New Silksworth Academy Infant

Silksworth Academy Infant continues to perform well, maintaining its 'good' rating following this ungraded inspection. The evidence suggests that if a graded inspection were conducted now, the school could achieve an 'outstanding' rating. With a strong emphasis on learning behaviors and high aspirations for all students, the school has fostered a positive environment where pupils feel safe, respected, and excited about their education. The headteacher and the trust leadership are committed to providing an exceptional educational experience for the whole-school community.

Strengths

• Strong sense of belonging among pupils.
• Ambitious curriculum designed for all age groups.
• Effective teaching of phonics resulting in confident readers.
• High expectations and exceptional support for pupils with SEND.
• Positive behavior among pupils supported by warm relationships.

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 New Silksworth Academy Infant attended 94.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 14.6% 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 New Silksworth Academy Infant 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 New Silksworth Academy Infant had 19.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 24.2% 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, 20.5% of pupils at New Silksworth Academy Infant were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.9% 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 New Silksworth Academy Infant received £7,298 and spent £7,116 for each of its 179 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £304,000 (£1,701 per pupil).

Across all 8 schools of Extol Academy Trust, income was £7,637 and spending £7,801 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

New Silksworth Academy Infant is part of Extol Academy Trust, which runs 8 schools. The nearest others:

• New Silksworth Academy Junior Sunderland
• Clavering Primary School Hartlepool
• Springwell School Hartlepool
• Eldon Grove Academy Hartlepool
• Rossmere Academy Hartlepool
• Roseberry Primary School Billingham
• Thorntree Academy Middlesbrough

What is New Silksworth Academy Infant's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for New Silksworth Academy Infant is Good, from an inspection in September 2024.

When was New Silksworth Academy Infant last inspected by Ofsted?

New Silksworth Academy Infant was last inspected in September 2024.

How many pupils does New Silksworth Academy Infant have?

New Silksworth Academy Infant has 215 pupils on roll.

What age range does New Silksworth Academy Infant cover?

New Silksworth Academy Infant for pupils aged 2 to 7.

Where is New Silksworth Academy Infant?

New Silksworth Academy Infant is at Blind Lane, New Silksworth, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR3 1AS.