Highfield Academy

Sunderland · SR4 0DA

General information Primary School · 2-11 years Who goes here 443 pupils, 49.9% FSM

Parent score Rate this school No reviews yet - be the first SEN 25.1% on SEN support Behaviour 7.0% absence rate Staff 14% turnover Financials £6,543 per pupil Environment Buildings and facilities

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Highfield Academy

General Information

Address: Fordfield Road, Ford Estate, Sunderland, SR4 0DA – View on map
Phone: 01915537655
Website: Visit school website
Headteacher: Mrs Melanie Davies
Age range: 2-11 years
Sixth form: No
Intake: Mixed
Religious character: Does not apply
Nursery provision: Yes

Who goes here

443 pupils out of 420 places At or near capacity

Pupils eligible for free school meals: 190
% eligible for free school meals: 49.9%
Pupil mix: 4 in 10 (more mixed than the Sunderland average)
English as an additional language: 16% (England 22%)

Staff

Teachers leaving each year

Teacher turnover: 14% a year (Sunderland 12.6%, typical in England 13.9%)
Where they went: about 13% moved to another school, 87% left state schools altogether (retirement, other careers, independent schools, abroad)
Data years: 2022/23 to 2024/25 (average of 3 years, DfE school workforce census)

Teachers who moved school or left state schools in the year after each November, as a share of all the school's teachers. Some turnover is healthy – retirements, promotions, moving house.

Behaviour

Awaiting Data

About this Behaviour status

We've asked this school for real behaviour figures under Freedom of Information and haven't had a response yet.

Across Sunderland: suspensions by reason

Suspensions for sexual misconduct: 1 (0.0 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2)
Permanent exclusions for sexual misconduct: 0
Suspensions for bullying: 4 (0.2 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2)
Suspensions for abuse against sexual orientation or gender identity: 0 (0.0 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.0)
Data year: 2024/25 (DfE suspensions and exclusions statistics)

These are figures for all state primary schools in Sunderland, not this school's own – the government doesn't publish them school by school. A suspension can have up to three reasons. Most sexual harassment between pupils never leads to a suspension, so these figures show only part of the picture.

Attendance

Overall absence: 7.0%
Persistently absent pupils: 21.7%
Data year: 2024/25

About persistent absence

A pupil is counted as "persistently absent" if they miss 10% or more of their possible school sessions - roughly one day in every two weeks. Schools and Ofsted both pay close attention to this figure specifically, since it can highlight a pattern the overall absence rate alone might hide.

SEN

No dedicated Unit or Resourced Provision

SEN Unit and Resourced Provision

Most mainstream schools don't have a dedicated SEN Unit or Resourced Provision - it isn't a mark against a school that doesn't, just a different kind of setup than one that does.

Pupils on SEN Support: 25.1%
Pupils with an EHC Plan: 2.0%
Data year: 2025/26

Most common needs - SEN Support

Speech, language and communications needs: 42 pupils
Moderate learning difficulty: 22 pupils
Social, emotional and mental health: 22 pupils
Autistic spectrum disorder: 12 pupils
Other difficulty or disability: 8 pupils

Most common needs - EHC Plan

Social, emotional and mental health: 3 pupils
Speech, language and communications needs: 2 pupils
Autistic spectrum disorder: 2 pupils
Specific learning difficulty: 1 pupil
Other difficulty or disability: 1 pupil

These figures show the makeup of the school.

About these SEND figures

These figures give a sense of the makeup of the school - they aren't a judgement on the quality of support provided.

Parent score - no reviews yet –

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Behaviour

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Openness

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Teaching Quality

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School Ethos

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Ability to Deal with Problems

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Headteacher Approval

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SafeguardingSafeguarding (parent rating)How parents rate the school on keeping children safe - how safe their child feels, and how well concerns are listened to and acted on. It's parents' experience, not an inspection result; Ofsted checks safeguarding separately.

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Wraparound CareWraparound Care (parent rating)How parents rate the school's breakfast and after-school clubs - availability, cost and quality. Only asked for infant, junior and primary schools, where it matters most for working parents.

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Would recommend –

Educational Attainment

Good 2022 report

About this Ofsted rating

Ofsted changed how it rates schools in the last couple of years, so ratings from different years aren't always on the same scale - that's why we show the year alongside every rating.

Year 6 SATs results

Met the expected standard in reading, writing & maths: 82% (England 62%)
Reached the higher standard: 26% (England 8%)
Compared with the area: 16 percentage points above the Sunderland average (66%)
Compared with schools with similar pupils: Well above (3-year average 77% against an expected 49%)
3-year average (expected standard): 77%
Expected standard by subject: Reading 84% · Writing 84% · Maths 82% · Grammar, punctuation & spelling 81%
Average test scores: reading 109, maths 107
Based on: 57 Year 6 pupils, 2024/25

View the School Context Comparator – how this school's SATs results compare with schools teaching similar pupils.

