St Anthony's Girls' Catholic Academy
93%
Capacity
1,306
Pupils
1.5x
Demand
About St Anthony's Girls' Catholic Academy
St Anthony's Girls' Catholic Academy is a popular choice among Sunderland families, and the numbers back that up. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 316 applications for 205 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.54. Of those, 217 families put it as their first preference, and 198 first-preference offers were made. That level of demand suggests parents who get a place tend to be pleased with what's on offer. The school is a state-funded Roman Catholic secondary for girls aged 11 to 18, with a current roll of 1,306 pupils against a capacity of 1,400. Headteacher Marie Lanaghan leads a school where 21 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is slightly above the national average and points to a genuinely comprehensive intake.
Academically, St Anthony's delivers solid results that sit comfortably above the local average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.09 is rated 'Average' nationally, but in the context of Sunderland's LA average of -0.31, that's a strong performance. The school ranks 4th out of 17 secondary schools in the local authority and 38th out of 142 in the North East region. At GCSE, 84 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, and the Attainment 8 score stands at 54.2. The EBacc entry rate is high at 69.3 per cent, with 47.9 per cent achieving a grade 4 or above across the EBacc subjects. In the sixth form, A-level points per entry average 31.66, equivalent to a C grade, though the value-added score of -0.38 is rated 'Below average'. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 rated it Good across all categories, a step down from its previous Outstanding rating in 2013.
The school is well equipped with facilities including a theatre, astro turf, science labs, a chapel, and a dedicated sixth form centre. There's a wide range of sports on offer, from netball and hockey to swimming and rugby, plus clubs covering everything from coding and chess to the Duke of Edinburgh's Award and Model UN. SEND provision is comprehensive, with support for specific learning difficulties, autism, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities, among others. For Catholic families in Sunderland, St Anthony's is a natural fit, but its strong local reputation and oversubscription mean you'll need to apply early and likely have it as a first preference. The school sits just 0.9 km from St Aidan's Catholic Academy, the nearest Outstanding-rated school, so there's healthy competition in the area.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Girls |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Thornhill Terrace, Sunderland, Sunderland, SR2 7JN |
| Headteacher | Marie Lanaghan |
| Local Authority | Sunderland |
| Number of Pupils | 1,306 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 21.0% |
| School Capacity | 1,306 / 1,400 (93% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
24 Jan 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 12 Mar 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.09)
1314th of 3,141
Nationally
38th of 142
In North East
4th of 17
In Sunderland
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make similar progress to students nationally with the same starting point
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.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
36.3
'22/23
32.7
'23/24
31.7
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2356%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 206 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)56%
- FE college33%
- Employment3%
- Not sustained3%
- Apprenticeship2%
95% 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.
Where school leavers go
2022/2373%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 130 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
34%
Russell Group
33%
Top-third HE
1%
Oxford / Cambridge
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)73%
- Employment18%
- Apprenticeship4%
- Not sustained3%
- Further education1%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Sociology35
- Psychology32
- Biology29
- Chemistry23
- Mathematics21
- English Language19
- Business Studies:Single16
- History14
- English Literature10
- Spanish10
- Religious Studies9
- Media/Film/Tv Studies7
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
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
18Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed205
316
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
217 families put this school as their 1st choice (69% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:50 – 15:00
Source: st-anthonys-academy.com. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British70.6%
- Asian18.0%
- Mixed3.0%
- White (other)1.8%
- 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.
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.
14
Total schools
11
Oversubscribed
9
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 St Anthony's Girls' Catholic 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
Thornhill Terrace, Sunderland
Sunderland, SR2 7JN
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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