Sunnyside Academy, Middlesbrough

From the headteacher's welcome: "Sunnyside Academy is part of Ad Astra Trust, a Trust dedicated to improving outcomes for all. Working with our partner Academies within Ad Astra Trust, we strive to ensure that we offer a caring, memorable journey that will inspire them to be the best that they can be."

In 2025, 51% of Year 6 pupils at Sunnyside Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 49% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 75% in Middlesbrough and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 47% in reading and 46% in maths in 2024.

For September 2026 entry, 23 families put Sunnyside Academy as their first choice and 47 named it as one of their preferences, for 25 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 Sunnyside Academy are St Gerard's RC Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 75% reading, 75% maths); Viewley Hill Academy (0.5 miles, Good, 69% reading, 62% maths); St Augustine's Catholic Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 93% reading, 93% maths); and Marton Manor Primary School (0.8 miles, Requires improvement, 88% reading, 75% maths).

Each of them had higher 2025 results than Sunnyside Academy.

Sunnyside Academy is one of 10 schools run by Ad Astra Academy Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 55% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

39.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 47 pupils (17.5%) received SEN support and 65 (24.3%) 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.

Sunnyside Academy has a resourced provision (27 places, 27 pupils on roll) and a SEN unit (57 places, 56 pupils on roll) for visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment and moderate learning difficulties.

Sunnyside 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 railway station is Marton Station, about 1.6 miles away in a straight line.

11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Sunnyside Academy (b), 60 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Sunnyside Academy stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 247 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Middlesbrough (532).

In 2024/25, Sunnyside Academy issued 8 suspensions, 2.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Sunnyside Academy are The King's Academy (0.3 miles), Trinity Catholic College (1.1 miles) and Outwood Academy Acklam (1.3 miles).