Alec Hunter Academy, Braintree

In its own words: "Our mission is to serve our community by providing opportunities for all our young people to progress, enjoy learning and fulfil their academic potential in a safe, caring environment that prepares them well for a successful future."

From the headteacher's welcome: "At Alec Hunter Academy, we pride ourselves on the positive relationships we engender between our young people and the adults who work with them on a day-to-day basis. We believe that students learn best when they feel valued and when the expectations of them are high."

In 2026, pupils at Alec Hunter Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 47.1, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.5 in Essex and 47 across England.

50% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 45% in Essex and 47% in England.

That is up from 45.7 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.1: pupils made about average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 38.3, against 49.9 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 11.6 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 27 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 227 families put Alec Hunter Academy as their first choice and 483 named it as one of their preferences, for 202 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 38 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Alec Hunter Academy are Notley High School and Sixth Form (1.2 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 46.1); Tabor Academy (1.8 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 38.5); and Lift New Rickstones (4.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 42.5).

Alec Hunter Academy's 2026 results were higher than all 3 of them.

Alec Hunter Academy is one of 9 schools run by Saffron Academy Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 51 in 2024/25.

Of the 195 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 86% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 52% to a further education college, 3% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.

13.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 7.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The nearest railway station is Braintree Freeport Rail Station, about 540 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).

13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Alec Hunter Academy (outside), 40 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 196 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Essex (97), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Alec Hunter Academy issued 85 suspensions, 8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.

The primary schools closest to Alec Hunter Academy are Beckers Green Primary School (0.3 miles), Lyons Hall School (0.8 miles), Great Bradfords Infant and Nursery School (1 mile) and Great Bradfords Junior School (1 mile). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.