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St Aidan's Catholic Academy

Sunderland, SR2 7HJSecondaryAges 11–18BoysState
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted inspected
5 Good
Feb 2025
Progress 8
+0.37
Above average
−20+2
Competition
1.0×
Not oversubscribed
187 1st-choice / 192 places
Ranking
🏆Top 25%
#712 of 3,141 nationally

About St Aidan's Catholic Academy

St Aidan's Catholic Academy in Sunderland is a boys' secondary school with a sixth form that is running very close to capacity, with 992 pupils on roll against a school capacity of 1,000. The school's intake reflects a significant level of disadvantage: 19.4 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average for secondary schools. Despite this, the school is heavily oversubscribed. For the 2025/26 academic year, it received 285 applications for 192 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.48. Of those, 187 were first-preference applications, and 187 first-preference offers were made, meaning virtually every family that put it first got a place, but demand still far outstrips supply. The school is Roman Catholic in character, and its headteacher is Anne-Marie Whitten. It is one of only a handful of single-sex state schools in the area, and the only boys' school in Sunderland rated Outstanding by Ofsted.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 18 years
GenderBoys
Religious CharacterRoman Catholic
AddressWillowbank Road, Sunderland, Sunderland, SR2 7HJ
HeadteacherAnne-Marie Whitten
Local AuthoritySunderland
Number of Pupils992
Free School Meals (FSM)19.4%
School Capacity992 / 1,000 (99% full)
Sixth FormYes

The full report on this school

What 96 parents told Ofsted, the inspection in plain English, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

18 Feb 2025
View Report
Quality of Education
Outstanding
Behaviour & Attitudes
Outstanding
Personal Development
Outstanding
Leadership & Management
Outstanding
Sixth Form Provision
Good

From September 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade in inspections of state-funded schools.

Source: Ofsted, 25 Mar 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

11
LibraryDining HallSixth Form CentreScience LabsGymnasiumICT SuiteSports HallTennis CourtsPlaying FieldsSwimming PoolChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

19

Sports

AthleticsBadmintonCross CountryMartial ArtsFootballSwimmingGymnasticsBasketball

Clubs & Activities

OrchestraChessCodingDuke of EdinburghDebateScience ClubBook ClubEco ClubFilm ClubYoung EnterpriseModel United Nations

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionPhysicalLearning DifficultySevere LearningOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

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Frequently Asked Questions About St Aidan's Catholic Academy

St Aidan's Catholic Academy has been rated "Outstanding" by Ofsted. This means the school provides an exceptional quality of education, and pupils thrive both academically and personally.