Christ's College
90%
Capacity
778
Pupils
1.6x
Demand
About Christ's College
Christ's College in Sunderland was rated Good in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2019. The school's Progress 8 score, which measures how much pupils progress between Key Stage 2 and GCSEs compared with the national average, stands at -0.68. This places the school well below average nationally and ranks it 14th out of 17 secondary schools in the Sunderland local authority, putting it in the bottom half of schools in the region. The school's Attainment 8 score is 39.9, and 58.3% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSEs. However, only 34.7% achieved the stronger grade 5 or above in both subjects. The English Baccalaureate average point score is 3.48, with just 15.3% of pupils entering the EBacc combination of subjects.
The school's Progress 8 score of -0.68 is notably below the Sunderland local authority average of -0.31, indicating that pupils here make less progress than their peers across the borough. Breaking this down, the school's weakest progress scores are in the EBacc subjects (-0.85) and open subjects (-0.85), while progress in maths (-0.4) and English (-0.46) is closer to the national average. The school's progress 8 banding is classified as well below average. In the 2023/24 academic year, 33.3% of pupils entered the EBacc, and 11.1% achieved a grade 5 or above in it. The school's Ofsted report notes that behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management are all Good, with early years provision also rated Good.
Christ's College is an all-through school for pupils aged 4 to 18, though it does not have a sixth form or nursery provision. It is a state-funded mixed school with no religious character, serving 778 pupils against a capacity of 860. The school is oversubscribed for Year 7 entry in 2025/26, receiving 140 applications for 87 places, with 81 first-preference offers made from 87 first-preference applications. A high proportion of pupils (32.9%) are eligible for free school meals. The school offers a range of facilities including tennis courts, a library, gymnasium, astro turf, science labs, and a sixth form centre. Sports include swimming, cricket, rugby, and hockey, while clubs range from orchestra and choir to Duke of Edinburgh and Young Enterprise. SEND provisions cover specific learning difficulties, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication, hearing impairment, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. This school may suit families looking for an improving secondary with strong SEND support and a broad extracurricular offer, though those prioritising academic progress may want to consider higher-performing options in the area.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 4 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Pennywell Road, Sunderland, Sunderland, SR4 8PG |
| Headteacher | Julie Normanton |
| Local Authority | Sunderland |
| Number of Pupils | 778 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 32.9% |
| School Capacity | 778 / 860 (90% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
17 Oct 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 30 Nov 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.68)
2819th of 3,141
Nationally
117th of 142
In North East
14th of 17
In Sunderland
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly 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
2022/2318%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 34 pupils).
- FE college76%
- School sixth form (stay)18%
- Apprenticeship6%
100% 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
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed87
140
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
87 families put this school as their 1st choice (62% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:25 – 15:00
Breakfast club
07:45-08:30
Source: christscollege.org.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than half 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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British73.9%
- Mixed4.4%
- Asian2.3%
- White (other)1.9%
- Black0.5%
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.
75% 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.
11
Total schools
9
Oversubscribed
7
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 Christ's College
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
Pennywell Road, Sunderland
Sunderland, SR4 8PG
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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