Brayton Academy

About Brayton Academy

Brayton Academy is a mixed secondary school in North Yorkshire that currently educates 932 pupils against a capacity of 1,208, meaning it operates below its maximum roll. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 16.5%, a figure that gives useful context for the school's intake relative to local and national averages. Demand for places is notably high: for the 2025/26 academic year, the school received 447 applications for 217 places, an oversubscription ratio of 2.06, with 165 of those applications coming as first preferences. This level of competition suggests strong local reputation, and the school's non-religious character means it draws from a broad catchment. Under headteacher Paul Carney, the school has clearly established itself as a popular choice among North Yorkshire families, and the gap between current pupil numbers and capacity hints at room for further growth if demand continues on its current trajectory.

Academically, Brayton Academy delivers results that place it comfortably among the strongest schools in the region. Its Progress 8 score of 0.59 is well above the national average and significantly higher than the North Yorkshire local authority average of 0.07, ranking it 5th out of 43 similar schools in the area. In the Yorkshire and the Humber region, it sits 22nd out of 306 schools, and nationally it ranks 391st out of 3,141, placing it in the top 13% of all schools. The Attainment 8 score of 51.4 and the basics measure, where 79.2% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, underline strong core performance. The school's EBacc entry rate of 85.2% is high, and 49.7% of pupils entered the full EBacc achieved a grade 4 or above. In its most recent Ofsted inspection, the school was rated Outstanding overall, with leadership and management also judged Outstanding, a significant upgrade from its previous Good rating.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including science labs, a sports hall, swimming pool, theatre, and tennis courts, alongside clubs such as the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, choir, drama, and debating. Sports on offer include rugby, hockey, rowing, and martial arts. For pupils with additional needs, the school provides support for a range of conditions including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. Parent View responses, based on 134 responses collected between September 2024 and September 2025, show that 77% of parents would recommend the school. Strong majorities agreed that their child is happy at the school (82% combined agree/strongly agree) and that the school has high expectations (91% combined agree/strongly agree). However, responses around how concerns are dealt with and communication about pupil progress were more mixed, with around a third of parents disagreeing on those points. This is a school that suits families prioritising strong academic outcomes and a wide extracurricular offer, but where some parents may want to see more consistent responsiveness from staff.

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