The Bishop David Brown School
107%
Capacity
805
Pupils
2.5x
Demand
About The Bishop David Brown School
The Bishop David Brown School in Woking is a popular choice among local families, with 356 applications for 144 Year 7 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.47. Of those, 109 offers went to first-preference applicants out of 113 who listed the school as their top choice, indicating strong local demand. The school is a mixed, non-denominational state secondary for pupils aged 11 to 16, led by headteacher Charlotte Venter. It currently has 805 pupils on roll, slightly above its official capacity of 750, and 27.3 per cent of students are eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average. In its most recent ungraded Ofsted inspection in March 2024, the school was confirmed to remain Good, a rating it has held consistently since at least its previous graded inspection in 2019.
Academically, the school’s Progress 8 score for the 2023/24 academic year was 0.03, which is exactly in line with the national average and places it in the ‘Average’ banding. This is below the Surrey local authority average of 0.26, but the school’s Attainment 8 score of 43.4 is solid, and 59 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The EBacc average point score was 3.65, with 19.4 per cent of pupils entering the EBacc combination of subjects. In terms of local rankings, the school sits 34th out of 66 secondary schools in Surrey, and 4th out of 5 in Woking itself. Progress in maths was notably stronger than in English, with a Progress 8 maths score of 0.26 compared to -0.13 for English. The school does not have a sixth form, so pupils leave at 16.
The school offers a wide range of facilities including a theatre, swimming pool, astro turf, science labs, music rooms, and a chapel. Sports provision covers football, rugby, tennis, hockey, and swimming, while extracurricular clubs include the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, coding, orchestra, choir, and chess. The school has a comprehensive SEND offer, with provisions for autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health support, among others. For families considering alternatives, the nearest Outstanding-rated school is St John the Baptist Catholic Comprehensive School, 3.5 km away. Bishop David Brown suits families who want a well-subscribed, Good-rated local school with strong facilities and a broad extracurricular programme, particularly those whose children benefit from additional SEND support.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Albert Drive, Woking, Woking, GU21 5RF |
| Headteacher | Charlotte Venter |
| Local Authority | Surrey |
| Number of Pupils | 805 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 27.3% |
| School Capacity | 805 / 750 (107% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
7 Mar 2024Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (7 Mar 2024): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 3 Feb 2019. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.03)
1451st of 3,141
Nationally
223rd of 461
In South East
4th of 5
In Woking
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.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/233%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 105 pupils).
- Sixth form college57%
- FE college29%
- Apprenticeship4%
- School sixth form (stay)3%
- Employment3%
- Not sustained3%
95% 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.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
13Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed144
356
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
113 families put this school as their 1st choice (32% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:40 – 15:00
Source: bdb.surrey.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- Asian38.2%
- White British34.7%
- White (other)12.4%
- Mixed6.1%
- Black0.1%
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.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this 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
3
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Bishop David Brown School
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
Albert Drive, Woking
Woking, GU21 5RF
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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