Christ's College is an all-through mainstream school in Sunderland for children and young people aged 4 to 18. In January 2026, 108 of its 796 pupils (13.6%) were getting SEN support and 13 (1.6%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 4–18
- 796 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Sunderland.
13.6% get SEN support
108 of 796 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
1.6% have an EHC plan
13 of 796 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Lower than the England average.
Most common needs
- Autism47
- Social, emotional and mental health23
- Moderate learning difficulty14
- Speech, language and communication13
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia9
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream all-through school
- Run as
- Free school
- Ages
- 4 to 18
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 796 (places for 860)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Julie Normanton (Principal)
- Part of
- Emmanuel Schools Foundation
- Free school meals
- 34.9% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Sunderland
- School reference (URN)
- 138567
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask Sunderland council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Rated Good, October 2023
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in October 2023.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementGood
- Early yearsGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Contact and getting there
Pennywell Road, Sunderland, SR4 8PG
Loading the map…
Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- Academy 360 Mainstream + base · Ages 4–16 · Ofsted: Good 0.3 miles
- North View Academy Special school · Ages 4–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.7 miles
- Thorney Close Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.9 miles
- Thornhill Park School Independent · Ages 4–19 · Ofsted report card (2026) 1.2 miles
Other mainstream schools
- Broadway Junior School Primary · Ages 7–11 · SEN support 24.7%, EHC plans 1.3% 0.3 miles
- St Anne's Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School Primary · Ages 3–11 · SEN support 22.3%, EHC plans 0.4% 0.4 miles
- St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, Sunderland Primary · Ages 3–11 · SEN support 21.7%, EHC plans 0.8% 0.4 miles
All mainstream schools in Sunderland SEND schools in Sunderland
Questions about Christ's College
How many pupils at Christ's College have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 108 of the 796 pupils (13.6%) were getting SEN support and 13 (1.6%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at Christ's College?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are autism (47 pupils), social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (23 pupils) and moderate learning difficulties (14 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at Christ's College?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at Christ's College?
Through Sunderland council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to Christ's College?
You can ask for Christ's College to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does Christ's College have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is Academy 360, about 0.3 miles away.
Where is Christ's College?
Pennywell Road, Sunderland, SR4 8PG, in Sunderland.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), 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.