Three primary schools in Sunderland have recently received updated inspection reports from Ofsted, reflecting the education watchdog’s updated reporting system. Grindon Infant School, Hetton Lyons Primary School, and Blackfell Primary School were each evaluated earlier this year under the new traffic light report card system, which replaced the previous single-word effectiveness judgements.
At Grindon Infant School, inspectors visited on 20 January 2026 and found that while the school met safeguarding standards and achieved the expected standard in most areas, it requires attention regarding pupil achievement. The report noted that over recent years, too many pupils have not secured the skills they need to read fluently, leading to inconsistent outcomes in Year 1 phonics screening. Headteacher Andrea Charlton said: “I am proud of the recent Ofsted report because it reflects the caring, supportive environment we work hard to create for our children.” She added that while there is ongoing work regarding achievement, the school is already addressing the areas identified by inspectors.
Hetton Lyons Primary School, part of the Balmoral Learning Trust, was inspected on 13 January 2026. The school achieved a strong standard for personal development and wellbeing, with inspectors noting that pupils’ personal development “is a significant strength of the school. It is underpinned by a carefully designed, responsive curriculum that is closely matched to pupils’ needs and experiences.” The school, currently under the leadership of joint acting heads Mrs Sarah Young and Mr Christopher Harrison, met the expected standard in all other evaluated areas. Safeguarding standards were met.
Following an inspection on 3 February 2026, Blackfell Primary School was rated at the expected standard in most categories, though it was marked as needing attention in early years. The school, which has introduced mixed-year group classes, is currently under the leadership of headteacher Danny Patterson, who joined in September 2025. Inspectors highlighted that the new leadership team has established a clear vision and noted that parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school and the new leadership.
Parents and community members can review the full details of these findings and the specific categories for each school directly on the Ofsted website.
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