Ofsted: Good trending_up Places Available emoji_events #9 in Sunderland public Top 9% UK

Highfield Academy

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMrs Melanie Davies

corporate_fareIRIS LEARNING TRUST

location_onSunderland, SR4 0DA

language Visit Website phone 1915537655

verified

Ofsted

Good

Inspected 2013

groups

Students

422

school

Expected Standard

82%

local_fire_department

Demand Ratio

1.0x

summarize

Highfield Academy is a Academy converter primary school in Sunderland, serving ages 2-11. Rated Good by Ofsted. Ranks in the top 9% of primary schools nationally.

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School Summary

Highfield Academy is an academy converter in Sunderland, admitting pupils aged 2-11. It is part of IRIS LEARNING TRUST. The school has approximately 446 pupils on roll, of whom 53% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, 82% of pupils met the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths combined, with 26% achieving the higher standard. The school ranks #9 of 73 primaries in Sunderland and #1,176 of 14,143 nationally.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2013. The school's current overall rating is Good.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 1.0× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 20.6:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 0.0 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

school

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

2025

R/W/M Expected Standard

82%

LA 63%

Reading84% LA 73%

Writing84% LA 72%

Maths82% LA 74%

Read SS

109

Maths SS

107

GPS SS

108

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

70%

LA 63%England 61%

Reading77% LA 74% · Eng 74%

Writing80% LA 73% · Eng 72%

Maths77% LA 73% · Eng 73%

Read SS

106

Maths SS

105

GPS SS

105

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

77%

LA 60%England 60%

Reading82% LA 72% · Eng 73%

Writing82% LA 73% · Eng 71%

Maths78% LA 72% · Eng 73%

Read SS

105

Maths SS

104

GPS SS

102

Progress (0 = national avg)

1.9

Read

LA -0.4

0.3 to 3.6

4.0

Write

LA 0.3

2.5 to 5.6

1.1

Maths

LA -0.4

-0.5 to 2.6

2019

R/W/M Expected Standard

64%

LA 64%England 65%

Reading73% LA 72% · Eng 73%

Writing73% LA 79% · Eng 78%

Maths70% LA 78% · Eng 79%

Read SS

101

Maths SS

104

GPS SS

106

Progress (0 = national avg)

0.9

Read

LA 0.4

-0.9 to 2.8

2.7

Write

LA 1.2

1.0 to 4.4

2.1

Maths

LA 0.5

0.4 to 3.7

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

No digital report timeline available.

Inspection History

2 Evaluations

2013-04-25

S5 Inspection EIF

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

2011-03-02

None EIF

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Requires improvement

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

gavel

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

0.0%per term

sentiment_satisfied Below Average (Good)

National average: 0.8% for this term (primary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

0.0%(0 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 1.225% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 446 pupils. During this period, there were 0 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 0.0%, which is below the termly national average of 0.8%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg
2024/25 (Spring term)	446	0	0.0%	0.8%
2024/25 (Autumn term)	432	0	0.0%	0.9%
2023/24 (Summer term)	440	1	0.2%	0.8%
2023/24 (Spring term)	428	0	0.0%	0.7%
2023/24 (Autumn term)	413	3	0.7%	0.8%
2022/23 (Summer term)	437	2	0.5%	0.7%
2022/23 (Spring term)	422	7	1.7%	0.6%
2022/23 (Autumn term)	407	9	2.2%	0.6%
2021/22 (Summer term)	404	7	1.7%	0.5%
2021/22 (Spring term)	393	3	0.8%	0.5%
2021/22 (Autumn term)	389	4	1.0%	0.5%
2020/21 (Summer term)	375	1	0.3%	0.4%
2020/21 (Spring term)	359	1	0.3%	0.1%
2020/21 (Autumn term)	349	2	0.6%	0.4%
2019/20 (Summer term)	371	0	0.0%	0.0%
2019/20 (Spring term)	371	9	2.4%	0.4%
2019/20 (Autumn term)	359	9	2.5%	0.6%
2018/19 (Summer term)	372	10	2.7%	0.4%
2018/19 (Spring term)	372	8	2.2%	0.5%
2018/19 (Autumn term)	371	7	1.9%	0.5%

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Speech, Language & Communication 47 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 34 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 17 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 11 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 10 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 4 pupils

Hearing Impairment 1 pupils

Visual Impairment 1 pupils

Physical Disability 1 pupils

health_and_safety

Parent View on Pastoral Care

Results from the official Ofsted Parent View survey, reflecting direct parent sentiment regarding the school environment.

My child is happy at this school.

90.0%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

79.0%Positive

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

32.0%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree53%

agree26%

disagree11%

strongly disagree11%

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

strongly agree58%

agree26%

disagree11%

strongly disagree5%

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

strongly agree37%

agree21%

disagree11%

strongly disagree11%

not applicable21%

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

strongly agree42%

agree42%

disagree5%

don't know11%

My child does well at this school.

strongly agree63%

agree32%

strongly disagree5%

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

strongly agree47%

agree42%

disagree5%

strongly disagree5%

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

strongly agree58%

agree21%

disagree5%

don't know16%

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

strongly agree58%

agree37%

disagree5%

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

strongly agree53%

agree32%

disagree11%

strongly disagree5%

I would recommend this school to another parent.

yes79%

no21%

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School Summary

Academic Performance

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Distance to School

School Capacity

Primary Admission Trends

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Parent View on Pastoral Care

My child is happy at this school.

My child feels safe at this school.

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

My child does well at this school.

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

I would recommend this school to another parent.

Funding & Staffing

School Funding Allocation

Funding Breakdown

Staffing

Teacher Turnover

Top Primary Schools in Sunderland

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland

St Paul's CofE Primary School

St Leonard's Catholic Primary School, Silksworth

St Anne's Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School

Blackfell Primary School

Valley Road Academy