The hardest schools to get into in Sunderland
Secondary: 115 families put Christ's College first in 2026 and 86 of them (75%) were offered a place.
Reception: 48 families put Barnwell Academy first in 2026 and 30 of them (63%) were offered a place.
Every state school in Sunderland with at least 20 first-choice applicants, hardest first. Of the families who put the school first on their application, the share who were offered a place there. Data: Department for Education.
Secondary schools (Year 7)
| # | School | Put it first | Of them, offered | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Christ's College · Sunderland | 115 | 86 (75%) | 89 |
| 2 | St Anthony's Girls' Catholic Academy · Sunderland · faith | 252 | 198 (79%) | 208 |
| 3 | Kepier · Houghton le Spring | 285 | 250 (88%) | 257 |
| 4 | St Robert of Newminster Catholic School and Sixth Form College, Washington · Washington · faith | 230 | 202 (88%) | 209 |
| 5 | Southmoor Academy · Sunderland | 237 | 222 (94%) | 238 |
| 6 | St Aidan's Catholic Academy · Sunderland · faith | 176 | 173 (98%) | 179 |
| 7 | Farringdon Community Academy · Sunderland | 202 | 202 (100%) | 207 |
| 8 | Castle View Enterprise Academy · Sunderland | 190 | 190 (100%) | 196 |
| 9 | Biddick Academy · Washington | 180 | 180 (100%) | 193 |
| 10 | Oxclose Community Academy · Washington | 158 | 158 (100%) | 168 |
| 11 | Sandhill View Academy · Sunderland | 133 | 133 (100%) | 146 |
| 12 | Monkwearmouth Academy · Sunderland | 131 | 131 (100%) | 146 |
| 13 | Hetton Academy · Houghton le Spring | 131 | 131 (100%) | 160 |
| 14 | Washington Academy · Washington | 105 | 105 (100%) | 108 |
| 15 | Academy 360 · Sunderland | 104 | 104 (100%) | 116 |
| 16 | Red House Academy · Sunderland | 60 | 60 (100%) | 62 |
| 17 | Venerable Bede Church of England Academy · Sunderland · faith | 57 | 57 (100%) | 64 |
| 18 | Thornhill Academy · Sunderland | 51 | 51 (100%) | 83 |
Primary schools (Reception)
| # | School | Put it first | Of them, offered | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barnwell Academy · Houghton le Spring | 48 | 30 (63%) | 30 |
| 2 | St Paul's CofE Primary School · Sunderland · faith | 68 | 44 (65%) | 45 |
| 3 | Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy · Sunderland · faith | 62 | 45 (73%) | 45 |
| 4 | St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland · Sunderland · faith | 41 | 30 (73%) | 30 |
| 5 | Willow Wood Community Primary School · Sunderland | 38 | 28 (74%) | 28 |
| 6 | Mill Hill Primary School · Sunderland | 66 | 52 (79%) | 60 |
| 7 | St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland · Sunderland · faith | 36 | 29 (81%) | 30 |
| 8 | St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland · Sunderland · faith | 71 | 60 (85%) | 60 |
| 9 | Rickleton Primary School · Washington | 72 | 61 (85%) | 61 |
| 10 | Dubmire Primary · Houghton le Spring | 66 | 60 (91%) | 60 |
| 11 | Bernard Gilpin Primary School · Houghton le Spring | 63 | 58 (92%) | 60 |
| 12 | Oxclose Primary Academy · Washington | 30 | 28 (93%) | 28 |
| 13 | East Herrington Primary Academy · Sunderland | 63 | 59 (94%) | 59 |
| 14 | St Leonard's Catholic Primary School, Silksworth · Sunderland · faith | 27 | 26 (96%) | 30 |
| 15 | Fatfield Academy · Washington | 31 | 30 (97%) | 30 |
| 16 | Hill View Infant Academy · Sunderland | 110 | 110 (100%) | 115 |
| 17 | Fulwell Infant School Academy · Sunderland | 81 | 81 (100%) | 83 |
| 18 | Diamond Hall Infant Academy · Sunderland | 68 | 68 (100%) | 75 |
| 19 | Barnes Infant Academy · Sunderland | 65 | 65 (100%) | 66 |
| 20 | Northern Saints Church of England Academy · Sunderland · faith | 61 | 61 (100%) | 68 |
| 21 | Richard Avenue Primary School · Sunderland | 54 | 54 (100%) | 56 |
| 22 | Highfield Academy · Sunderland | 50 | 50 (100%) | 55 |
| 23 | Hetton Lyons Primary School · Houghton le Spring | 49 | 49 (100%) | 49 |
| 24 | Christ's College · Sunderland | 46 | 46 (100%) | 47 |
| 25 | George Washington Primary School · Washington | 43 | 43 (100%) | 43 |
| 26 | Newbottle Primary Academy · Houghton le Spring | 43 | 43 (100%) | 55 |
| 27 | Usworth Colliery Primary School · Washington | 43 | 43 (100%) | 43 |
| 28 | Grindon Infant School · Sunderland | 42 | 42 (100%) | 43 |
