Venerable Bede Church of England Academy
94%
Capacity
843
Pupils
1.7x
Demand
About Venerable Bede Church of England Academy
Ofsted's Parent View survey, based on 130 responses collected between September 2024 and September 2025, shows that 44% of parents would recommend Venerable Bede Church of England Academy to another family, while 56% would not. Despite this, the school is oversubscribed for the 2025/26 academic year, receiving 191 applications for 114 places, an oversubscription ratio of 1.68. 106 first-preference applications were made, and all 106 received offers. On specific questions, 62% of parents agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy at the school, and 70% felt their child is safe. However, only 35% agreed that concerns are dealt with properly, and just 42% agreed the school has high expectations for their child. For parents of children with SEND, 29% agreed the school provides the support needed, while 64% disagreed. The school's most recent graded Ofsted inspection in January 2025 rated it Inadequate overall, a significant drop from its previous Good rating.
Academically, Venerable Bede's results place it well below average nationally. Its Progress 8 score for the 2023/24 academic year was -1.04, meaning pupils achieved over a grade less per subject than similar students nationally. This is significantly below the Sunderland local authority average of -0.31. The school ranks 16th out of 17 secondary schools in Sunderland on this measure, and 3039th out of 3141 schools nationally. Attainment 8, which measures average GCSE grades, was 37.6, compared with a national average of around 46. Only 21.5% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths, and just 10.7% entered and achieved the English Baccalaureate at that level. The school's EBacc average point score was 3.4. In the Ofsted inspection, the quality of education was judged Inadequate. The school does not have a sixth form, so pupils leave at 16.
The school offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, astro turf, sports hall, music rooms, and a chapel. Sports on offer include rowing, rugby, hockey, and cricket, and there are clubs such as the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, orchestra, debate, and coding. The school's SEND provisions cover nine areas including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health support. With 32% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a community with above-average deprivation. Despite being oversubscribed, the significant decline in Ofsted rating and very low Progress 8 score mean parents considering this school will want to investigate recent changes and speak directly with the headteacher, Tracey Burgess, about plans for improvement. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is St Aidan's Catholic Academy, 2.1 km away.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Church of England |
| Address | Tunstall Bank, Sunderland, Sunderland, SR2 0SX |
| Headteacher | Tracey Burgess |
| Local Authority | Sunderland |
| Number of Pupils | 843 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 32.0% |
| School Capacity | 843 / 900 (94% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
21 Jan 2025Quality of Education
Inadequate
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Source: Ofsted, 10 Mar 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-1.04)
3039th of 3,141
Nationally
131st of 142
In North East
16th 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
2022/2326%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 182 pupils).
- FE college57%
- School sixth form (stay)26%
- Employment7%
- Not sustained6%
- Apprenticeship3%
94% 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.
Ofsted Parent View
130 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
12Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
19Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed114
191
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
106 families put this school as their 1st choice (55% 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 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.
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British93.2%
- White (other)2.3%
- Mixed1.5%
- Asian0.5%
- Black0.2%
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.
12
Total schools
8
Oversubscribed
10
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Venerable Bede Church of England 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
Tunstall Bank, Sunderland
Sunderland, SR2 0SX
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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