Best Schools in Houghton le Spring

How many schools are there in Houghton le Spring?

Houghton le Spring has 23 open schools: 18 state primary, 2 state secondary or all-through, 1 special and 2 others.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Which schools in Houghton le Spring are rated Outstanding?

3 schools in Houghton le Spring were rated Outstanding at their most recent graded Ofsted inspection: Barnwell Academy, Bernard Gilpin Primary School and Houghton Le Spring Nursery School. Counting Good as well, 95% of the 21 graded schools here are rated Good or better. Ofsted stopped giving single-word overall grades in September 2024, so these are the grades from each school's last full inspection.

Barnwell AcademyBernard Gilpin Primary SchoolHoughton Le Spring Nursery School

Source: Ofsted

Which secondary schools in Houghton le Spring get the best GCSE results?

Of the 2 schools in Houghton le Spring with 2026 GCSE results, the highest Attainment 8 scores - the average grade across a pupil's best eight GCSEs - were at Hetton Academy, with an Attainment 8 score of 52.2 and 60% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; and Kepier, with an Attainment 8 score of 46.3 and 46% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above. Progress 8, the DfE's value-added measure, was not published for 2026.

Hetton AcademyKepier

Source: DfE school performance data

Which primary schools in Houghton le Spring have the best SATs results?

Of the 17 primary schools in Houghton le Spring with 2025 Key Stage 2 results, the highest shares of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading and maths were at St Michael's Catholic Primary School, Houghton (97% in reading, 97% in maths); Bernard Gilpin Primary School (92% in reading, 93% in maths); and West Rainton Primary School (94% in reading, 76% in maths). Small schools can swing a long way from one year to the next, because each pupil is a large share of the result.

St Michael's Catholic Primary School, HoughtonBernard Gilpin Primary SchoolWest Rainton Primary School

Source: DfE school performance data

Are there grammar schools in Houghton le Spring?

No. None of the state secondary schools in Houghton le Spring selects pupils by ability, so every state secondary here is comprehensive.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

How close do you need to live to get into schools in Houghton le Spring?

It depends on the school, and the cut-off moves every year with the number of applications. Sunderland published how far the last place offered went at these schools: Hetton Academy, 2.808 miles for 2024 entry; Kepier, 3.06 miles for 2024 entry. These are the authority's own figures, not fixed boundaries.

Hetton AcademyKepier

Source: Sunderland admissions booklets

How do I apply for a school place in Houghton le Spring?

Apply to your council - Sunderland or County Durham, depending on your address - through its coordinated admissions process, even for academies and faith schools. In England the closing date is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.