Monkwearmouth Academy

Monkwearmouth Academy is a rapidly improving school that has recently undergone its first inspection, resulting in a 'Good' overall effectiveness rating. The school has implemented a variety of programs, such as the 'ME time' initiative, which provides pupils with numerous opportunities for personal development and community engagement. Positive behavioral expectations are instilled among pupils who generally demonstrate respect and courtesy towards each other. However, some students, particularly disadvantaged ones, struggle with attendance, which affects their academic performance and engagement in school activities.

Strengths

• The school has a well-planned PSHE curriculum promoting personal development.
• Teachers demonstrate secure subject knowledge and effectively support pupils with SEND.
• There are numerous extracurricular opportunities for students, including clubs and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
• The school fosters a supportive environment with high levels of care for students.
• Governance is strong, with trustees actively monitoring school progress.

Areas for Improvement

• Attendance rates, particularly among disadvantaged pupils, are lower than expected.
• Certain curriculum plans lack sufficient detail and depth, limiting learning opportunities.
• Some pupils struggle to retain knowledge due to variations in teaching.

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 Monkwearmouth Academy attended 89.8% 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, 10.6% of pupils at Monkwearmouth Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 7 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 Monkwearmouth Academy had 18.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 12.0% 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, 11.6% of pupils at Monkwearmouth Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 0.9% 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 Monkwearmouth Academy received £8,756 and spent £8,758 for each of its 805 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £39,000 (-£49 per pupil).

Across all 5 schools of Tyne Coast Academy Trust, income was £9,114 and spending £9,201 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

Monkwearmouth Academy is part of Tyne Coast Academy Trust, which runs 5 schools. The nearest others:

• Redby Academy Sunderland
• Ridgeway Primary Academy South Shields
• Walker Riverside Academy Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
• North East Futures UTC Newcastle Upon Tyne

What is Monkwearmouth Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Monkwearmouth Academy is Good, from an inspection in December 2023.

When was Monkwearmouth Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Monkwearmouth Academy was last inspected in December 2023.

How many pupils does Monkwearmouth Academy have?

Monkwearmouth Academy has 810 pupils on roll.

What age range does Monkwearmouth Academy cover?

Monkwearmouth Academy for pupils aged 11 to 19.

What are Monkwearmouth Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 42.8, and 38% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Monkwearmouth Academy?

Monkwearmouth Academy is at Torver Crescent, Seaburn Dene, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR6 8LG.