Barbara Priestman Academy, Sunderland
Barbara Priestman Academy is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 19 in Sunderland, part of The Ascent Academies' Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2015)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Barbara Priestman Academy in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Barbara Priestman Academy are Ashbrooke School (0.6 miles, Good); Thornhill Park School (0.7 miles, Good); Endeavour SR (1 mile); and Sunningdale School (1.2 miles, Outstanding).
Ashbrooke SchoolThornhill Park SchoolEndeavour SRSunningdale School
The trust
Barbara Priestman Academy is one of 6 schools run by The Ascent Academies' Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 24 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 92% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 8% to a further education college.
Who goes there
58.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 1.6% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (90%) and Mixed (5%).
Almost every pupil at Barbara Priestman Academy has an education, health and care plan (189 of 189 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Barbara Priestman Academy provides for pupils with autism and severe learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is University (Tyne and Wear Metro Station), about 930 metres away (roughly a 12-minute walk).
15 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Durham Road-Dunelm South (s-bound), 120 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 562 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Sunderland (148), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Barbara Priestman Academy issued 1 suspension, 0.5 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoThis judgement is from January 2015, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its January 2015 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
58.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Autism, SLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Barbara Priestman Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Barbara Priestman Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Barbara Priestman Academy is in Sunderland; for families living there:
Apply to Sunderland for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 30
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 9
- Children hurt
- 8
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 30 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 9 serious and 21 slight.
8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise.
12 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Sunderland is 13 (the median across 125 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
106%
Over capacity
189 pupils
178 places
11 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Sunderland
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Sunderland
Across Sunderland council
Places available
3,305
Applications
2,921
Got 1st preference
92.9%
Got preferred school
97.9%
All secondary applications across Sunderland council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
189
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Barbara Priestman Academy provides for pupils with autism and severe learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
189
Total Pupils
142
Boys
47
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
28
Teachers
6.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£59,246
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
13.6%
Overall absence
43.0%
Persistent absence
142
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Barbara Priestman Academy
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Barbara Priestman Academy
What are GCSE results like at Barbara Priestman Academy?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Barbara Priestman Academy achieved an Attainment 8 score of 0.7. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Barbara Priestman Academy's Ofsted rating?
Barbara Priestman Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2015, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Barbara Priestman Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Barbara Priestman Academy is oversubscribed, Sunderland allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Barbara Priestman Academy?
Barbara Priestman Academy has around 189 pupils on roll. 59% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Barbara Priestman Academy have specialist SEN provision?
Barbara Priestman Academy provides for pupils with autism and severe learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Barbara Priestman Academy?
13.6% of sessions were missed at Barbara Priestman Academy in 2024/25. 43% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Barbara Priestman Academy?
Apply through Sunderland's coordinated admissions process, naming Barbara Priestman Academy on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Barbara Priestman Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 30 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 9 serious and 21 slight. 8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise. 12 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Sunderland is 13 (the median across 125 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Barbara Priestman Academy?
Barbara Priestman Academy is at Meadowside, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR2 7QN.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)