How many schools are in Sunderland?

Sunderland has 124 open schools — 81 primary schools and 16 secondary schools across 7 areas. Data sourced from the Department for Education's Get Information About Schools (GIAS) register.

What areas are covered by Sunderland school catchment zones?

Sunderland administers catchment areas across 7 areas, including Sunderland, Washington, Houghton le Spring, Other, Houghton Le Spring and more. Each school's catchment boundary is set by the local authority and reviewed annually as part of the admissions process.

How do school catchment areas work in Sunderland?

In Sunderland, catchment areas define a geographical zone around each school. Children living within the catchment boundary are given priority in oversubscription criteria. The exact boundary — and the "last distance offered" — changes each year based on application volumes. Official catchment maps and admissions policies are published by Sunderland council each autumn.

Which schools in Sunderland are oversubscribed?

Oversubscription varies by school and year in Sunderland. Popular schools typically receive more applications than available places, meaning the "last distance offered" shrinks annually. To check demand for a specific school, consult the Sunderland admissions authority's published offer data or the school's own admissions policy.

Sunderland School Catchment Areas

Reviewed by the catchment.school editorial team · Last updated 15 March 2026

Schools in Sunderland split across 81 primaries and 16 secondaries, with catchment boundaries set afresh each admissions cycle by the council's school admissions team.

The largest concentrations sit around Sunderland, Washington and Houghton le Spring, which together account for a meaningful share of the council's pupil places.

Around 17% of schools in Sunderland have a religious character — Church of England, Catholic, or other faith — which means faith criteria sit alongside catchment distance in those schools' oversubscription tiebreakers.

124 total 81 primary 16 secondary 7 areas

Sunderland Catchment Area Documents

Official admissions policies and catchment boundary maps for Sunderland schools are published annually.

