The Brunts Academy
87%
Capacity
1,397
Pupils
2.8x
Demand
About The Brunts Academy
The Brunts Academy is a large, mixed secondary school in Mansfield with 1,397 pupils on roll against a capacity of 1,599, meaning it is currently under-enrolled. Despite this, demand for places is strong: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 682 applications for 241 places, an oversubscription ratio of 2.83, with 153 first-preference offers made. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 28.2%, well above the national average, reflecting the school’s role in serving a relatively disadvantaged community. The school has a secular religious character and is led by headteacher Chris Fisher. It also has a dedicated sixth form, which was rated Good in the most recent inspection, and offers a broad range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, and sixth form centre.
Academically, the school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 rated it Requires Improvement overall, a significant step up from its previous Inadequate rating. The sixth form provision was judged Good, while quality of education, personal development, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management all require improvement. At Key Stage 4, the school’s Progress 8 score is -0.41, which is below the local authority average of -0.11 and places it 31st out of 46 secondary schools in Nottinghamshire. The Attainment 8 score is 41.4, and 39.9% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate is low at 14.1%, and the EBacc average point score is 3.39. At A-level, the school’s value added score is 0.17, with an average points per entry of 32.01, equating to a C+ grade, and 13.3% of entries were graded AAB or higher.
The school offers a wide range of facilities including science labs, art studios, tennis courts, and an astro turf, alongside clubs such as Book Club, Eco Club, Model UN, and DofE. Sports on offer include football, rugby, cricket, and swimming. The school’s SEND provisions cover social, emotional and mental health, speech, language and communication, physical disability, and other difficulties. Parent View responses, collected between September 2024 and September 2025, show that 71% of the 130 respondents would recommend the school. 52% agreed their child is happy, 70% felt their child is safe, and 48% agreed the school makes sure pupils are well behaved. 71% of parents said the school has high expectations for their child, and 88% agreed their child does well. The school is oversubscribed and serves a high-FSM community, making it a popular local choice despite its Requires Improvement rating, particularly for families who value its sixth form and wide extracurricular offer.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | The Park, Mansfield, Mansfield, NG18 2AT |
| Headteacher | Chris Fisher |
| Local Authority | Nottinghamshire |
| Number of Pupils | 1,397 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 28.2% |
| School Capacity | 1,397 / 1,599 (87% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
19 Sept 2023Overall Effectiveness
Requires improvement
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 12 Oct 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.41)
2464th of 3,141
Nationally
208th of 273
In East Midlands
5th of 8
In Mansfield
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less progress than similar students nationally
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
34.4
'22/23
31.2
'23/24
32.0
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
2022/2327%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 271 pupils).
- FE college53%
- School sixth form (stay)27%
- Not sustained7%
- Apprenticeship4%
- Employment4%
- Sixth form college3%
93% 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
2022/2362%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 50 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
25%
Russell Group
26%
Top-third HE
2%
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)62%
- Employment28%
- Apprenticeship4%
- Not sustained4%
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- Psychology27
- Mathematics21
- Business Studies:Single19
- Biology18
- History13
- Chemistry12
- Sociology11
- Computer Studies / Computing10
- Physics10
- Geography9
- Logic / Philosophy9
- Economics7
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
130 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
11Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed241
682
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
153 families put this school as their 1st choice (22% 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 75% 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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British75.2%
- White (other)12.0%
- Asian3.5%
- Mixed3.3%
- Black0.5%
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.
10
Total schools
10
Oversubscribed
7
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 The Brunts Academy
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
The Park, Mansfield
Mansfield, NG18 2AT
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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