Forest Academy, Brandon

Ofsted's report card from its 10 March 2026 inspection grades Forest Academy on 7 areas: 2 strong standard and 5 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Inclusion lies at the heart of everything the school does."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Pupils are taught a high-quality personal development curriculum."

Achievement - Expected standard. "By the end of Year 6, pupils are typically well prepared for secondary education."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Until recently, pupils' attendance was not where it needed to be, especially for persistently absent pupils."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Teachers deliver English and mathematics to a high standard."

Early years - Expected standard. "The early years provision provides a positive start to children's education."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders consider staff workload carefully when introducing new initiatives and provide support to sustain staff wellbeing."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that staff choose activities for pupils that deepen pupils' understanding of what they need to learn. This includes consistently reinforcing key spelling and grammar knowledge so that pupils are better prepared for the expectations by the end of Year 6"; "Leaders should further develop how adults support and extend children's play in the early years, making the most of every opportunity for learning and developing their speech, language and vocabulary"; "All trustees should continue to access appropriate training and support so that they fully understand their role, particularly that of the management of a single academy trust".

In its own words: "Forest Academy is a school where learning is joyful, memories are made, and children are prepared for life. To be able to walk into any classroom, at any time, and see and hear all children enjoying their learning, making good progress and attaining well, with adults and children on a continuous journey to improve teaching and learning."

The school runs after-school care.

Coming up: an open evening on Tuesday 10 November 2026 at 5pm and an open evening on Saturday 21 November 2026 at 5pm. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2025, 65% of Year 6 pupils at Forest Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 70% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 72% in Suffolk and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 68% in reading and 59% in maths in 2024.

For September 2026 entry, 32 families put Forest Academy as their first choice and 48 named it as one of their preferences, for 32 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Forest Academy are Glade Academy (0.3 miles, Good, 67% reading, 67% maths); Weeting Church of England Primary School (1.4 miles, Good, 53% reading, 47% maths); Iceni Primary Academy (3.3 miles, 90% reading, 90% maths); and Lakenheath Community Primary School (4.3 miles, Good, 55% reading, 71% maths).

Forest Academy's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.

50 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Forest Academy (as of April 2026): 84% would recommend the school, 80% say their child is happy there and 55% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (84%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (55%).

The nearest railway station is Entrance, about 790 metres away (roughly a 10-minute walk).

15 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Old Forge Court (adjacent), 100 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Forest Academy stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 4th decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In 2024/25, Forest Academy issued 13 suspensions, 3.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.