Christ's College

Christ's College has shown significant improvements since its previous inspection, moving from a grade of requires improvement to good. The school provides a nurturing environment where pupils are well supported, particularly in early reading. While the majority of lessons are characterized by good behavior and a calm atmosphere, there are still occasional instances of low-level disruption in some secondary classes. Attendance rates, particularly among disadvantaged pupils, remain a concern, impacting their learning experiences.

Strengths

• Caring and nurturing environment for pupils
• Strong relationships between staff and pupils
• Ambitious curriculum designed for all pupils, including those with SEND
• Effective phonics teaching starting from Reception
• Variety of extracurricular clubs and leadership opportunities

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent delivery of the curriculum in secondary lessons
• Need for better use of assessment information to inform teaching
• Lack of analysis regarding behavioral patterns and trends
• Low attendance rates, particularly among disadvantaged pupils

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 Christ's College attended 92.7% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 25.3% 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, 9.0% of pupils at Christ's College were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 2 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 Christ's College had 18.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 7.7% 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, 13.6% of pupils at Christ's College were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 1.6% 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 Christ's College received £7,221 and spent £6,793 for each of its 780 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £300,000 (£384 per pupil).

Across all 5 schools of Emmanuel Schools Foundation, income was £8,099 and spending £7,883 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

Christ's College is part of Emmanuel Schools Foundation, which runs 5 schools. The nearest others:

• Grace College Gateshead
• Bede Academy Blyth
• The King's Academy Middlesbrough
• Trinity Academy Doncaster

What is Christ's College's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Christ's College is Good, from an inspection in December 2023.

When was Christ's College last inspected by Ofsted?

Christ's College was last inspected in December 2023.

How many pupils does Christ's College have?

Christ's College has 796 pupils on roll.

What age range does Christ's College cover?

Christ's College for pupils aged 4 to 18.

What are Christ's College's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 40.8, and 41% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

What are Christ's College's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 63% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Christ's College?

Christ's College is at Pennywell Road, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR4 8PG.