Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy, Sunderland
Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Sunderland, part of Northern Lights Learning Trust. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2012. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the highest of the 43 schools in Sunderland with published results, and 247th of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.4 first-choice applications for every place. It was 87% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2012)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Sunderland (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy in detail
Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy in its own words
In its own words: "Benedict Biscop C.E. Academy is a Church of England school within the Diocese of Durham and serves the Wearmouth (Sunderland) Deanery. The Academy was built in 1972 and opened as a Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School. It is an above average sized primary school with over 345 pupils on roll currently."
From the headteacher's welcome: "I am delighted that you are considering Benedict Biscop C.E Academy, a primary school in Sunderland, for the first stage of your child’s education. The school is an Ofsted rated academy, in all areas, for children aged 3-11 years. We are very proud of our school and the excellent opportunities provided for our children."
The school runs a breakfast club from 7:45am and after-school care, from £4.50 per session.
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 97% of Year 6 pupils at Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 97% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 78% in Sunderland and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 94% in reading and 90% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy
For September 2026 entry, 62 families put Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy as their first choice and 115 named it as one of their preferences, for 45 places offered. That is 1.4 first choices for every place. 17 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy are East Herrington Primary Academy (0.7 miles, Good, 84% reading, 90% maths); Mill Hill Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 92% reading, 87% maths); Farringdon Academy (0.9 miles, Good, 69% reading, 74% maths); and Hasting Hill Academy (1.2 miles, Good, 77% reading, 64% maths).
Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.
East Herrington Primary AcademyMill Hill Primary SchoolFarringdon AcademyHasting Hill Academy
The trust
Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy is one of 12 schools run by Northern Lights Learning Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 85% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
105 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy (as of September 2025): 95% would recommend the school, 95% say their child is happy there and 64% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (96%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (64%).
Who goes there
8.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 1.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 43 pupils (12.9%) received SEN support and 1 (0.3%) 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.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is South Hylton (Tyne and Wear Metro Station), about 2.9 miles away in a straight line.
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Moorside (s-bound), 190 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; Ofsted Parent View; 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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from January 2012, 14 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy is aspirational and nurturing. Pupils embody the school's vision of 'With God all things are possible' and strive to do their best. Right from the early years, pupils are welcomed into an ambitious learning atmosphere that fosters their curiosity, critical thinking and personal growth. Pupils thrive both academically and socially. The school's Christian ethos gives pupils daily opportunities to reflect, be thankful and develop a sense of community.
Pupils show great enthusiasm for their learning. The school removes barriers to learning for all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils. They benefit from the ambitious curriculum and staff expertise. As a result, pupils achieve exceptionally well.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has developed a broad and ambitious curriculum which meets the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Subject leaders have carefully considered learning to ensure that pupils develop a deep understanding of important knowledge over time. The school prioritises pupils' communication and language development. Pupils are encouraged to think critically in lessons and make connections between their learning. This helps them to deepen their understanding and discuss their learning eloquently. Consequently, pupils achieve highly.
The school has high expectations for all pupils. It has ensured that learning is challenging and well sequenced across all year groups. The subject knowledge and expertise of staff are impressive. This is continuously enhanced by the high-quality professional development they receive from the trust.
From Ofsted's October 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its January 2012 inspection - up from Good.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
8.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
105 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 97% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 90% to 97% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 97% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
30.1
Avg class size
30.0
Infant (KS1)
30.0
KS2
10
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Benedict Biscop Church of England 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
- 4
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 4 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt.
3 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
Your chances of a place at Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy
Will you get a place at Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy.
- Sunderland publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Sunderland got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
87%
Available places
273 pupils
315 places
42 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Sunderland
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Sunderland
Across Sunderland council
Places available
3,430
Applications
2,737
Got 1st preference
95.0%
Got preferred school
98.2%
All primary applications across Sunderland council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
43
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
13.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
333
Total Pupils
156
Boys
177
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
16
Teachers
20.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,242
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£4,955
Per pupil
£1478k
Total funding
£33k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.3%
Overall absence
3.9%
Persistent absence
228
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy
Questions parents ask about Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy
What are SATs results like at Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy?
Of the pupils at Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 97% reached the expected standard in reading and 97% did so in maths.
What is Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy's Ofsted rating?
Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2012, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy is oversubscribed, Sunderland allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy?
Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy was not full in 2025: it ran at 87% of its 315 places.
How big are the classes at Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy?
Classes at Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy average 30.1 pupils (2025/26). 2 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy?
Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy has around 333 pupils on roll. 8% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy?
3.3% of sessions were missed at Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy in 2024/25. 3.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy?
Apply through Sunderland's coordinated admissions process, naming Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 4 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt. 3 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 Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy?
Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy is at Marcross Drive, Moorside, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR3 2RE.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)