Schools in NE38 postcode district

Schools in postcode district NE38. Add your full home postcode below for distance filtering and a your neighbourhood comparison with the wider NE38 area.

Covers: Biddick, Biddick Village, Columbia, Fatfield, Lambton Village, Oxclose, Oxclose Village, Rickleton, Washington Central, and Wessington

Add your home postcode in the green box below. Until then, distances use the centre of NE38. The list starts at 3 miles — you can change that. Not an official school catchment.

16state-funded schools in NE38, Sunderland (+1 independent special, usually LA-funded; within 3 miles, including neighbouring districts)

  • 11Primary
  • 3Secondary
  • 2Other
  • 1Independent
  • 2024–25DfE & Ofsted

Neighbourhood & area context

The figures below use three different geographies. Your neighbourhood appears when you add your full postcode. NE38 covers the schools and averages on this page. Sunderland is the whole council area for census figures, which may not match your street. Estimated crime uses that council's population but is scaled by deprivation near schools in NE38, so it can differ from other districts in the same council. We only show statistics we have for this district.

Area snapshot for NE38

Crime, deprivation near local schools, and Ofsted outcomes for schools in NE38, each shown separately. Estimated crime is scaled by deprivation near schools in this postcode district. Deprivation and school inspections also relate to this district. We do not give the area an overall score.

  • CrimeLikely above England average112.5 crimes per 1,000 residents · ~last 12 monthsIndicative for NE38 (deprivation near schools here; uses Sunderland population)
  • Deprivation near schoolsAbout average deprivation for EnglandIMD band 5 of 10 nationallyNeighbourhoods around schools in NE38
  • School inspectionsGenerally Good6 of 6 graded Good or Outstanding (16 schools in NE38)Schools in postcode district NE38

Add your full home postcode in the green box above to compare your street with NE38 and Sunderland.

More local context

House prices, flood risk, broadband and transport for this postcode district, in addition to the snapshot above.

  • Typical house prices£146,527 (+7.8% year on year)Postcode district NE38 (where available)
  • Flood riskLowPostcode district NE38
  • BroadbandGigabit available (90%+ premises, 300+ Mbps)Postcode district NE38

Postcode district NE38

Schools and other averages for postcode district NE38. This matches the map and school list before you change the distance filter.

Schools in district
16 (11 primary, 3 secondary)
Average attendance
96.1%
Average free school meals
25.5%
Average SEN
23.9%
Average EAL
4%
Deprivation around local schools
About average deprivation for England
Average house price
£146,527 (+7.8% year on year)
Flood risk
Low
Broadband
Gigabit available (90%+ premises, 300+ Mbps)
Green space
Moderate – local parks and playing fields nearby
Council tax
Typical band A–B

Wider area: Sunderland

Census and crime for the whole of Sunderland. These figures are council-wide and are not broken down to your village or street.

Population
274,166
Households
115,512
Aged under 18
19.7%
Aged 16–64 (approx.)
59.8%
Aged 65+
20.5%
Ethnicity
White 95%, Asian 3%, Black 1%
Crimes (estimated)
30,844
Crimes per 1,000 (estimated)
112.5Above national average

About these figures: School statistics mostly 2024–25. Pipeline checked Sept 2026. Wider-area lines use Census 2021 for Sunderland. Crime figures are rough estimates for NE38: national rates scaled by deprivation near schools here (using Sunderland population), not police records for your street. Use the (i) on each row for source and geography. Full methodology · Data updates

Map of schools in this area

The map shows 16 schools in postcode district NE38. Numbered circles group nearby schools — click to zoom in. Use the list beside the map, a pin, or Show on map on a school card below.

Map key (phases, Ofsted, markers)

Pin colour shows school phase. Letters on pins: P primary, S secondary. Ofsted and admissions are on each school card below.

School phase

  • Primary (P)
  • Secondary (S)
  • District centre
  • Numbered circles group nearby schools — click to zoom in
  • Neighbouring-district schools are labelled in the list and popups

How far from the NE38 centre?

Distances are from the centre of NE38, not your door. Pick a radius to control which schools appear in the list below. Only schools whose postcode is in NE38 are included. Add your full home postcode above for distances from your address (and to search neighbouring districts).

Show schools within:

3 miles is selected by default. Add your home postcode at the top to measure from your address instead of the district centre. Try 1 mile or 1.5 miles for a shorter list, 3 miles for a wider search, or All in district for every NE38 school regardless of distance. Straight-line distance only — not walking, driving, or an official catchment area.

