Sunningdale School is a council-run special school in Sunderland for children and young people aged 2 to 11. It supports severe learning and PMLD.
- Ages 2–11
- 153 pupils
- Ofsted: Outstanding
School details
- Type
- Council special school
- Ages
- 2 to 11
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 153 (places for 160)
- Headteacher
- Mr James Waller (Headteacher)
- Free school meals
- 55.5% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Sunderland
- School reference (URN)
- 108882
Needs it supports
2 needs: severe learning, PMLD
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Cognition and learning
- Severe learning difficulty Other schools for this in Sunderland (4)
- Profound and multiple learning difficulties Other schools for this in Sunderland (1)
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places at schools like this usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. If your child doesn’t have one yet, you can ask the council for an assessment yourself.
- Visit and ask questions
See whether the school feels right and whether it can meet your child’s needs. Our list of questions below can help.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often Sunderland council) that this is the school you want, and ask them to consult it.
- Named in the plan
If the school is named in your child’s plan, it must admit your child. Free home-to-school transport is often part of the arrangement.
Questions to ask when you visit
8 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them on the day.
Ofsted
Rated Outstanding, April 2013; school remains Outstanding (June 2023)
Rated Outstanding at its last graded inspection, in April 2013. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
Since then: School remains Outstanding (ungraded inspection, June 2023).
Contact and getting there
Doxford Park Way, Sunderland, SR3 2PP
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
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The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- Farringdon Community Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 11–16 · Ofsted report card (2026) 0.2 miles
- Portland Academy Special school · Ages 11–19 · Ofsted: Good 0.6 miles
- Mill Hill Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 5–11 · Ofsted: Good 1.0 mile
All SEND schools in Sunderland
By need in Sunderland: Autism (10) · Speech and language (5) · Severe learning (5) · Physical (3) · SEMH (2) · Moderate learning (2) · PMLD (2)
Questions about Sunningdale School
How do I get a place at Sunningdale School?
There’s no catchment area or application round. Places usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult Sunningdale School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does Sunningdale School support?
Severe learning difficulty and profound and multiple learning difficulties. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does Sunningdale School take?
Aged 2 to 11, boys and girls.
What is Sunningdale School’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in June 2023 at its last graded inspection. Newer inspections no longer give a single overall grade, so read the latest report for the full picture.
Where is Sunningdale School?
Doxford Park Way, Sunderland, SR3 2PP, in Sunderland.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.