Sandhill View Academy
Sunderland, SR3 4EN · Sunderland · secondary school
Check the area around this school
13th of 18 secondary schools in Sunderland we can score. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still — 7.1/10 against 263 of them, against 4.7/10 nationally. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 17 | 35% | 0.60 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 47.9 · 58 | 30% | 1.73 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.08 · 44 | 25% | 1.10 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 41.1 · 24 | 10% | 0.24 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Sandhill View Academy overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 48.6% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 38.6, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -0.08 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did worse than those nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still (7.3 out of 10 against similar schools, 4.8 out of 10 against all schools). Ofsted inspected the school in November 2025 under the new framework, which grades areas separately without an overall grade.
Getting in
The published school roll is 743 pupils against a stated capacity of 750. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
How does the Progress 8 score of -0.08 influence the support strategies for students in Year 11? What specific measures are in place to address the gap between the school’s Attainment 8 of 38.6 and the national median of 44.6?
What Ofsted said about Sandhill View Academy
Overview
Sandhill View Academy is a school where leaders have established a strong culture of inclusion and personal development, ensuring pupils feel safe and supported. While achievement and teaching meet expected standards, the report highlights that attendance remains below the national average and the full impact of recent reading improvements is yet to be seen.
Strengths
- Inclusion is described as ‘built in, not bolted on’, with a ‘highly consistent approach’ that reduces barriers to learning for all pupils.
- The personal development programme is ‘impressive’, helping pupils develop resilience, self-assurance, and a mature understanding of fundamental British values.
- Staff deliver a curriculum rooted in essential knowledge, using the ‘5Cs’ approach to ensure pupils ‘recall their earlier studies with confidence’.
- Pupils, including the most vulnerable, ‘speak powerfully and with warmth’ about the positive impact of the school’s support and care.
- Leaders have built a staff team that fully embraces the ethos that ‘if you get it right for the most vulnerable you get it right for everyone’.
Areas to improve
- Leaders should continue to review and adapt strategies to improve pupils’ attendance, which remains below the national average.
- Leaders should ensure the reading curriculum supports pupils to secure the knowledge needed to become ‘confident readers and communicators’.
Safeguarding
The safeguarding standards are met, with leaders establishing an ‘open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility’ and concerns are actively identified and managed.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 40.6 |
| 2024/25 | 38.6 |
| 2025/26 | 41.1 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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