Common questions in this area

  • Usually oversubscribed near here?

    In NE38, 11 of 14 schools with admissions data are marked as usually oversubscribed on their cards. That is a historic demand signal — not a guarantee you will or will not get a place. Always check the local authority admissions rules and the school’s published PAN.

  • How far is the school run?

    Add your home postcode at the top of the page to see distances from your door. Until then, distances use NE38 centre. All figures are straight-line miles — not walking or driving time, and not catchment areas.

  • What changed recently?

    School and area figures come from open government releases (mostly 2024/25 where published). 16 schools here have a last inspection date on their cards; 2 show a plain-English note when Ofsted published area judgements without an overall grade.

Browse local schools

Showing schools within 3 miles of NE38 centre

Compare schools in your area in three steps:

  1. Choose a school type — primary, secondary, or all schools in your list.
  2. Sort that list — put the schools you want to compare at the top.
  3. Add to school shortlist — tick up to 6 schools you are considering (saved on this device).

Each card shows key statistics for that school. If you are unsure what a figure means, see the data guide at the bottom of the page.

Filter by school type:

Primary schools11

Sort list by

Choose how to order the cards — for example nearest first, latest inspection, attendance, ks2 results, or admissions pressure.

  • Biddick Primary School

    Kirkham, Biddick Village, Washington NE38 7HQ

    Type
    Community school
    Age range
    3–11
    Ofsted
    Good

    Standards maintained

    View on Ofsted

    0.2 milesstraight-line from NE38 centre

    Pupils
    285
    Free school meals
    16.4%
    SEN
    2.8%
    EAL
    2.4%
    Attendance
    96%
    Persistent absence
    10.1%
    Admissions
    About average
    Attainment
    83% met expected standard (KS2)
    Visit school website
  • Lambton Primary School

    Caradoc Close, Lambton Village, Washington NE38 0PL

    Type
    Community school
    Age range
    3–11
    Ofsted
    Good

    Monitoring visit confirmed the previous Good overall grade — see the full report for latest area judgements.

    View on Ofsted

    0.5 milesstraight-line from NE38 centre

    Pupils
    179
    Free school meals
    31.6%
    SEN
    29.7%
    EAL
    4.9%
    Attendance
    96.6%
    Persistent absence
    5.8%
    Admissions
    About average
    Attainment
    38% met expected standard (KS2)
    Visit school website
  • Oxclose Primary Academy

    Brancepeth Road, Oxclose, Washington NE38 0LA

    Type
    Academy sponsor led
    Age range
    4–11
    Trust
    THE LAIDLAW SCHOOLS TRUST
    Ofsted
    Good
    View on Ofsted

    0.6 milesstraight-line from NE38 centre

    Pupils
    183
    Free school meals
    56.8%
    SEN
    31%
    SEN provision
    Resourced provision · PD
    EAL
    1.6%
    Attendance
    95.4%
    Persistent absence
    13.5%
    Admissions
    About average
    Attainment
    52% met expected standard (KS2)
    Visit school website
  • Castle Road, Oxclose Village, Washington NE38 0HL

    Type
    Academy converter
    Age range
    3–11
    Trust
    BISHOP WILKINSON CATHOLIC EDUCATION TRUST
    Ofsted
    Outstanding
    View on Ofsted

    0.7 milesstraight-line from NE38 centre

    Pupils
    200
    Free school meals
    8%
    SEN
    12.2%
    EAL
    10%
    Attendance
    98.4%
    Persistent absence
    2.4%
    Admissions
    Usually oversubscribed
    Attainment
    77% met expected standard (KS2)
    Visit school website
  • Village Lane, Washington NE38 7HU

    Type
    Academy converter
    Age range
    3–11
    Trust
    BISHOP WILKINSON CATHOLIC EDUCATION TRUST
    Ofsted
    Good
    View on Ofsted

    0.7 milesstraight-line from NE38 centre

    Pupils
    227
    Free school meals
    8.7%
    SEN
    10.8%
    EAL
    6%
    Attendance
    98.3%
    Persistent absence
    1.2%
    Admissions
    Usually oversubscribed
    Attainment
    72% met expected standard (KS2)
    Visit school website
  • John F Kennedy Primary School

    Station Road, Columbia, Washington NE38 7AR

    Type
    Academy converter
    Age range
    3–11
    Trust
    OAK LEARNING TRUST
    Ofsted
    Good

    Latest visit (Mar 2026): renewed Ofsted format (no single overall grade) — curriculum and teaching and achievement needs attention; inclusion, attendance and behaviour, personal development and wellbeing, leadership and governance and early years expected standard. See the full Ofsted report.

