SchoolScoresThe Link School
Pupil referral unit · All-through, ages 7 to 14 · Mixed
Swindon Road, Sunderland, SR3 4EE
0191 562 3630 · School website · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 12 June 2018.
This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.
| Area | Grade |
|---|---|
| Quality of education | Good |
| Outcomes for pupils | Good |
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Safeguarding | Effective |
Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 16 November 2023: Ofsted found the school was still Good.
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.
Results
No test or exam results have been published for this school yet.
Admissions
Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Sunderland. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.
Pupils, staff and SEND
| Pupils | This school | Sunderland | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years | 72.2% | 36.6%* | 28.9% |
| With an education, health and care plan | 11.1% | 2.5%* | 3.1% |
| Receiving special educational needs support | 69.4% | 16.5%* | 13.4% |
| English as an additional language | 0.0% | 7.3%* | 19.2% |
| Pupils per teacher | 6.1 | 16.5 | 16.7 |
| Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) | 2.4 | 11.8 | 11.8 |
| Teachers who left during the year | 10.3% | 12.0%* | 14.2%* |
Comparisons are with secondary schools. Scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) figures. For absence and suspensions lower is better, so their scales run green to red; blue scales describe the school's pupils and staff and aren't good or bad. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.
Nearby secondary schools
- Sandhill View Academy 0.2 miles · Ofsted: Report card 2025: 2 strong, 3 expected, 1 needs attention · 49% grade 5+ English and maths
- Christ's College 0.7 miles · Ofsted: Good (2023) · 43% grade 5+ English and maths
- Academy 360 0.9 miles · Ofsted: Good (2022) · 19% grade 5+ English and maths
- Farringdon Community Academy 1.2 miles · Ofsted: Report card 2026: 2 strong, 4 expected · 50% grade 5+ English and maths
- Thornhill Academy 1.4 miles · Ofsted: Good (2024) · 33% grade 5+ English and maths
- St Aidan's Catholic Academy 1.4 miles · Ofsted: No overall grade (2025) · 63% grade 5+ English and maths
- Argyle House School 1.5 miles · Independent, inspected by ISI
- St Anthony's Girls' Catholic Academy 1.5 miles · Ofsted: Good (2023) · 48% grade 5+ English and maths
- Venerable Bede CofE Academy 1.7 miles · Ofsted: No overall grade (2025) · 39% grade 5+ English and maths
- Hopespring Sunderland 1.8 miles · Independent · Ofsted: Good (2024)
Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.
Questions parents ask
What is The Link School's Ofsted rating?
The Link School was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 12 June 2018. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 16 November 2023, Ofsted found the school was still Good.
Sources
- School details: Get Information about Schools (DfE), 26 September 2026. URN 135640.
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, data to 31 August 2026.
Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.
Page updated 26 September 2026.