School admissions in Washington
How heavily each school was applied to for September 2026 entry, from the applications and offers every admissions authority reports to the DfE. 10 of these schools also have a published admissions cutoff distance. Sorted by first preferences per place. We don't invent rankings: the order is arithmetic on a published figure, not a view about which school is better.
Washington in figures
For Reception places in September 2026, families named the 17 schools in Washington first 483 times for 473 places: 1.02 first choices per place, against 1.00 across the Sunderland authority's 76 schools. 3 of the 17 had more first choices than places. For 2026 entry, 3 schools here gave their last places on distance, from 1.74 miles (Fatfield Academy) to 2.08 miles (Rickleton Primary School).
For Year 7 places in September 2026, families named the 4 schools in Washington first 673 times for 678 places: 0.99 first choices per place, against 0.99 across the Sunderland authority's 18 schools. One of the 4 had more first choices than places. For 2026 entry, one school here gave its last places on distance: St Robert of Newminster Catholic School and Sixth Form College, Washington, to 3.68 miles.
Totals for the schools listed on this page. Applications and offers on national offer day, DfE; last-offer distances as the council published them.
Reception places, September 2026
17 schools. 3 received more first preferences than they had places.
| School | First preferences per place | Places | Cutoff distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rickleton Primary School | 1.18 | 61 | 2.08 miles |
| Oxclose Primary Academy | 1.07 | 28 | 2.055 miles |
| Fatfield Academy | 1.03 | 30 | 1.735 miles |
| Albany Village Primary School | 1.00 | 28 | not published |
| Barmston Village Primary School | 1.00 | 17 | not published |
| George Washington Primary School | 1.00 | 43 | 0.933 miles |
| Holley Park Academy | 1.00 | 23 | not published |
| John F Kennedy Primary School | 1.00 | 33 | not published |
| Lambton Primary School | 1.00 | 20 | not published |
| Marlborough Primary School | 1.00 | 15 | not published |
| St Bede's Catholic Primary School, Washington | 1.00 | 22 | not published |
| St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Washington | 1.00 | 26 | 1.705 miles |
| Usworth Colliery Primary School | 1.00 | 43 | not published |
| Wessington Primary School | 1.00 | 21 | 1.33 miles |
| Biddick Primary School | 0.96 | 24 | not published |
| Blackfell Primary School | 0.93 | 15 | not published |
| St John Boste Catholic Primary School, Washington | 0.92 | 24 | 1.502 miles |
First preferences per place is the number of families naming the school first, divided by its published admission number. Above 1.00 means more first choices than places. It is not a ranking and not a measure of quality: a popular school can be easy to get into and a quiet one hard, because places are allocated by each school's own criteria, siblings and faith and banding first, with distance often the last tie-breaker. Applications and offers on national offer day, DfE.
Year 7 places, September 2026
4 schools. 1 received more first preferences than they had places.
| School | First preferences per place | Places | Cutoff distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Robert of Newminster Catholic School and Sixth Form College, Washington | 1.10 | 209 | 3.681 miles |
| Washington Academy | 0.97 | 108 | not published |
| Oxclose Community Academy | 0.94 | 168 | 0.83 miles |
| Biddick Academy | 0.93 | 193 | 0.922 miles |
First preferences per place is the number of families naming the school first, divided by its published admission number. Above 1.00 means more first choices than places. It is not a ranking and not a measure of quality: a popular school can be easy to get into and a quiet one hard, because places are allocated by each school's own criteria, siblings and faith and banding first, with distance often the last tie-breaker. Applications and offers on national offer day, DfE.