SATs results over time

This schoolSunderland averageEngland↗ Improving Up 5 percentage points since 2022/23. In 2024/25 this school was 16 percentage points above the Sunderland average (66%).

Year 6 SATs: 12th of 75 junior and primary schools in the area

=10Biddick Primary School83%
=10St Anne's Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School83%
#12Highfield Academy82%
=13East Herrington Primary Academy81%
=13Hill View Junior Academy81%

Click to see the full ranking

Year 6 SATs ranking

Junior and primary schools in this area, ranked by the % of Year 6 pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (official DfE results, 2024/25). Schools with the same result share a place (shown as =). In small schools one or two children can move a school several places, so treat close positions as roughly equal.

Rank School Score

#1Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy97%
#2St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland95%
#3St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland90%
#4Rickleton Primary School89%
#5St Paul's CofE Primary School88%
=6Bernard Gilpin Primary School87%
=6St Michael's Catholic Primary School, Houghton87%
=8St Leonard's Catholic Primary School, Silksworth85%
=8Valley Road Academy85%
=10Biddick Primary School83%
=10St Anne's Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School83%
#12Highfield Academy82%
=13East Herrington Primary Academy81%
=13Hill View Junior Academy81%
=15Blackfell Primary School80%
=15Seaburn Dene Primary School80%
=15St Bede's Catholic Primary School, Washington80%
#18Mill Hill Primary School79%
=19Bexhill Academy78%
=19Fulwell Junior School78%
=19St Benet's Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School78%
#22St John Boste Catholic Primary School, Washington77%
#23Castletown Primary School76%
#24Willow Wood Community Primary School75%
=25Fatfield Academy74%
=25Holley Park Academy74%
=25St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland74%
=28East Rainton Primary School72%
=28St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Washington72%
#30Shiney Row Primary School71%
#31Redby Academy70%
=32South Hylton Primary Academy69%
=32Usworth Colliery Primary School69%
=34Diamond Hall Junior Academy68%
=34English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School, Sunderland68%
=34Hudson Road Primary School68%
=34Newbottle Primary Academy68%
=34Northern Saints Church of England Academy68%
=39Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw67%
=39Ryhope Junior School67%
#41Springwell Village Primary School66%
=42John F Kennedy Primary School65%
=42Plains Farm Academy65%
#44Richard Avenue Primary School64%
=45Barnwell Academy63%
=45Christ's College63%
=45Dubmire Primary63%
=45Easington Lane Primary School63%
=45Grangetown Primary School63%
=45Thorney Close Primary School63%
=51Eppleton Academy Primary School62%
=51George Washington Primary School62%
#53Academy 36061%
=54Barmston Village Primary School60%
=54Farringdon Academy60%
=54Hetton Lyons Primary School60%
=57New Penshaw Academy58%
=57St Patrick's Catholic Primary School, Ryhope58%
=59Albany Village Primary School57%
=59Burnside Academy Inspires57%
=61Broadway Junior School55%
=61Hasting Hill Academy55%
=63Hetton Primary School54%
=63St John Bosco Catholic Primary School, Town End Farm, Sunderland54%
=63Town End Academy54%
#66Oxclose Primary Academy52%
=67New Silksworth Academy Junior51%
=67Southwick Community Primary School51%
#69Hylton Castle Primary School43%
#70Grange Park Primary School39%
=71Barnes Junior School38%
=71Lambton Primary School38%
#73Wessington Primary School23%
#74Marlborough Primary School20%
#75Gillas Lane Primary Academy15%

View full Ofsted inspection report

20th of 46 primary schools in Sunderland for Ofsted rating

#18Hasting Hill AcademyGood
#19Hetton Primary SchoolGood
#20Highfield AcademyGood
#21Holley Park AcademyGood
#22Hudson Road Primary SchoolGood

Click to see the full ranking

Ofsted Rating ranking

Based on real Ofsted ratings (via official DfE data) for schools on the same four-word grading scale.

