Red House Academy

Red House Academy has shown remarkable improvement since its previous inadequate inspection, achieving a good rating in overall effectiveness. The leadership team has successfully raised expectations and transformed both the curriculum and behavior within the school. With enhanced attendance and a broader curriculum, including new subjects such as French and music, students are thriving and engaged in their education. Teachers are providing additional support for Year 11 students as they prepare for their GCSEs, reflecting a commitment to ensuring all pupils achieve their best. Despite these positive developments, there are areas that require attention, particularly regarding the ambitiousness of the curriculum for the most able pupils. The current curriculum does not allow for all students to pursue the English baccalaureate, potentially hindering their academic potential. Additionally, some students require further support in basic arithmetic and speaking confidence, as well as ongoing efforts to improve attendance, which remains above the national average. Overall, the school is on a promising path, but must continue to address these challenges.

Strengths

• Rapid improvement since the last inspection.
• Effective leadership raising expectations.
• Successful recruitment of well-organized teachers.
• Introduction of a broader curriculum.
• Positive behavior and respectful culture among students.
• Strong support for Year 11 students preparing for GCSEs.
• Good planning and sequencing in the curriculum.
• Effective safeguarding arrangements.

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum lacks ambition for most able pupils.
• Some students not fluent in basic arithmetic.
• Limited opportunities for students to practice speaking aloud.
• Attendance remains above the national average.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Red House Academy attended 89.7% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 29.2% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 22.2% of pupils at Red House Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 5 pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Red House Academy had 21.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 18.5% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 19.4% of pupils at Red House Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 1.2% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Red House Academy received £9,782 and spent £11,155 for each of its 448 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £472,000 (£1,054 per pupil).

Across all 30 schools of Northern Education Trust, income was £8,462 and spending £8,166 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Sunderland · Sunderland local authority: places and applications

Red House Academy is part of Northern Education Trust, which runs 30 schools. The nearest others:

• Farringdon Community Academy Sunderland
• Hetton Academy Houghton Le Spring
• Hilton Primary Academy Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
• Walbottle Academy Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
• The Blyth Academy Blyth
• Thorp Academy Ryton
• Dyke House Sports and Technology College Hartlepool
• Manor Community Academy Hartlepool
• Frederick Nattrass Primary Academy Stockton-On-Tees
• Norton Primary Academy Stockton-On-Tees

What is Red House Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Red House Academy is Good, from an inspection in May 2025.

When was Red House Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Red House Academy was last inspected in May 2025.

How many pupils does Red House Academy have?

Red House Academy has 432 pupils on roll.

What age range does Red House Academy cover?

Red House Academy for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Red House Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 49.8, and 62% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Red House Academy?

Red House Academy is at Rutherglen Road, Red House Estate, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR5 5LN.