Forest Academy, Brandon

Good
Primary
Academy converter
Mixed
Ages 311

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~644m)Possible (~920m)Unlikely (~1.2km)Confidence: medium

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Sarah Skillern
Pupils:389 / 420 capacity
LA:Suffolk
Phone:01842810309
Address:Bury Road, Brandon, IP27 0FP
Trust:FOREST ACADEMY
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open
Opened:1 November 2010

Ofsted Rating

Good

Overall

URN:136316
UKPRN:10032211
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:West Suffolk
Urban/Rural:Larger rural: Further from a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Forest Academy is exceptionally inclusive and ensures every pupil gets the support they need to succeed, with particularly strong provision for those with special educational needs. Teachers deliver high-quality English and maths lessons with consistent, precise teaching methods. The school creates a caring, supportive environment where pupils behave well, feel safe, and develop confidence through a broad range of clubs, sports, and enrichment activities.

Key Strengths

  • Highly inclusive approach with excellent support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities
  • Strong personal development curriculum with high-quality teaching of reading and phonics
  • Effective safeguarding culture where concerns are actively managed and pupils feel safe
  • Wide range of accessible clubs and sports including wheelchair basketball and boccia
  • Improved attendance through strong relationships with families

Areas for Improvement

  • Grammar, punctuation and spelling results below national average - new teaching approach being implemented
  • Some curriculum activities in certain subjects not focused enough on subject-specific learning
  • Early years staff could develop children's play interactions further to encourage speech, language and maths skills
  • Governors still developing full confidence in their oversight roles for the single academy trust

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met - the school has created an open and positive culture of safeguarding where all legal requirements are met and pupils are made safer and feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Coding clubs, sports clubs, wheelchair basketball, boccia, theatre productions, skipping, basketball games

Forest Academy is a highly inclusive school where safeguarding is effective and pupils feel safe. The school provides strong support for all learners, particularly those with special educational needs, and pupils achieve results broadly in line with national averages.

At a Glance

20.2%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading-3ppMaths+11ppWriting-4pp

Reading has remained stable at around 65%. Maths has improved from 59% to 70%. Writing has declined from 71% to 67%.

Class Sizes

25.7

Avg class size

26.0

Infant (KS1)

24.8

KS2

16

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Train Stations

Entrance (Entrance)
788m · 13 min walk
Brandon Rail Station
836m · 14 min walk

Bus Stops

Old Forge Court (adj)
102m · 2 min walk
Car Park (adj)
145m · 2 min walk
Ladram House (opp)
204m · 3 min walk
Lode Street (adj)
206m · 3 min walk
Aldi (adj)
315m · 5 min walk
Can you get into this school?
Enter your postcode to find out

Commute Calculator

Find out if this school is reachable from your home - before you apply

Sign up free to see your commute to this school

What are my chances?

Enter your postcode to estimate your probability of getting a place.

Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

93%

Near capacity

389 pupils

420 capacity

31 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Brandon

Low pressure
New homes approved:230
Projected new pupils:58

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Brandon

Admissions Demand - Suffolk

Low demand0.73x oversubscription

Places available

8,896

Applications

6,486

Got 1st preference

96.3%

Got preferred school

99.4%

Primary admissions across Suffolk (2025/26)

Inspection History(15)

Date not published by Ofsted
Good
Date not published by Ofsted
Good
Date not published by Ofsted
Good

House Prices

Moving into the catchment? See what homes near this school actually cost

Sign up free to see house prices near this school

SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

Sign up free to see special needs support at this school

Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

Sign up free to see who goes to this school

Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

Sign up free to see teacher and staff data

School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

Sign up free to see how this school is funded

Pupil Absence
2024/25

6.20288%

Overall absence

19.04762%

Persistent absence

357

Enrolments

Authorised4.82925%
Unauthorised1.37363%
Persistent (10%+)19.04762%
Severe (50%+)2.80112%

Absence trend

4.386%
18/19
5.8279%
20/21
9.62834%
21/22
6.50764%
22/23
6.37%
23/24
6.20288%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

Reviews

No reviews yet - be the first to leave one.

Leave a Review

You need to be signed in to leave a review.

Secondary Schools Nearby

Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to

Nearby Schools

Do you work at this school?

Claim your profile free to get a verified badge, update your contact details, and see how many parents are viewing your page.