Venerable Bede Church of England Academy
Sunderland, SR2 0SX · Sunderland · secondary school
Check the area around this school
16th 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 — 3.7/10 against 682 of them, against 2.9/10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 44.6 · 49 | 46% | 2.27 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -1.04 · 2 | 38% | 0.08 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 43.1 · 34 | 15% | 0.53 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Venerable Bede Church of England Academy overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 38.8% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. The Attainment 8 score was 44.1, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -1.04 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did worse than the national average for similar starting points. Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still (3.0 out of 10 against similar schools, 2.4 out of 10 against all schools).
Getting in
The published school roll is 738 pupils against a stated capacity of 900. 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 school support pupils who are below the national average in Progress 8? What specific support is available for students aiming to improve their Attainment 8 scores?
What Ofsted said about Venerable Bede Church of England Academy
Overview
The report states that the school has undergone "considerable positive change" with new leaders addressing serious past concerns regarding behaviour and attendance. However, it concludes that "much work is still required to ensure that pupils receive an acceptable quality of education," noting that the school "requires significant improvement."
Strengths
- Staff share "good relationships with pupils," and most pupils have an adult they would ask for help.
- Bullying has reduced, and pupils "mostly conduct themselves in an orderly way."
- Early reading support strategies are "well set out," helping supported pupils develop fluency.
- The school provides many enrichment opportunities, including work experience and impartial careers advice.
- Leaders are "realistic about the challenges" and steps to reduce staff absence are having a "positive impact."
Areas to improve
- The curriculum has not been well implemented, leaving pupils with "significant gaps in pupils’ skills and knowledge" and poor retention of past learning.
- Staff do not consistently emphasise important subject-specific vocabulary, limiting the quality of discussion and written responses.
- Pupils lack a secure understanding of personal, social and health education topics, including democracy and world faiths.
- A significant minority of pupils do not meet high expectations for attendance or conduct.
Safeguarding
The report states that "the arrangements for safeguarding are effective."
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 37.6 |
| 2024/25 | 44.1 |
| 2025/26 | 43.1 |
| 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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