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School · SpecialiSource and licenceOfficial record from Get Information about Schools (DfE). Results, attendance, pupil numbers, finance and inspection outcomes are from the Department for Education and Ofsted, as published.Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.Governance Register calculates the connections.How we handle data

Barbara Priestman Academy

Academy special converter school in Sunderland (Sunderland).

Pupils
189
on roll
Ofsted
Ungraded inspection
inspected Mar 2024
Attendance rate
86.4%
2024/25 academic year
Pupil : Teacher
6.9
2025/26
Eligible for free school meals
58.7%
school census 15/01/2026
SEN support
0.0%
2025/26
Capacity
106%
189 / 178 pupils
register figure (GIAS)
Teacher turnover
22.2%
2024/25

Academy trust

iGet Information about Schools (DfE), extract of 24 Oct 2026, and Governance Register.

The Ascent Academies' Trust

Barbara Priestman Academy is one of 6 schools run by The Ascent Academies' Trust.

Type of school
Academy special converter
Ages
11 to 19

Open the trust on Governance Register to see its trustees and board →

Schools in the trust

Scroll sideways for more

SchoolPhaseLocal authorityPupilsGovernors on Governance RegisterLatest Ofsted in our data (as at 30 Sep 2026)
Ash Trees AcademySpecialStockton-on-Tees189-Ungraded inspection 2022Last graded Good (Sep 2017)
Barbara Priestman Academy (this school)SpecialSunderland189-Ungraded inspection 2024Last graded Good (Jan 2015)
Hope Wood AcademySpecialCounty Durham250-Ungraded inspection 2024Last graded Good (Sep 2018)
Mowbray AcademySpecialNorth Yorkshire316-Ungraded inspection 2023Last graded Good (Jan 2013, previous school). This inspection was of the previous school, before it became an academy.
Portland AcademySpecialSunderland207-Good 2019Ungraded inspection Feb 2025, no grade given
Springwater AcademySpecialNorth Yorkshire145-Good 2022This inspection was of the previous school, before it became an academy.
6 schools1,296

Schools linked to the trust in the Governance Register school data (Get Information about Schools, extract of 24 Oct 2026). Pupils are on-roll counts from the register. Ofsted: latest inspection in the Ofsted management information (as at 30 September 2026); "No overall grade" means inspected since September 2024 without a one-word grade; what the inspection found is shown beneath, and the school's Ofsted card has the full table.

What this means

Funding
An academy is funded directly by the Department for Education, through its trust, rather than through the local council.
Admissions
The trust is the admissions authority and sets the admissions policy. Applications are usually still coordinated by the local council.
Governance
The trust board is legally accountable for the school. It often delegates some oversight to a local governing body.

General explanation of how academy trusts work in England, not a statement about this trust. See GOV.UK Academy trust governance guide.