Harry Watts Academy is a special free school in Sunderland for children and young people aged 5 to 16.
- Ages 5–16
- 187 pupils
- Ofsted: Outstanding
School details
- Type
- Special free school
- Ages
- 5 to 16
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 187 (places for 160)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Louise Hindmarch
- Part of
- Prosper Learning Trust
- Opened
- 1 September 2020
- Free school meals
- 50.3% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Sunderland
- School reference (URN)
- 147841
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, July 2023
Rated Outstanding at its last graded inspection, in July 2023.
- Quality of educationOutstanding
- Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
- Personal developmentOutstanding
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
- SafeguardingEffective
Contact and getting there
Ramillies Road, Sunderland, SR5 5JA
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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
- Northern Saints Church of England Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 4–11 · Ofsted report card (2026) 0.4 miles
- Trinity Academy New Bridge Special school · Ages 11–19 0.8 miles
- Education and Services for People with Autism Independent · Ages 16–25 1.3 miles
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 Harry Watts Academy
How do I get a place at Harry Watts Academy?
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 Harry Watts Academy. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What ages does Harry Watts Academy take?
Aged 5 to 16, boys and girls.
What is Harry Watts Academy’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in July 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 Harry Watts Academy?
Ramillies Road, Sunderland, SR5 5JA, 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.