Overall Oxbridge
#764
5 ranked schools · +150 places vs Eng avg #914 of 1,983
Applications
21
Offers
8
Offer rate38.1%
+15.7 pts vs Eng avgEng avg 22.4%
Schools in Sunderland
Granted a town charter in 1179 on the south bank of the River Wear, Sunderland grew from Anglo-Saxon roots that reach back to the founding of St Peter's Church in Monkwearmouth in 674. Once the world's largest shipbuilding town, the city's yards produced a quarter of the world's ships before the trade contracted in the late twentieth century, leaving stretches of former dockland that have since been redeveloped along the riverfront. An automotive plant on the northern fringe now sustains the city's manufacturing tradition. Thornhill and Whitburn add further options near the coast.
Around 277,000 people live across the metropolitan borough, with the Victorian avenues of Ashbrooke widely regarded as one of the city's most school-competitive corners for state places; Moorside and Ryhope, along the southern edge, draw families competing for primary catchments. Sunderland station connects the city to Newcastle and the wider region, with the Tyne and Wear Metro extending light rail services across Wearside.
50
Primary
schools
12
Secondary
schools
3
All-through
schools
1
Post-16
colleges
9
Special
schools
4
Other
schools
of which9sixth forms·17faith·3nurseries82 total
Area Performance
Sunderland schools rank in the top 47% of England
Across 69 primary, secondary and sixth-form schools, state and independent. The average Find My School Inspection Score is 7.36/10, -0.05 vs England.
Find My School Inspection Band
13% Elite
Distribution across all Sunderland schools
EliteExcellentGoodDevelopingRebuilding
Sunderland vs England distribution
National Rank
Top 47%
Across all ranked Sunderland schools
Top 41%Primaryavg #6,097 of 14,978
Top 61%Secondaryavg #2,344 of 3,861
Top 62%Sixth formavg #1,577 of 2,554
Primary schools: 45 schools (state + independent)
LocalEngland avg
Average FMS Inspection Score
7.5/10
+0.14 vs Eng avgEng avg 7.3/10
Average national rank
#6,097
+9 pts vs medianmedian 7,489
top 41% of 14,978
% reaching expected RWM standardstate
69%
+7 pts vs Eng avgEng avg 62%
% reaching higher RWM standardstate
11%
+3 pts vs Eng avgEng avg 8%
Average FMS Inspection Score
7.5/10
+0.14 vs Eng avgEng avg 7.3/10
Average national rank
#6,097
+9 pts vs medianmedian 7,489
top 41% of 14,978
% reaching expected RWM standardstate
69%
+7 pts vs Eng avgEng avg 62%
% reaching higher RWM standardstate
11%
+3 pts vs Eng avgEng avg 8%
Secondary schools: 15 schools (state + independent)
LocalEngland avg
Average FMS Inspection Score
7.0/10
-0.35 vs Eng avgEng avg 7.4/10
Average national rank
#2,344
-11 pts vs medianmedian 1,931
top 61% of 3,861
Attainment 8 score (out of 90)state
44.9
+5.8 vs Eng avgEng avg 39.1
Average FMS Inspection Score
7.0/10
-0.35 vs Eng avgEng avg 7.4/10
Average national rank
#2,344
-11 pts vs medianmedian 1,931
top 61% of 3,861
Attainment 8 score (out of 90)state
44.9
+5.8 vs Eng avgEng avg 39.1
Sixth form schools: 9 schools (state + independent)
LocalEngland avg
Average FMS Inspection Score
7.3/10
-0.46 vs Eng avgEng avg 7.7/10
Average national rank
#1,577
-12 pts vs medianmedian 1,277
top 62% of 2,554
% A*-A at A-Level
16%
-9 pts vs Eng avgEng avg 25%
% A*-B at A-Level
42%
-9 pts vs Eng avgEng avg 50%
Average FMS Inspection Score
7.3/10
-0.46 vs Eng avgEng avg 7.7/10
Average national rank
#1,577
-12 pts vs medianmedian 1,277
top 62% of 2,554
% A*-A at A-Level
16%
-9 pts vs Eng avgEng avg 25%
% A*-B at A-Level
42%
-9 pts vs Eng avgEng avg 50%
Oxford
#258
1 ranked schools · -5 places vs Eng avg #253 of 1,197
Applications
7
Offers
3
Offer rate42.9%
+27.8 pts vs Eng avgEng avg 15.1%
Cambridge
#851
5 ranked schools · -78 places vs Eng avg #773 of 1,880
Applications
14
Offers
5
Offer rate35.7%
+6.3 pts vs Eng avgEng avg 29.4%
Top 3 Primary Schools
2026
Sunderland
Top 3 Secondary Schools
2026
Sunderland
Top 3 Sixth Forms
2026
Sunderland
Local directory
School profiles in Sunderland
Browse 66 local profile links across primary schools, secondary schools and sixth forms. Each profile brings together admissions context, performance data, inspection history and school details in one place.
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