    View on Ofsted

    0.7 milesstraight-line from NE38 centre

    Pupils
    435
    Free school meals
    19.6%
    SEN
    30%
    SEN provision
    Resourced provision · ASD
    EAL
    2.8%
    Attendance
    95.2%
    Persistent absence
    12.8%
    Admissions
    Usually oversubscribed
    Attainment
    65% met expected standard (KS2)
    Visit school website
  • Holley Park Academy

    Ayton Road, Oxclose, Washington NE38 0LR

    Type
    Academy converter
    Age range
    3–11
    Trust
    NORTHERN LIGHTS LEARNING TRUST
    Ofsted
    Good

    Monitoring visit confirmed the previous Good overall grade — see the full report for latest area judgements.

    View on Ofsted

    0.8 milesstraight-line from NE38 centre

    Pupils
    204
    Free school meals
    10.8%
    SEN
    9.8%
    EAL
    5.4%
    Attendance
    97%
    Persistent absence
    5%
    Admissions
    Usually oversubscribed
    Attainment
    74% met expected standard (KS2)
    Visit school website
  • Fatfield Academy

    Southcroft, Fatfield, Washington NE38 8RB

    Type
    Academy converter
    Age range
    3–11
    Trust
    INSPIRE MULTI ACADEMY TRUST
    Ofsted
    Good

    Monitoring visit confirmed the previous Good overall grade — see the full report for latest area judgements.

    View on Ofsted

    0.9 milesstraight-line from NE38 centre

    Pupils
    233
    Free school meals
    14.2%
    SEN
    21.9%
    EAL
    2.6%
    Attendance
    96.6%
    Persistent absence
    6.8%
    Admissions
    Usually oversubscribed
    Attainment
    74% met expected standard (KS2)
    Visit school website
  • Wessington Primary School

    Lanercost, Washington NE38 7PY

    Type
    Community school
    Age range
    2–11
    Ofsted
    Good

    Monitoring visit confirmed the previous Good overall grade — see the full report for latest area judgements.

    View on Ofsted

    0.9 milesstraight-line from NE38 centre

    Pupils
    218
    Free school meals
    45.1%
    SEN
    20.5%
    EAL
    3.3%
    Attendance
    95.6%
    Persistent absence
    8%
    Admissions
    Usually oversubscribed
    Attainment
    23% met expected standard (KS2)
    Visit school website
  • Barmston Village Primary School

    Barmston Centre, Washington NE38 8JA

    Type
    Community school
    Age range
    2–11
    Ofsted
    Good
    View on Ofsted

    1 milestraight-line from NE38 centre

    Pupils
    206
    Free school meals
    64.4%
    SEN
    27%
    EAL
    3.9%
    Attendance
    96.7%
    Persistent absence
    3.6%
    Admissions
    Usually oversubscribed
    Attainment
    60% met expected standard (KS2)
    Visit school website
  • Rickleton Primary School

    Vigo Lane, Rickleton, Washington NE38 9EZ

    Type
    Community school
    Age range
    3–11
    Ofsted
    Area judgements

    New inspection format: no single overall grade.

    Latest visit (Jul 2025): no overall grade — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management and early years outstanding. See the full Ofsted report.

    View on Ofsted

    1.4 milesstraight-line from NE38 centre

    Pupils
    450
    Free school meals
    10.6%
    SEN
    13.9%
    EAL
    2.9%
    Attendance
    96.5%
    Persistent absence
    5.3%
    Admissions
    Usually oversubscribed
    Attainment
    89% met expected standard (KS2)
    Visit school website

Common questions about schools in NE38

How many schools are in the NE38 postcode district?
We list 16 state-funded schools whose address postcode starts with NE38: 11 primary, 3 secondary, and 2 other phases. We also list 1 independent special (usually local-authority funded via an EHCP), clearly labelled on each card. That independent total includes schools from neighbouring postcode districts within about 3 miles of the NE38 centre.
What areas does NE38 cover?
Postcode district NE38 spans Biddick, Biddick Village, Columbia, Fatfield, Lambton Village, Oxclose, Oxclose Village, Rickleton, Washington Central, and Wessington. Exact boundaries follow Royal Mail outward codes — use the map and school addresses for a specific street.
What are Ofsted ratings like for schools in NE38?
Among state-funded schools on this page: 1 Outstanding, 5 Good, and 10 on the new inspection format (area judgements only). Grades are the latest published overall effectiveness or monitoring outcome — always check the full report on Ofsted’s site.
What is school attendance like in NE38?
Across state-funded schools here with published absence data, mean attendance is about 96.1% (2024–25). Individual schools vary — see each card.
Are NE38 schools hard to get into?
Of state-funded schools with an admissions label here: 11 usually oversubscribed, 0 often have places, 3 about average. This is a guide only — check your council’s admissions booklet.