Rank School Score

#1Barnwell AcademyOutstanding
#2Bernard Gilpin Primary SchoolOutstanding
#3Bexhill AcademyOutstanding
#4St John Boste Catholic Primary School, WashingtonOutstanding
#5Albany Village Primary SchoolGood
#6Barmston Village Primary SchoolGood
#7Biddick Primary SchoolGood
#8Castletown Primary SchoolGood
#9Dame Dorothy Primary SchoolGood
#10Easington Lane Primary SchoolGood
#11East Herrington Primary AcademyGood
#12East Rainton Primary SchoolGood
#13Farringdon AcademyGood
#14Fatfield AcademyGood
#15Gillas Lane Primary AcademyGood
#16Grange Park Primary SchoolGood
#17Grangetown Primary SchoolGood
#18Hasting Hill AcademyGood
#19Hetton Primary SchoolGood
#20Highfield AcademyGood
#21Holley Park AcademyGood
#22Hudson Road Primary SchoolGood
#23Hylton Castle Primary SchoolGood
#24Lambton Primary SchoolGood
#25Mill Hill Primary SchoolGood
#26New Penshaw AcademyGood
#27Oxclose Primary AcademyGood
#28Redby AcademyGood
#29Richard Avenue Primary SchoolGood
#30Rickleton Primary SchoolGood
#31Seaburn Dene Primary SchoolGood
#32Shiney Row Primary SchoolGood
#33Southwick Community Primary SchoolGood
#34Springwell Village Primary SchoolGood
#35St Anne's Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolGood
#36St Bede's Catholic Primary School, WashingtonGood
#37St Benet's Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolGood
#38St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, WashingtonGood
#39St Leonard's Catholic Primary School, SilksworthGood
#40St Patrick's Catholic Primary School, RyhopeGood
#41Thorney Close Primary SchoolGood
#42Town End AcademyGood
#43Usworth Colliery Primary SchoolGood
#44Valley Road AcademyGood
#45Wessington Primary SchoolGood
#46Willow Wood Community Primary SchoolGood

Financials

Spending per pupil: £6,543 (2024-25)

About this spending figure

A higher or lower position here isn't a sign of a better or worse school - schools have different needs and circumstances - but it can help reassure you that a school has sufficient funding behind your child's education.

40th of 67 primary schools in Sunderland for spending per pupil

#38Castletown Primary School£6,663
#39St John Boste Catholic Primary School, Washington£6,593
#40Highfield Academy£6,543
#41St Patrick's Catholic Primary School, Ryhope£6,497
#42Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw£6,491

Click to see the full ranking

Spending Per Pupil ranking

Based on official DfE financial return data (Consistent Financial Reporting / Academies Accounts Return) - not a ranking of school quality.

Rank School Score

#1Marlborough Primary School£9,188
#2Blackfell Primary School£8,746
#3Oxclose Primary Academy£8,717
#4Southwick Community Primary School£8,683
#5East Rainton Primary School£8,646
#6New Penshaw Academy£8,511
#7Thorney Close Primary School£8,388
#8Wessington Primary School£8,283
#9Benedict Biscop Church of England Academy£8,264
#10Barmston Village Primary School£8,264
#11Hasting Hill Academy£8,151
#12Albany Village Primary School£8,094
#13Valley Road Academy£8,092
#14Gillas Lane Primary Academy£8,015
#15Plains Farm Academy£8,006
#16Hetton Primary School£7,920
#17Grange Park Primary School£7,878
#18Town End Academy£7,820
#19Easington Lane Primary School£7,766
#20Usworth Colliery Primary School£7,752
#21Hylton Castle Primary School£7,609
#22Lambton Primary School£7,477
#23Willow Wood Community Primary School£7,332
#24Burnside Academy Inspires£7,298
#25Hudson Road Primary School£7,277
#26Shiney Row Primary School£7,169
#27Grangetown Primary School£7,144
#28English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School, Sunderland£7,101
#29Bexhill Academy£7,010
#30South Hylton Primary Academy£6,948
#31Eppleton Academy Primary School£6,930
#32John F Kennedy Primary School£6,904
#33St John Bosco Catholic Primary School, Town End Farm, Sunderland£6,901
#34Barnwell Academy£6,888
#35Northern Saints Church of England Academy£6,868
#36St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland£6,850
#37Farringdon Academy£6,823
#38Castletown Primary School£6,663
#39St John Boste Catholic Primary School, Washington£6,593
#40Highfield Academy£6,543
#41St Patrick's Catholic Primary School, Ryhope£6,497
#42Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Penshaw£6,491
#43Redby Academy£6,469
#44George Washington Primary School£6,451
#45Holley Park Academy£6,357
#46St Anne's Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School£6,309
#47Hetton Lyons Primary School£6,248
#48St Paul's CofE Primary School£6,240
#49Richard Avenue Primary School£6,230
#50Seaburn Dene Primary School£6,225
#51Fatfield Academy£6,138
#52Mill Hill Primary School£6,117
#53East Herrington Primary Academy£6,069
#54St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland£6,064
#55St Benet's Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School£6,009
#56St Michael's Catholic Primary School, Houghton£5,985
#57Rickleton Primary School£5,985
#58Springwell Village Primary School£5,931
#59St Bede's Catholic Primary School, Washington£5,857
#60Biddick Primary School£5,696
#61St Leonard's Catholic Primary School, Silksworth£5,668
#62St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Washington£5,573
#63St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland£5,552
#64Bernard Gilpin Primary School£5,545
#65Dubmire Primary£5,426
#66Newbottle Primary Academy£4,671
#67Dame Dorothy Primary School£3,943

View on the Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool (GOV.UK)

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