Brandles School, Baldock
Brandles School is a special school for boys aged 11 to 16 in Baldock, part of Brighter Futures Educational Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2024.
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Brandles School in detail
Brandles School in its own words
In its own words: "Throughout the whole of Brandles School there is a strong emphasis on respect. From the moment a pupil starts at Brandles School we are clear that pupils must respect each other, they must respect the property and most importantly, they must respect themselves. We have excellent staff."
From the headteacher's welcome: "As Headteacher, it is my pleasure to offer you a warm welcome to Brandles School. We are a secondary school that specialises in catering for boys with emotional, behavioural and mental health needs. Ours is a successful, warm, welcoming, happy school with a huge range of clubs, visits and other enrichment opportunities for our young people."
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
The trust
Brandles School is one of 2 schools run by Brighter Futures Educational Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 16 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 44% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 38% to a further education college.
Who goes there
63.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 1.4% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (82%) and Mixed (6%).
Almost every pupil at Brandles School has an education, health and care plan (70 of 71 in 2026). The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Brandles School has a SEN unit for autism and social, emotional and mental health needs: 70 places, 70 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Baldock Rail Station, about 890 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Mansfield Road (near), 90 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Brandles School issued 86 suspensions, 122.9 for every 100 pupils, and 2 permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Staff at Brandles understand how to cater for the needs of pupils who attend the school. Each pupil receives a warm welcome as they arrive. Pupils have time for breakfast and a chance to be calm before the start of the school day. Staff make checks on pupils' welfare and their feelings. It allows them to make adjustments to the curriculum to meet pupils' needs. This helps pupils to be ready to learn.
Pupils work hard to aspire to the school values, 'ready, respectful and safe'. It provides them with a simple approach of how they should behave at school. Relationships between adults and pupils are positive. They support the high expectations the school has for pupils' conduct and attitudes to learning. Pupils know that they can share any concerns. Adults will help to resolve them. Staff understand how to provide sensitive support if pupils misbehave. Calm voices and gentle persuasion help pupils to manage their emotions and re-engage in learning.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has carefully considered the design of the curriculum. Learning plans are bespoke to meet pupils' academic and personal needs. All pupils have an education, health and care (EHC) plan. Many pupils have previous negative experiences of education. The school ensures that pupils receive an appropriate balance of support to help re-ignite pupils' love of learning. For example, 'The Hive' accommodates pupils who take longer to settle at school. Smaller classes and targeted therapies contribute well to their re-integration into school life.
Pupils are well prepared for their next stages of education. They study a range of subjects. For older pupils, it often leads to gaining qualifications and national awards. This helps prepare them well for their next stages in education. Curriculum road maps provide broad themes and topics to ensure coverage of key concepts in each subject. Most subjects include detailed steps that help pupils build their knowledge. However, a few subjects do not apply the same precision. This means pupils do not progress quickly enough on to harder work in those subjects.
From Ofsted's June 2024 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.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its June 2024 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
63.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SEN unit: Autism, SEMH
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 3 nearby schools
Keep up with Brandles School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Brandles School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Brandles School is in Hertfordshire; for families living there:
- Hertfordshire's school travel policy: Read the home to school transport policy
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 15
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 11 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
4 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 Hertfordshire is 9 (the median across 590 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
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
101%
Over capacity
71 pupils
70 places
1 pupil over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Baldock
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Baldock
Across Hertfordshire council
Places available
15,222
Applications
13,456
Got 1st preference
77.5%
Got preferred school
94.9%
All secondary applications across Hertfordshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
1
SEN Support
70
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Brandles School has a SEN unit for autism and social, emotional and mental health needs: 70 places, 70 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
71
Total Pupils
71
Boys
0
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
14
Teachers
5.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£43,075
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
19.2%
Overall absence
59.5%
Persistent absence
74
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about Brandles School
What are GCSE results like at Brandles School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Brandles School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 5.5. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Brandles School's Ofsted rating?
Brandles School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2024.
What is the catchment area for Brandles School?
No fixed boundary. When Brandles School is oversubscribed, Hertfordshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Brandles School?
Brandles School has around 71 pupils on roll. 63% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Brandles School have specialist SEN provision?
Brandles School has a SEN unit for autism and social, emotional and mental health needs: 70 places, 70 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Brandles School?
19.2% of sessions were missed at Brandles School in 2024/25. 59.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Brandles School?
Apply through Hertfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Brandles School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Brandles School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 11 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 4 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 Hertfordshire is 9 (the median across 590 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Brandles School?
Brandles School is at Weston Way, Baldock, Hertfordshire, SG7 6EY.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)