Barnes Infant Academy, Sunderland

Ofsted's report card from its 12 May 2026 inspection grades Barnes Infant Academy on 7 areas: 7 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Expected standard. "From children's first days in the early years, they benefit from a consistent focus on early reading, writing and number."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "The leadership team has full oversight of pupils' attendance."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders swiftly and strategically identify areas for ongoing improvements to the curriculum and classroom teaching."

Early years - Expected standard. "Leaders place a high priority on the early years provision in school."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders swiftly identify pupils' needs when pupils first join the school."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "The newly formed leadership team understands the strengths of the school."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have adopted an approach to personal development that includes all pupils."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that highly effective teaching is embedded across all subjects and year groups so that the curriculum is implemented in line with their intentions"; "Leaders should continue their work to ensure that teachers address gaps in pupils' reading, writing and mathematics skills so that pupils achieve more highly over time"; "Leaders should embed their work with parents and carers to improve pupils' punctuality and attendance so that fewer pupils arrive late to school or are absent".

In its own words: "Barnes Infant Academy is located in Mount Road, Barnes, Sunderland in North East England and is a co-educational day school for children of all abilities from 3 to 7 years of age. The school has a 90-place nursery and currently has an annual intake of 90 pupils into the reception year of the school."

The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care.

For September 2026 entry, 65 families put Barnes Infant Academy as their first choice and 120 named it as one of their preferences, for 66 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Barnes Infant Academy are Barnes Junior School (under 0.1 miles, Good, 60% reading, 47% maths); Richard Avenue Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 69% reading, 74% maths); St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland (0.5 miles, 95% reading, 97% maths); and Plains Farm Academy (0.6 miles, Good, 74% reading, 65% maths).

Barnes Infant Academy is one of 3 schools run by Vision Learning Trust Limited, an academy trust.

11.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 25.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (67%) and Asian (24%).

In 2026, 57 pupils (18.3%) received SEN support and 9 (2.9%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.

Barnes Infant Academy had 19 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest tram or metro stop is Millfield (Tyne and Wear Metro Station), about 1190 metres away (roughly a 15-minute walk).

17 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Barnes Infants And Junior Schools (e-bound), 40 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 362 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Sunderland (148), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Barnes Infant Academy issued 9 suspensions, 2.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Barnes Infant Academy are Thornhill Academy (0.7 miles), St Anthony's Girls' Catholic Academy (0.8 miles), St Aidan's Catholic Academy (0.9 miles) and Sandhill View Academy (1 mile).