Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw, Houghton le Spring
Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Houghton le Spring, part of Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2022. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in April 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 7th-highest of the 17 schools in Houghton le Spring with published results, and 7,353rd of 14,452 across England. It was 87% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2022)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- 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
Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw in detail
Results
In 2025, 79% of Year 6 pupils at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw reached the expected standard in reading and 75% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 78% in Sunderland and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 88% in reading and 73% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw
For September 2026 entry, 31 families put Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw as their first choice and 45 named it as one of their preferences, for 35 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw are Barnwell Academy (0.2 miles, Outstanding, 75% reading, 81% maths); New Penshaw Academy (0.4 miles, Good, 67% reading, 63% maths); Shiney Row Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 75% reading, 79% maths); and Fatfield Academy (1.2 miles, Good, 85% reading, 85% maths).
Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Barnwell AcademyNew Penshaw AcademyShiney Row Primary SchoolFatfield Academy
The trust
Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw is one of 47 schools run by Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 69% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
73 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw (as of September 2025): 80% would recommend the school, 93% say their child is happy there and 74% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (93%); the weakest, that the school supports their child's wider development (74%).
Who goes there
12.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 2.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 48 pupils (16.5%) received SEN support and 4 (1.4%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is South Hylton (Tyne and Wear Metro Station), about 3 miles away in a straight line.
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Our Lady Queen Of Peace Rc School (w-bound), 50 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 90 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Sunderland (148).
Suspensions and exclusions
Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw are St Robert of Newminster Catholic School and Sixth Form College, Washington (1.4 miles); and Biddick Academy (1.6 miles).
St Robert of Newminster Catholic School and Sixth Form College, WashingtonBiddick Academy
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 agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's April 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This school creates a warm, inclusive environment where every child feels welcome and valued. Pupils develop a genuine love of learning through exciting experiences like meeting authors and exploring museums, while benefiting from consistently well-taught reading from the earliest years. The school combines high academic expectations with excellent personal development, helping children understand the importance of respect, tolerance, and contributing to their community.
Key Strengths
- Strong reading culture with consistent phonics teaching and effective support for struggling readers
- Quick identification and skilled support for pupils with special educational needs
- Well-organized curriculum that builds knowledge and skills, with pupils achieving well
- Excellent pupil behaviour with warm, caring relationships between staff and pupils
- Rich personal development programme including community visits, charity work, and residential trips
Areas for Improvement
- Inconsistent application of teaching techniques across some lessons, with some teachers not fully checking understanding or providing precise feedback
- Early years outdoor and indoor learning areas lack rich, meaningful opportunities for children to practise and embed new learning
- Need for continued staff training to ensure consistent curriculum implementation across all classes
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with staff and pupils reporting they feel safe and cared for, and the school responding quickly to any bullying incidents.
Extracurricular Activities
Performances, workshops, residential trips, after-school activities, creative writing workshops, visits to local care home, charity fundraising
Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School is a happy place where pupils are eager to learn and proud of their success. After recent leadership changes, the school has grown stronger with an improved curriculum and high expectations for every pupil.
At a Glance
12.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
73 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 declined from 88% to 79% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 75% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 75% to 79% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
22.4
Avg class size
20.2
Infant (KS1)
27.3
KS2
9
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
You apply to the council where you live. Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw 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
- 20
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 20 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 15 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot.
4 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 Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw
Will you get a place at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw.
- Sunderland publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw for 2020 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
274 pupils
315 places
41 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Houghton le Spring
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Houghton le Spring
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: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
48
SEN Support
4
EHC Plans
17.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
291
Total Pupils
150
Boys
141
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
17
Teachers
17.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,511
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£4,982
Per pupil
£1492k
Total funding
£41k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.8%
Overall absence
6.3%
Persistent absence
253
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
Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw
Questions parents ask about Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw
What are SATs results like at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw?
Of the pupils at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 79% reached the expected standard in reading and 75% did so in maths.
What is Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw's Ofsted rating?
Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw's most recent Ofsted inspection, in April 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in May 2022, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw?
No fixed boundary. When Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw is oversubscribed, Sunderland allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw?
Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw was not full in 2025: it ran at 87% of its 315 places.
How big are the classes at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw?
Classes at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw average 22.4 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw?
Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw has around 291 pupils on roll. 13% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw?
3.8% of sessions were missed at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw in 2024/25. 6.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw?
Apply through Sunderland's coordinated admissions process, naming Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw 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 Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 20 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 15 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot. 4 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 Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw?
Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw is at Station Road, Penshaw, Houghton le Spring, Tyne and Wear, DH4 7JZ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)