65	0.84
Sep 2019	111	217	2.0	91	0.82
Sep 2018	95	229	2.4	86	0.91
Sep 2017 *	97	198	2.0	78	0.80
Sep 2016 *	110	210	1.9	110	1.00
Sep 2015 *	70	175	2.5	69	0.99
Sep 2014 *	111	223	2.0	116	1.05

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

126 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)42.812th of 18 in Sunderland

Sunderland 43.1 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths44%11th of 18 in Sunderland

Sunderland 45% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths61%

Sunderland 63% England 66%

This school
Sunderland median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.40

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	126	42.8	44%	61%	–
2024/25	108	41.4	33%	54%	–
2023/24	144	39.2	29%	49%	−0.40
2022/23	117	38.0	32%	46%	−0.67

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

Thornhill AcademyThis school
This school

Good2024

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

Good2023

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

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.6applications per place 53.6Attainment 8
Southmoor Academy
1.3 km · Sunderland

Remains Good2022

1.7applications per place 46.8Attainment 8
Venerable Bede Church of England Academy
2.5 km · Sunderland

Serious weaknesses Graded · no overall grade2025

2.2applications per place 43.1Attainment 8
Sandhill View Academy
2.6 km · Sunderland

2025

1.4applications per place 41.1Attainment 8
Christ's College
2.8 km · Sunderland

Good2023

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

Good2022

1.2applications per place 29.1Attainment 8
Farringdon Community Academy
3.5 km · Sunderland

2026

1.3applications per place 46.2Attainment 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 sponsor led
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 144990 · 394/4002
Trust: Consilium Academies
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 1,050 pupils · 526 on roll
Free school meals: 49.6% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 September 2017
Replaced: Thornhill School Business & Enterprise College (URN 108860)
Address: Thornholme Road, Sunderland, SR2 7NA
Local authority: Sunderland

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