St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland

St Cuthbert’s is a welcoming, caring Catholic primary where pupils feel safe, proud and part of a strong ‘family’ ethos. This was its first section 5 inspection; it is an academy within Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, and its predecessor school was previously judged outstanding. Pupils meet high expectations, achieve well by the end of key stages, and behaviour and attitudes are strong. Personal development is a particular standout, with an exceptional programme of trips, residentials and ‘101 things’ experiences that builds independence, resilience and wonder. The curriculum is well sequenced and reading is a clear strength: phonics is taught expertly and pupils who fall behind are quickly supported. Pupils with SEND are well supported, early years children settle quickly, and leadership, governance and trust arrangements are collaborative and effective. Safeguarding is effective. Two areas need further work. Assessment is still being embedded in some subjects, so leaders and teachers are not always precise about what pupils know and remember. In early years, some less formal activities are not consistently linked to the key knowledge children should learn, meaning children do not always get the most from those activities.

Strengths

• A strong caring and welcoming ethos gives pupils a sense of belonging and safety.
• Pupils are proud of their school and behave well, settling quickly into learning.
• Pupils achieve well in end-of-key-stage examinations.
• Reading and phonics are taught expertly, with swift support for pupils who fall behind.
• The curriculum is well sequenced so pupils build knowledge over time.
• Pupils with SEND receive effective support and adults are well equipped to meet their needs.
• Early years children settle quickly through a clear transition process.
• Personal development is exceptional, with sequenced residential visits and ‘101 things’ experiences.
• Careers learning and varied trips broaden pupils’ horizons and aspirations.
• Leadership, governance, trust and diocese work collaboratively in pupils’ interests.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Areas for Improvement

• Assessment is not yet securely embedded in some subjects, limiting precision about what pupils know and remember.
• Some early years activities, particularly in less formal or continuous provision, are not clearly linked to key knowledge.

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 St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland attended 94.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 8.9% 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, 0.4% of pupils at St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland 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 St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland had 24.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 31.2% 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, 21.7% of pupils at St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 0.8% 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 St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland received £6,432 and spent £6,406 for each of its 235 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £213,000 (£909 per pupil).

Across all 30 schools of Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, income was £7,338 and spending £7,295 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

St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland is part of Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, which runs 31 schools. The nearest others:

• St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland Sunderland
• St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland Sunderland
• St Anthony's Girls' Catholic Academy Sunderland
• St Aidan's Catholic Academy Sunderland
• St Leonard's Catholic Primary School, Silksworth Sunderland
• English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School, Sunderland Sunderland
• St John Bosco Catholic Primary School, Town End Farm, Sunderland Sunderland
• St Patrick's Catholic Primary School, Ryhope Sunderland
• St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, Seaham Seaham
• St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Jarrow Jarrow

What is St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland is Good, from an inspection in October 2024.

When was St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland last inspected by Ofsted?

St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland was last inspected in October 2024.

How many pupils does St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland have?

St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland has 240 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland cover?

St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 74% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland?

St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland is at Grindon Lane, Grindon, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR4 8HP.