| 29 | Easington Lane Primary School · Houghton le Spring | 37 | 37 (100%) | 37 |
| 30 | Bexhill Academy · Sunderland | 36 | 36 (100%) | 38 |
| 31 | Farringdon Academy · Sunderland | 35 | 35 (100%) | 45 |
| 32 | Grangetown Primary School · Sunderland | 35 | 35 (100%) | 37 |
| 33 | Valley Road Academy · Sunderland | 34 | 34 (100%) | 34 |
| 34 | New Silksworth Academy Infant · Sunderland | 33 | 33 (100%) | 37 |
| 35 | Thorney Close Primary School · Sunderland | 33 | 33 (100%) | 34 |
| 36 | John F Kennedy Primary School · Washington | 33 | 33 (100%) | 33 |
| 37 | St Benet's Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School · Sunderland · faith | 32 | 32 (100%) | 33 |
| 38 | Southwick Community Primary School · Southwick | 31 | 31 (100%) | 33 |
| 39 | Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw · Houghton le Spring · faith | 31 | 31 (100%) | 35 |
| 40 | Castletown Primary School · Sunderland | 29 | 29 (100%) | 29 |
| 41 | Hylton Castle Primary School · Sunderland | 29 | 29 (100%) | 29 |
| 42 | Hudson Road Primary School · Sunderland | 29 | 29 (100%) | 29 |
| 43 | Redby Academy · Sunderland | 29 | 29 (100%) | 29 |
| 44 | Eppleton Academy Primary School · Houghton le Spring | 28 | 28 (100%) | 30 |
| 45 | Albany Village Primary School · Washington | 28 | 28 (100%) | 28 |
| 46 | Ryhope Infant School Academy · Sunderland | 28 | 28 (100%) | 41 |
| 47 | Hasting Hill Academy · Sunderland | 27 | 27 (100%) | 28 |
| 48 | Springwell Village Primary School · Gateshead | 26 | 26 (100%) | 27 |
| 49 | St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Washington · Washington · faith | 26 | 26 (100%) | 26 |
| 50 | St John Bosco Catholic Primary School, Town End Farm, Sunderland · Sunderland · faith | 25 | 25 (100%) | 25 |
| 51 | Seaburn Dene Primary School · Sunderland | 24 | 24 (100%) | 24 |
| 52 | St Michael's Catholic Primary School, Houghton · Houghton le Spring · faith | 24 | 24 (100%) | 24 |
| 53 | South Hylton Primary Academy · Sunderland | 24 | 24 (100%) | 24 |
| 54 | St Anne's Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School · Sunderland · faith | 23 | 23 (100%) | 27 |
| 55 | Biddick Primary School · Washington | 23 | 23 (100%) | 24 |
| 56 | Holley Park Academy · Washington | 23 | 23 (100%) | 23 |
| 57 | St Patrick's Catholic Primary School, Ryhope · Sunderland · faith | 22 | 22 (100%) | 30 |
| 58 | St Bede's Catholic Primary School, Washington · Washington · faith | 22 | 22 (100%) | 22 |
| 59 | Academy 360 · Sunderland | 22 | 22 (100%) | 24 |
| 60 | St John Boste Catholic Primary School, Washington · Washington · faith | 22 | 22 (100%) | 24 |
| 61 | Shiney Row Primary School · Houghton le Spring | 22 | 22 (100%) | 27 |
| 62 | Hetton Primary School · Houghton le Spring | 21 | 21 (100%) | 21 |
| 63 | Burnside Academy Inspires · Houghton le Spring | 21 | 21 (100%) | 22 |
| 64 | Wessington Primary School · Washington | 21 | 21 (100%) | 21 |
| 65 | Lambton Primary School · Washington | 20 | 20 (100%) | 20 |
| 66 | Gillas Lane Primary Academy · Houghton le Spring | 20 | 20 (100%) | 21 |
Getting into a school in Sunderland
What is the hardest school to get into in Sunderland?
For secondary places, 115 families put Christ's College first in 2026 and 86 of them (75%) were offered a place. For Reception, 48 families put Barnwell Academy first and 30 of them (63%) were offered a place.
How many families in Sunderland get their first-choice school?
92.9% of families applying for a secondary place got their first preference, and 95.0% of those applying for Reception did (offers for September 2026).
Does putting a school first improve our chances?
Not at the other schools you name. Councils in England use an equal-preference system: every school you list is considered against its own admissions criteria, and if more than one could offer a place you get the one you ranked highest. So list schools in your genuine order of preference, and include at least one you are very likely to get.
What does "last distance offered" mean?
For schools that give places by distance, it is how far from the school the last child offered a place under that criterion lived. It changes every year with the number and location of applicants, so treat it as a guide, not a guarantee. We show it where Sunderland published it in its admissions booklet.