Thornhill Park School, Sunderland
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 months agoReport card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
Thornhill Park excels at understanding each child as an individual and creating meaningful learning experiences tailored to their interests, whether that's meeting bus drivers, doing work experience with local charities, or visiting local amenities. Staff are genuinely caring and supportive, helping pupils who may have had negative school experiences feel safe and build trust. The school prepares older pupils exceptionally well for independence and work through practical, purposeful activities with real employers.
Key Strengths
- Highly individualised approach to personal development with meaningful real-world experiences tailored to each pupil's interests and needs
- Strong pastoral support and caring staff who celebrate achievements and help pupils feel safe and valued
- Effective careers education and work experience opportunities that prepare older pupils and post-16 students for their next steps
- Pupils demonstrate improved ability to regulate their behaviour with good adult support
Areas for Improvement
- Inconsistencies in how the curriculum is taught across the school, affecting pupil progress in some areas
- Attendance codes not used consistently and reasons for absences not always recorded accurately
- Teachers' assessment not always precise, sometimes resulting in pupils working on tasks not matched to their learning stage
- Recent curriculum and inclusion improvements are still in early stages with impact yet to be determined
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Work experience with local charities and employers, off-site visits, employer encounters with florists and architects, community experiences, independent living skills activities
Thornhill Park School is a special education setting where all pupils have education, health and care plans. The school provides a broad, ambitious curriculum with personalised pathways, though recent leadership changes mean improvements are still in early stages.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
0.0
Avg class size
0
Total classes
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
86%
Available places
69 pupils
80 capacity
11 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Sunderland
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Sunderland
Admissions Demand - Sunderland
Places available
3,354
Applications
2,859
Got 1st preference
95.1%
Got preferred school
99.0%
Secondary admissions across Sunderland (2025/26)
Inspection History(10)
House Prices
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
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Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Thornhill Park School
Plains Farm Academy
Sunningdale School
Barnes Junior School
Barnes Infant Academy
Richard Avenue Primary School
Thorney Close Primary School
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland
Broadway Junior School
St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland
Farringdon Academy
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Nearby Schools
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