Barnwell Academy

Barnwell Academy is performing exceptionally well, with an overall effectiveness rating of outstanding. The school provides a high-quality education that ensures all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve outstanding outcomes. Strong leadership has fostered an environment where pupils display exemplary behavior and attitudes toward learning, resulting in high levels of engagement and attendance. The exceptional curriculum is designed to cater to the individual needs of students, promoting excellent progress across subjects from early years through to Year 6.

Strengths

• Exceptional quality of education.
• Outstanding support for pupils with SEND.
• High levels of respect and cooperation among pupils.
• Strong leadership that drives school improvement.
• Rich extra-curricular opportunities that enhance personal development.

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 Barnwell Academy attended 96.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 6.5% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

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, 0.0% of pupils at Barnwell Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No 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 Barnwell Academy had 31.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 22.2% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

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, 13.9% of pupils at Barnwell Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.0% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

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 primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Barnwell Academy received £7,868 and spent £7,476 for each of its 269 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £789,000 (£2,932 per pupil).

Across all 6 schools of Tyne and Wear Learning Trust, income was £6,359 and spending £6,470 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 Houghton Le Spring · Sunderland local authority: places and applications

Barnwell Academy is part of Tyne and Wear Learning Trust, which runs 6 schools. The nearest others:

• East Herrington Primary Academy Sunderland
• Hetton Lyons Primary School Houghton Le Spring
• Whitburn Village Primary School Sunderland
• Dunn Street Primary School Jarrow
• Marine Park Primary School South Shields

What is Barnwell Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Barnwell Academy is Outstanding, from an inspection in September 2023.

When was Barnwell Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Barnwell Academy was last inspected in September 2023.

How many pupils does Barnwell Academy have?

Barnwell Academy has 302 pupils on roll.

What age range does Barnwell Academy cover?

Barnwell Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Barnwell Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

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

Where is Barnwell Academy?

Barnwell Academy is at Whitefield Estate, Penshaw, Houghton le Spring, Tyne and Wear, DH4 7RT.