St Martin's School Brentwood
95%
Capacity
1,711
Pupils
4.1x
Demand
About St Martin's School Brentwood
St Martin's School Brentwood sits within the Essex local authority, a large state secondary that ranks 26th out of 86 same-type schools in the county. That puts it comfortably in the top third of Essex secondaries, though it is some way behind the top-performing grammar schools nearby — King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford, Colchester Royal Grammar School, and Brentwood Ursuline Convent High School all post significantly higher Progress 8 scores. Within the Brentwood district itself, St Martin's ranks 4th out of 6 schools. The school is large, with 1,711 pupils on roll against a capacity of 1,805, and it has a mixed, non-selective intake with no religious character. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in September 2024, judged the school Good overall, with leadership and management rated Outstanding — a notable upgrade from the previous inspection in 2019, which had also rated the school Good but with no Outstanding judgements.
Academically, St Martin's delivers solidly average results. Its Progress 8 score of -0.01 is almost exactly in line with the national average, and well above the Essex local authority average of -0.18. Attainment 8 sits at 49.2, and 73.6% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, with 53.5% reaching grade 5 or above. The EBacc entry rate is 40.5%, and 29.9% of pupils entered the EBacc and achieved a grade 4 or above. At A-level, the school's value added score is -0.04, also average, with students averaging 31.8 points per entry — equivalent to a C+ grade. The best three A-levels average out at a C grade. Nationally, the school ranks 1,545th out of 3,141 schools on Progress 8, placing it right around the median. In the East of England region, it sits 173rd out of 350.
The school is heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, there were 1,185 applications for 287 places, a ratio of 4.13 to one, and 236 offers went to first-preference applicants. Facilities are generous, including a swimming pool, theatre, sports hall, tennis courts, and a sixth form centre. The school offers a wide range of sports and clubs, from rowing and rugby to Model UN and Young Enterprise. SEND provision covers nine categories, including dyslexia, autism, and speech and language needs, though the parent view data suggests some mixed feelings on SEND support — 39% of respondents disagreed or strongly disagreed that the school gives SEND children the support they need, while 50% agreed or strongly agreed. Overall, 85% of parents would recommend the school. St Martin's suits families looking for a large, well-run comprehensive with strong leadership, a broad curriculum, and a busy extracurricular programme, particularly those who value the sixth form and the school's position above the local authority average on progress.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Hanging Hill Lane, Brentwood, Brentwood, CM13 2HG |
| Headteacher | Jamie Foster |
| Local Authority | Essex |
| Number of Pupils | 1,711 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 12.9% |
| School Capacity | 1,711 / 1,805 (95% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
24 Sept 2024Quality of Education
Good
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 12 Nov 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.01)
1545th of 3,141
Nationally
173rd of 350
In East of England
4th of 6
In Brentwood
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make similar progress to students nationally with the same starting point
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
37.5
'22/23
31.4
'23/24
31.8
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2360%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 288 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)60%
- FE college30%
- Employment4%
- Not sustained3%
- Apprenticeship2%
97% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2355%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 188 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
24%
Russell Group
30%
Top-third HE
1%
Oxford / Cambridge
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)55%
- Employment21%
- Not sustained11%
- Apprenticeship9%
- Further education2%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Psychology55
- Mathematics50
- Economics42
- Biology41
- Business Studies:Single38
- History27
- Chemistry26
- Physics25
- Sociology23
- Computer Studies / Computing20
- English Literature19
- Logic / Philosophy16
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
Ofsted Parent View
468 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
10Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
20Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed287
1,185
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
287 families put this school as their 1st choice (24% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British73.6%
- Mixed7.3%
- White (other)4.9%
- Asian4.9%
- Black0.4%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
5
Total schools
5
Oversubscribed
4
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About St Martin's School Brentwood
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Hanging Hill Lane, Brentwood
Brentwood, CM13 2HG
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