Guide to school and area statistics

What the numbers on this page for NE38 mean. Area rows may still show (i) for data source and geography.

School listings

What you see on each school card

Only fields that appear on at least one school on this page are listed.

School type
How the school is run. For example academy, council-maintained, voluntary aided or free school.
Trust
The multi-academy trust or sponsor running the school, where it is an academy.
Age range
Year groups on roll. For example 4–11 for primary, or 11–18 with sixth form.
Ofsted
Latest published Ofsted overall grade and date where we have them, plus a link to the Ofsted reports site. Fee-paying association independent schools are usually inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) instead: we link to ISI reports and do not invent an Ofsted-style grade. Non-association independents inspected by Ofsted show the same Ofsted grades and report link when published in Ofsted’s open management information.
Straight-line miles
Distance as the crow flies from your home postcode when you have entered one, otherwise from the middle of this district. Not walking or driving time.
Walking, cycling and park-and-stride hints
Rough bands from straight-line miles: about 1 mile or less may suit walking; about 1–2.5 miles we show cycling and park-and-stride; over about 2.5 miles park-and-stride only. Not checked routes or journey times.
Pupils
Number of pupils on roll from published school census data.
Free school meals
Pupils eligible for free school meals. Often used as one indicator of economic disadvantage in the catchment. Useful context, not a comment on pupils or families.
SEN
Share of pupils with SEN support or an EHC plan. A higher figure can reflect inclusive admissions and experience, or more demand on staff. Check what is on site and talk to the SENCO.
SEN provision
Extra on-site support such as a resourced provision or SEN unit.
English as an additional language (EAL)
Pupils whose first language is not English. Many schools support this well; if English at home matters to you, ask how beginners are taught in class. Not a measure of overall quality.
Attendance
Share of possible sessions attended. Higher is better.
Persistent absence
Share of pupils missing 10% or more of sessions. Lower is better.
Admissions pressure
Indicative label from recent applications versus places — oversubscribed, about average or often has spaces.
Attainment
Primary: share meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (Key Stage 2). Secondary: Progress 8. A dash means nothing was published for that school.
Attainment vs local
Compares each school’s headline to others of the same phase on this page. Above, below or about average for the district.
Area overview

What you see in the area overview

Matches the snapshot and tables below: your postcode, this district, then the wider council area.

Area snapshot
Estimated crime (national rates scaled by deprivation near schools in this postcode district), deprivation near those schools, and Ofsted outcomes for schools here. Shown separately, not as one overall area mark.
More local context
House prices, flood risk, broadband and transport for this postcode district where we have them, alongside the snapshot.
Schools in district
How many schools are in this postcode district, split by primary and secondary.
Average attendance
Mean attendance across schools here with published absence data.
Average free school meals
Mean free school meals eligibility across schools here with published data.
Average SEN
Mean SEN percentage across schools here with published data.
Average EAL
Mean English as an additional language percentage where published.
Deprivation
How deprived neighbourhoods around schools here are compared with England (official deprivation index, shown as bands 1–10 where 1 is most deprived and 10 is least deprived).
Average house price
Typical sold prices for this postcode district where we have them. Street-by-street prices vary.
Flood risk
Indicative summary. Check Environment Agency maps for a specific address.
Broadband
General picture of speeds and availability. Check with providers at your address.
Green space
Brief summary of access to parks or countryside nearby.
Council tax
Typical band for the area. Your exact band depends on the property.
Your home neighbourhood
When you enter your full home postcode, we compare deprivation for your small area with the typical area around schools in this district.
Population, households, ethnicity and age
Census figures for the local council area, not your street or this postcode district alone.
Crime figures
Often a rough estimate: national rates scaled by deprivation near schools in this postcode district (using council population). Not police records for your street. Rates can differ between districts in the same council.
Using this page

Using this page

Tools on this page for narrowing schools and understanding distances.

Distance filter
Controls which schools appear in the list — 1, 1.5, 2 or 3 miles, or every school in this district. Not an admissions catchment.
About these figures
School and Ofsted data from official releases. The area overview splits postcode-district figures from wider council context, with dates at the bottom of that panel.