Northern Saints Church of England Academy is a mainstream primary school with resourced provision in Sunderland for children and young people aged 4 to 11. Its specialist base has 10 places for speech, language and communication.
- Ages 4–11
- 423 pupils
- Ofsted report card (2026)
School details
- Type
- Mainstream school with resourced provision
- Ages
- 4 to 11
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Specialist base
- Resourced provision, 10 places, 10 pupils
- Pupils
- 423
- Headteacher
- Miss Rachel Heaney
- Part of
- Durham and Newcastle Diocesan Learning Trust
- Faith
- Church of England
- Council
- Sunderland
- School reference (URN)
- 149524
Needs its base supports
1 need: speech and language
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
- Speech, language and communication Other schools for this in Sunderland (4)
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places in an SEN unit or resourced provision are usually for children with 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 about the base
See the school and its specialist base, and ask how children split their time between the base and mainstream classes.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often Sunderland council) that you want this school and its base, 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. Places in the base itself are agreed between the council and the school, so ask how they decide.
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
Report card, January 2026: Expected standard in 5 of 7 areas
Inspected in January 2026 under Ofsted’s new report cards, which grade each area separately, from Exceptional to Urgent improvement, instead of one overall grade.
- InclusionStrong standard
- Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
- AchievementExpected standard
- Attendance and behaviourExpected standard
- Personal development and wellbeingStrong standard
- Early yearsExpected standard
- Leadership and governanceExpected standard
- SafeguardingMet
Contact and getting there
Rotherham Road, Sunderland, SR5 5QL
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- Harry Watts Academy Special school · Ages 5–16 · Ofsted: Outstanding 0.4 miles
- Trinity Academy New Bridge Special school · Ages 11–19 1.0 mile
- 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 Northern Saints Church of England Academy
How do I get a place in Northern Saints Church of England Academy’s specialist base?
Places in an SEN unit or resourced provision usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult the school about its base. If the school is named in the plan it must admit your child; places in the base itself are agreed between the council and the school.
What needs does Northern Saints Church of England Academy support?
Speech, language and communication. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does Northern Saints Church of England Academy take?
Aged 4 to 11, boys and girls.
What is Northern Saints Church of England Academy’s Ofsted rating?
There’s no overall grade to show. Read the school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Where is Northern Saints Church of England Academy?
Rotherham Road, Sunderland, SR5 5QL, 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.