Welcome to St. Patrick's Catholic Primary School
The Staff and I would like to welcome you to St. Patrick’s Catholic Primary School. Our school is situated in the village of Ryhope in Sunderland. We are a small, friendly school with currently 180 pupils on roll. At St. Patrick’s we strive to give every child the opportunity to develop their full potential and to be the best they can be. The Catholic faith and Gospel values underpin all that we seek to achieve at St. Patrick’s, whilst at the same time, embracing and celebrating a variety of other faiths and cultures.
The school was originally built in the late 1800’s and retains much of its character. New sections have been added in recent years to improve its facilities, such as the kitchen and an Early Years outdoor area.
The school is situated next to St. Patrick’s Church, where we frequently join the Parish community for Mass and other services. Strong links exist and continue to develop between the school, the parish and the local community.
The school was judged ‘good’ after our most recent OFSTED Inspection in March 2024. The inspector commented that:
- Pupils embody the school's values, including compassion and tolerance.
- Pupils demonstrate high levels of respect for others.
- A purposeful learning environment pervades the school
- Pupils benefit from the high expectations and aspirations of leaders. Leaders’ high expectations for achievement are evident in teachers’ classroom practice and pupils’ understanding of their learning.
- One parent summed up the feelings of many others by saying, ‘The school creates a safe environment where my children are comfortable to be themselves and accept everyone.’
I hope that you find this information useful. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us via the School Office. The information in this publication is accurate as of May 2026. Visits are most welcome; we look forward to showing you around our wonderful school.
Mrs J Ward
Executive Head Teacher