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Sunderland, North East
Barbara Priestman Academy is a secondary special school in Sunderland, North East.
Government data shown for the 2024/25 academic year
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Barbara Priestman Academy is a secondary special school in Sunderland, North East. It has not yet been rated by students on y.school. Be the first to rate this special school and help other students and parents understand what the school experience is really like.
In terms of academic performance, Barbara Priestman Academy has a Progress 8 score of -1.91 (below the national average), an Attainment 8 score of 3.5, 4% of students achieving grade 4+ in English and Maths.
The school has 50 pupils on roll, a teacher turnover rate of 11.0%, 39% of pupils eligible for free school meals, an overall absence rate of 12.3%.
All student scores on y.school are calculated from anonymous ratings using a transparent, deterministic methodology. Scores are freshness-weighted (18-month half-life) and include confidence tiers based on sample size, diversity, and consistency. For full details, see the y.school methodology.
Profile completeness: 5 of 8 data domains · Good coverage
6.9
Above Average
/ 10
Data Score
Computed from 9 government data points. Not based on student reviews.
Source: DfE / Ofsted · context onlyGovernment data is shown for context and does not influence the student-review Student Score. Small schools can show extreme percentages from small sample sizes.
Special school data note
Special schools serve pupils with specific needs and follow adapted curricula. Standard exam metrics like Attainment 8 may not reflect the school's educational quality or the progress pupils actually make.
Latest government data shown is for the 2024/25 academic year; some figures cover earlier years.
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Barbara Priestman Academy has a Progress 8 score of -1.91, which is below the national average of 0. Progress 8 measures how much progress students make between the end of Key Stage 2 and their GCSE results, compared to students with similar starting points nationally.
The school's Attainment 8 score is 3.5. Attainment 8 measures the average achievement of students across 8 qualifications including English, Maths, three EBacc subjects, and three open group qualifications.
4% of students at Barbara Priestman Academy achieved grade 4 or above in both English and Maths GCSEs.
Barbara Priestman Academy has an overall absence rate of 12.3%. The national average for secondary schools was approximately 8.5% (DfE, 2023/24).
The teacher turnover rate at Barbara Priestman Academy is 11.0%. This measures the percentage of teachers who left the school in the past year.
Barbara Priestman Academy has 50 pupils on roll.
39% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is used as a proxy for socioeconomic disadvantage.
100% of pupils receive SEN (Special Educational Needs) support or have an Education, Health and Care plan.
Barbara Priestman Academy was rated "Good" by Ofsted following an inspection in March 2024 (2 years ago). Based on Ofsted's inspection cycle, Barbara Priestman Academy is next inspection expected around 2028.
A "Good" rating means Ofsted found the school provides a high standard of education across all areas assessed. It has historically been the most common Ofsted rating.
Based on the latest government data. Every child is different — use this as a starting point, not a verdict.
In context — vs similar-intake schools
Bottom 25% for its intakeBarbara Priestman Academy is in the bottom 25% for Progress 8 among schools with a similar intake (34–97% of pupils eligible for free school meals).
Compared with 697 schools nationally that have a similar share of disadvantaged pupils (34–97% of pupils eligible for free school meals). Raw league-table positions are heavily shaped by intake; this comparison isolates how a school performs relative to others facing similar circumstances. Progress 8 already accounts for prior attainment. Source: Department for Education.
See the schools that most outperform their intakeSchools like this one
Matched on the share of disadvantaged pupils plus special-needs, English-as-an-additional-language and school size — so you can compare like with like, not just by postcode.
National percentiles (100 = best) for the area around the school · 5/5 measures · Police.uk, DEFRA, NaPTAN, DfT STATS19, MHCLG IoD 2025.
Other schools in the Sunderland area
Note: From November 2025, Ofsted replaced single-word judgements with detailed report cards covering multiple categories. While Barbara Priestman Academy's rating shown above was awarded under the previous system, Ofsted now provides more granular assessments. For the most up-to-date inspection information, check the school's report card on the Ofsted website.
Ofsted data is shown for context only and does not influence the Student Score. For the official report, visit reports.ofsted.gov.uk.