Brackenbury Primary School

About Brackenbury Primary School

Brackenbury Primary School in Brighton and Hove is a state primary for mixed pupils aged 5 to 11, and it is currently a school in high demand. With 194 pupils on roll against a capacity of 230, it is not yet full, but the admissions data tells a different story. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 105 applications for just 24 places, making it oversubscribed with a ratio of 4.38 applicants per place. Of those, 23 were first-preference applications, and exactly 23 first-preference offers were made, suggesting that nearly every family who put it first got a spot. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 38.1%, which is notably high compared with the national average for primary schools, and this context is important for understanding the school's intake. The headteacher is Lizzie Mullarky, and the school has no religious character.

Academically, Brackenbury's most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022 rated it Good overall, a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2018. Every inspected area — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision — was judged Good. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 54% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is below the local authority average of 59%. However, the school's reading average score of 106 and maths average score of 101 are both above the national baseline of 100. The proportion reaching the higher standard in reading was 21%, and in maths it was 7%. Progress scores are not available in the data, so it is difficult to say how much value the school adds, but the rankings place it 31st out of 40 primary schools in Brighton and Hove, and in the bottom 50% nationally.

The school offers a range of facilities including a library, ICT suite, art studios, dining hall and a chapel. Sports provision includes cross country, gymnastics, swimming and rounders, and there is a good selection of clubs such as drama, science club, eco club, book club, film club and choir. For families with children who have additional needs, Brackenbury has identified SEND provisions covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. The school does not have a nursery or sixth form. Given its oversubscription and high FSM intake, this is a school that serves a diverse community and is clearly popular with local families, particularly those who prioritise a supportive environment over raw academic rankings. It would suit parents who value a school that has improved its Ofsted rating and offers a broad range of extracurricular activities.

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