Christ's College

Christ’s College is a non-selective, co-educational school providing both primary and secondary education to pupils aged 4-16. Founded in Sunderland in 1988 as an independent school, it became a free school in 2012 and has around 740 pupils. Christ’s provides exceptional opportunities to colleagues for rapid professional development in a highly supportive environment. Because of its size, there is great potential for staff to be exposed to whole-school responsibilities at an early stage as part of a team that is committed to making a lasting difference to a community that cares deeply about the education of its young people.

With effect 1 May 2019, Christ’s College joined the now six-school multi-academy Trust that is Emmanuel Schools Foundation (ESF), being one of two all-through schools in the Trust alongside Bede Academy. This sponsorship came with a significant DfE investment in curriculum-led building works during 2019 and 2020. ESF is a strong regional sponsor, making available support to Christ’s from its neighbouring sister schools which are either ‘good’ (The King’s Academy and Bede Academy) or ‘outstanding’ (Emmanuel College), alongside a highly effective central team supporting finance, HR, buildings, IT and other business functions.

The school has undergone extensive building work and modernisation since its founding, and the latest project (a new primary years building) was completed in 2013. Owing to its status as a free school, Christ’s College is state-funded and as such charges no tuition fees for students.

Vision & Values

The vision of the Emmanuel Schools Foundation is to provide schools of character for the whole community, with excellence in academic achievement for students of all abilities within a biblical Christian framework that allows for personal, spiritual, moral and social development. Provision is fully inclusive valuing all students and staff equally. Of great importance for our students is that they would seek truth (finding answers to their big questions about identity, life and its purpose) and develop excellent characters (learning about ethical decision-making, and serving others). We apply Christ’s teaching of servant leadership, and the well-known motto of ‘serve to lead’, as our model and guide. 

Principal

Julie Normanton

Read our recent Ofsted report here.