Find admissions documents →

Schools in Sunderland

76 schools

Hylton Red House Nursery School

Nursery · Local authority nursery school

Sunderland · SR5 5QL

Ages 3–5 135 pupils

Mill Hill Nursery School

Nursery · Local authority nursery school

Sunderland · SR3 2PJ

Ages 2–5 143 pupils

Pennywell Early Years Centre

Nursery · Local authority nursery school

Sunderland · SR4 9AX

Ages 2–5 180 pupils

Barnes Junior School

Primary · Community school

Sunderland · SR4 7QF

Ages 7–11 362 pupils Capacity 360

Broadway Junior School

Primary · Community school

Sunderland · SR4 8NW

Ages 7–11 238 pupils Capacity 270

Grangetown Primary School

Primary · Community school

Sunderland · SR2 8PX

Ages 2–11 312 pupils Capacity 315

Fulwell Junior School

Primary · Community school

Sunderland · SR6 9EE

Ages 7–11 350 pupils Capacity 360

Grange Park Primary School

Primary · Community school

Sunderland · SR5 1EA

Ages 3–11 225 pupils Capacity 249

Grindon Infant School

Primary · Community school

Sunderland · SR4 9QN

Ages 2–7 177 pupils Capacity 232

Hudson Road Primary School

Primary · Community school

Sunderland · SR1 2AH

Ages 3–11 353 pupils Capacity 367

Willow Wood Community Primary School

Primary · Community school

Sunderland · SR5 5AU

Ages 3–11 289 pupils Capacity 236

Mill Hill Primary School

Primary · Community school

Sunderland · SR3 2PJ

Ages 5–11 427 pupils Capacity 420

Showing 12 of 76. View all schools in Sunderland →

Schools in Washington

24 schools

Usworth Colliery Nursery School

Nursery · Local authority nursery school

Washington · NE37 3BL

Ages 2–4 78 pupils

Oxclose Nursery School

Nursery · Local authority nursery school

Washington · NE38 0LA

Ages 2–4 82 pupils

Usworth Colliery Primary School

Primary · Community school

Washington · NE37 3BL

Ages 4–11 356 pupils Capacity 420

Biddick Primary School

Primary · Community school

Washington · NE38 7HQ

Ages 3–11 287 pupils Capacity 336

Lambton Primary School

Primary · Community school

Washington · NE38 0PL

Ages 3–11 182 pupils Capacity 210

Rickleton Primary School

Primary · Community school

Washington · NE38 9EZ

Ages 3–11 453 pupils Capacity 480

Marlborough Primary School

Primary · Community school

Washington · NE37 3BG

Ages 2–11 151 pupils Capacity 210

Blackfell Primary School

Primary · Community school

Washington · NE37 1HA

Ages 3–11 147 pupils Capacity 246

Barmston Village Primary School

Primary · Community school

Washington · NE38 8JA

Ages 2–11 204 pupils Capacity 210

Albany Village Primary School

Primary · Community school

Washington · NE37 1UA

Ages 3–11 209 pupils Capacity 210

Wessington Primary School

Primary · Community school

Washington · NE38 7PY

Ages 2–11 244 pupils Capacity 312

Holley Park Academy

Primary · Academy converter

Washington · NE38 0LR

Ages 3–11 224 pupils Capacity 236

Showing 12 of 24. View all schools in Washington →

Schools in Houghton le Spring

19 schools

Houghton Le Spring Nursery School

Nursery · Local authority nursery school

Houghton le Spring · DH5 8AE

Ages 3–5 164 pupils

East Rainton Primary School

Primary · Community school

Houghton le Spring · DH5 9RA

Ages 3–11 112 pupils Capacity 136

Easington Lane Primary School

Primary · Community school

Houghton le Spring · DH5 0JT

Ages 2–11 303 pupils Capacity 315

Hetton Primary School

Primary · Community school

Houghton le Spring · DH5 9ND

Ages 2–11 202 pupils Capacity 240

Shiney Row Primary School

Primary · Community school

Houghton le Spring · DH4 4QP

Ages 3–11 242 pupils Capacity 315

Bernard Gilpin Primary School

Primary · Community school

Houghton le Spring · DH5 8DA

Ages 5–11 422 pupils Capacity 400

Kepier

Secondary · Academy converter

Houghton le Spring · DH4 5BH

Ages 11–16 1144 pupils Capacity 1210

Eppleton Academy Primary School

Primary · Academy converter

Houghton le Spring · DH5 9AJ

Ages 3–11 212 pupils Capacity 210

New Penshaw Academy

Primary · Academy sponsor led

Houghton le Spring · DH4 7HY

Ages 3–11 138 pupils Capacity 240

Newbottle Primary Academy

Primary · Academy converter

Houghton le Spring · DH4 4EE

Ages 3–11 443 pupils Capacity 420

Barnwell Academy

Primary · Academy converter

Houghton le Spring · DH4 7RT

Ages 3–11 317 pupils Capacity 210

Burnside Academy Inspires

Primary · Academy converter

Houghton le Spring · DH4 5HB

Ages 3–11 157 pupils Capacity 236

Showing 12 of 19. View all schools in Houghton le Spring →

Schools in Other

2 schools

Ashbrooke School

Not applicable · Other independent special school

· SR2 7JA

Ages 5–19 126 pupils Capacity 126

Hopespring Sunderland

Not applicable · Other independent school

· SR2 9HA

Ages 11–16 24 pupils Capacity 30

Schools in Houghton Le Spring

1 school

Hetton Lyons Nursery School

Nursery · Local authority nursery school

Houghton Le Spring · DH5 0AH

Ages 1–4 118 pupils

Schools in Southwick

1 school

Southwick Community Primary School

Primary · Community school

Southwick · SR5 2JX

Ages 2–11 365 pupils Capacity 390

Schools in Gateshead

1 school

Springwell Village Primary School

Primary · Academy converter

Gateshead · NE9 7RX

Ages 3–11 204 pupils Capacity 235