SecondaryState · Academy converter

Kepier

Dairy Lane, Houghton le Spring, Tyne and Wear, DH4 5BH ·

Ofsted:Good· 2022

At a glance

A state secondary academy for ages 11–16 in Houghton le Spring. Rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection (March 2022). GCSE results are around the England average (Attainment 8: 43.6 vs 46.1, 2024/25). Oversubscribed: 285 families put it first for 257 places (September 2026 entry).

Ages: 11–16
Pupils: 1,131
Gender: Mixed
Sixth form: No
Admissions: Non-selective
Local authority: Sunderland
Academy trust: EDEN LEARNING TRUST
Headteacher: Mr Colin Devlin
Opened: Aug 2011

School website 01915128960 Explore the area

Inspection

Ofsted (framework in use until November 2025)

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Graded inspection 9 Mar 2022

GoodOverall effectiveness

Quality of education: Good
Behaviour and attitudes: Good
Personal development: Good
Leadership and management: Good

Safeguarding effective: Yes

Inspection reports describe the school on the day. Read the full report and visit the school before deciding.

Exam results

Department for Education performance tables

GCSE results, 2024/25 · 220 pupils

Attainment 8

43.6

England 46.1

Grade 5+ Eng & maths

37.3%

England 45.4%

Grade 4+ Eng & maths

55%

England 64.8%

Progress 8

-0.29

2023/24 · CI -0.48 to -0.09

This school

43.6

Sunderland

43.3

England

46.1

Attainment 8 over time

Progress 8 isn't published for 2024/25 because those pupils had no KS2 test results (tests were cancelled in 2020). Exams were not held in 2019/20 or 2020/21.

Admissions

Demand for places and how places are allocated

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Year 7 entry, September 2026 (national offer day data)

Offers made

257

1st preferences

285

All applications

372

1st prefs per place

1.11

More first choices than places

250 of 285 first-preference applicants were offered a place (88%). 7 offers went to families living in another council area.

Oversubscribed with first preferences

Catchment area

We don't have an official catchment boundary for this school. Many schools don't have one, and few councils publish boundaries as open data. We don't estimate catchments. Check the school's admissions policy or the council's admissions booklet.

Last distance offered

Not published nationally. Many councils publish the furthest distance offered for each school in their annual allocation reports. Past distances vary year to year with demand and sibling numbers, so they are not a guarantee.

How places are allocated: you apply through your home council. When a school has more applicants than places, it applies its published oversubscription criteria in order. These usually start with looked-after children, then siblings, then catchment or distance; faith schools may prioritise church attendance. Children with an EHC plan naming the school are admitted first. Apply on GOV.UK

Pupils

School census 2024/25

Pupils

1,144

Capacity

1,210

93% full

Girls / boys

50/50

Mixed

Eligible for free school meals (last 6 years)37.1%
English as an additional language1.2%
SEN support17.7%
Education, Health and Care plan1.2%
The black tick shows the median for state-funded secondary schools in England.