Brandon Primary Academy
About Brandon Primary Academy
Brandon Primary Academy is a state primary in County Durham that serves a community with significantly higher-than-average levels of disadvantage. With 294 pupils on roll against a capacity of 496, the school is operating well below its physical limit, which may reflect local demographic trends or parental preference patterns. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 52.9%, far above the national average and a clear indicator of the socioeconomic context the school works within. Despite this, demand for places is strong: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 47 applications for 31 places, with 30 of those coming as first preferences. That oversubscription ratio of 1.52 suggests Brandon Primary is a popular choice among local families, particularly given that it is a non-faith, non-selective community school with no religious character.
Key Details
The full report on this school
What 44 parents told Ofsted, the inspection in plain English, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.
- Ofsted inspection in plain EnglishStrengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
- Parent View survey resultsWhat parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
- Where Ofsted and parents disagreeGaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
- Admissions & catchmentAdmission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
- Nearby schools comparedBackup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
- Attendance & behaviour dataPersistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
10 Dec 2024From September 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade in inspections of state-funded schools.
Source: Ofsted, 20 Jan 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
Facilities
7Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
7Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
School day
Teaching hours
08:45 – 15:15
Breakfast club
07:45-08:45
After-school care
15:15-17:15
Source: brandonprimary.org.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
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