Castle View Enterprise Academy
97%
Capacity
1,019
Pupils
1.3x
Demand
About Castle View Enterprise Academy
Castle View Enterprise Academy in Sunderland is a secondary school that is currently very close to full, with 1,019 pupils on roll against a capacity of 1,050. The school’s intake reflects a significantly higher-than-average level of disadvantage: 46.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, compared with the national secondary average of around 24%. This context is important for understanding the school’s results and its role in the community. Demand for places is strong — for entry in 2025/26, the school received 246 applications for 188 places, making it officially oversubscribed. Of those, 183 families put Castle View as their first preference, and all 183 received an offer. That gives an oversubscription ratio of 1.31, meaning for every place there were roughly 1.3 applicants. The school is non-denominational and co-educational, serving pupils aged 11 to 16, with no sixth form on site.
Academically, Castle View sits in the middle of the pack locally and nationally. Its Progress 8 score of -0.18 is rated as ‘Average’ by the Department for Education, and it ranks 7th out of 17 schools in Sunderland on this measure. That is a solid result given the school’s high FSM intake, and it outperforms the local authority average Progress 8 score of -0.31. In the 2023/24 exams, pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 42.8, and 63.6% secured a grade 4 or above in both English and maths (the basics measure at the standard pass threshold). The school’s strongest Progress 8 subject area was maths, where it scored +0.19, while English was weaker at -0.41. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2023, the school was rated Good across all five categories, including behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management — a consistent Good rating that it has held since at least its previous inspection in 2012.
Castle View offers a broad range of facilities, including a theatre, music rooms, art studios, science labs, a sports hall, astro turf, and a gymnasium. Sports provision is extensive, with options like rowing, martial arts, gymnastics, and swimming alongside more traditional football and rugby. There is also a strong set of clubs, including science club, orchestra, debate, and eco club. The school has a well-documented SEND offer, covering eight categories from dyslexia and autistic spectrum disorder to speech and language needs and physical disability. For families considering Castle View, the key takeaway is that it is a popular, oversubscribed school serving a high-needs community, with academic results that are broadly in line with the national average and above the local average. It suits families who value a school with good facilities and a strong pastoral focus, rather than a highly selective or academically elite setting.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Cartwright Road, Sunderland, Sunderland, SR5 3DX |
| Headteacher | Joanne Owens |
| Local Authority | Sunderland |
| Number of Pupils | 1,019 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 46.4% |
| School Capacity | 1,019 / 1,050 (97% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
27 Jun 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Source: Ofsted, 13 Sept 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.18)
1973rd of 3,141
Nationally
70th of 142
In North East
7th of 17
In Sunderland
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/234%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 164 pupils).
- FE college64%
- Apprenticeship15%
- Not sustained8%
- Employment6%
- School sixth form (stay)4%
91% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
10Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed188
246
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
183 families put this school as their 1st choice (74% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Among the highest-disadvantage schools.
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British92.8%
- Mixed2.0%
- Asian0.7%
- White (other)0.6%
- Black0.1%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
8
Total schools
7
Oversubscribed
6
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About Castle View Enterprise Academy
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Cartwright Road, Sunderland
Sunderland, SR5 3DX
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
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