Brackensdale Spencer Academy, Derby
Brackensdale Spencer Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Derby, part of The Spencer Academies Trust. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 60th-highest of the 86 schools in Derby with published results, and 12,028th of 14,452 across England. It was 87% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Derby (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Brackensdale Spencer Academy in detail
Results
In 2025, 68% of Year 6 pupils at Brackensdale Spencer Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 61% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 72% and 70% in Derby and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (67% in reading, 63% in maths).
Getting a place at Brackensdale Spencer Academy
For September 2026 entry, 55 families put Brackensdale Spencer Academy as their first choice and 103 named it as one of their preferences, for 60 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 2 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Brackensdale Spencer Academy
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Brackensdale Spencer Academy are Reigate Park Primary Academy (0.6 miles, Good, 60% reading, 60% maths); Ashgate Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 53% reading, 67% maths); Markeaton Primary School (1.1 miles, Good, 82% reading, 75% maths); and Ravensdale Junior School (1.1 miles, Good, 73% reading, 78% maths).
Brackensdale Spencer Academy's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
Reigate Park Primary AcademyAshgate Primary SchoolMarkeaton Primary SchoolRavensdale Junior School
The trust
Brackensdale Spencer Academy is one of 27 schools run by The Spencer Academies Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 68% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
32 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Brackensdale Spencer Academy (as of September 2025): 78% would recommend the school, 84% say their child is happy there and 64% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (88%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (64%).
Who goes there
33.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 32.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (60%), Black (12%) and Asian (8%).
In 2026, 115 pupils (23.1%) received SEN support and 77 (15.5%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is autism.
Brackensdale Spencer Academy has a resourced provision for autism: 45 places, 51 pupils on roll.
Staffing
Brackensdale Spencer Academy had 29 teachers in 2026, one for every 16 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Derby Rail Station, about 2.2 miles away in a straight line.
19 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Greenland Avenue (opposite), 110 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Brackensdale Spencer Academy issued 7 suspensions, 1.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Brackensdale Spencer Academy are The Bemrose School (0.8 miles), Murray Park Community School (0.8 miles) and Derby Cathedral School (1 mile).
The Bemrose SchoolMurray Park Community SchoolDerby Cathedral School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Brackensdale Spencer Academy has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in April 2021. Before that, as Brackensdale Primary School (URN 112736), it was rated Inadequate in November 2019.
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
This is a school where pupils feel valued and included and enjoy learning and spending time with their friends. The school has high expectations for pupils to succeed. This is reflected in the ambition that the school has for its pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). As a result, most pupils achieve well and meet the high expectations the school has for them. This is particularly evident in the school's large, SEND enhanced resource provision, where all pupils have an education, health and care (EHC) plan.
Pupils' everyday actions embody the school's values to 'be kind, shine bright and aim high'. Pupils value the positive relationships that they have with staff. They benefit from staff knowing them very well as individuals. They trust that staff will help them with any worries or concerns. This helps pupils to feel happy and safe at school. Pupils behave well and show kindness and empathy to each other.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has been through transformational change in recent years. Exceptional leadership at all levels has ensured rapid and sustainable improvement in all areas of the school's work. Although their attainment may not be fully reflected in the published outcomes, pupils are increasingly developing a strong, well-connected understanding of their subjects, thanks to the improvements in the school's curriculum design and implementation.
The school has designed a highly ambitious curriculum. This includes the curriculum in the SEND enhanced resource provision, which is expertly tailored to meet pupils' individual needs. The school's work to support pupils with SEND is praiseworthy. Pupils with additional needs are identified swiftly. There are well-structured processes to ensure that pupils with SEND receive appropriate support as quickly as possible. For example, from the Nursery class onwards, staff provide a sharp focus on improving pupils' communication and language skills. This supports pupils, including those with SEND, to achieve well.
From Ofsted's October 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
At a Glance
33.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Resourced provision: Autism
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
32 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 68% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 61% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 71% to 66% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
23.8
Avg class size
27.3
Infant (KS1)
23.4
KS2
18
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Brackensdale Spencer Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Brackensdale Spencer Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Brackensdale Spencer Academy is in Derby; for families living there:
Apply to Derby for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 27
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 6
- Children hurt
- 6
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 27 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 21 slight.
6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise.
7 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Derby is 24 (the median across 119 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Brackensdale Spencer Academy
Will you get a place at Brackensdale Spencer Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Brackensdale Spencer Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Brackensdale Spencer Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Brackensdale Spencer Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Derby, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Brackensdale Spencer Academy for 2022 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Derby got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
87%
Available places
456 pupils
525 places
69 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Derby
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Derby
Across Derby council
Places available
3,564
Applications
2,643
Got 1st preference
94.4%
Got preferred school
99.1%
All primary applications across Derby council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
115
SEN Support
77
EHC Plans
38.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Brackensdale Spencer Academy has a resourced provision for autism: 45 places, 51 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
497
Total Pupils
266
Boys
231
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
29
Teachers
17.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,482
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,636
Per pupil
£2932k
Total funding
£248k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.3%
Overall absence
17.2%
Persistent absence
431
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Brackensdale Spencer Academy
Questions parents ask about Brackensdale Spencer Academy
What are SATs results like at Brackensdale Spencer Academy?
Of the pupils at Brackensdale Spencer Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 68% reached the expected standard in reading and 61% did so in maths.
What is Brackensdale Spencer Academy's Ofsted rating?
Brackensdale Spencer Academy has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in April 2021. Before that, as Brackensdale Primary School (URN 112736), it was rated Inadequate in November 2019.
What is the catchment area for Brackensdale Spencer Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Brackensdale Spencer Academy is oversubscribed, Derby allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Brackensdale Spencer Academy?
Brackensdale Spencer Academy was not full in 2025: it ran at 87% of its 525 places.
How big are the classes at Brackensdale Spencer Academy?
Classes at Brackensdale Spencer Academy average 23.8 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Brackensdale Spencer Academy?
Brackensdale Spencer Academy has around 497 pupils on roll. 33% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Brackensdale Spencer Academy have specialist SEN provision?
Brackensdale Spencer Academy has a resourced provision for autism: 45 places, 51 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Brackensdale Spencer Academy?
6.3% of sessions were missed at Brackensdale Spencer Academy in 2024/25. 17.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Brackensdale Spencer Academy?
Apply through Derby's coordinated admissions process, naming Brackensdale Spencer Academy on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Brackensdale Spencer Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 27 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 21 slight. 6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise. 7 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Derby is 24 (the median across 119 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Brackensdale Spencer Academy?
Brackensdale Spencer Academy is at Walthamstow Drive, Mackworth Estate, Derby, Derbyshire, DE22 4BS.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)