Brook Sixth Form and Academy

Overview

Pupils are “proud to attend this small setting” where staff know them well and provide consistent support. The school fosters a “calm and purposeful environment” characterised by mature, respectful behaviour and high expectations for achievement, particularly in vocational subjects. Leaders are described as “ambitious for pupils and staff,” creating a culture where employees appreciate consideration for their workload and well-being.

Strengths

• Pupils demonstrate “exceptionally positive attitudes to learning” and work hard to succeed, contributing positively to the community through initiatives like the student magazine and council.
• The school provides “high-quality opportunities to experience the world of work,” including employer-designed project briefs and visits to well-regarded companies, ensuring pupils are “exceptionally well prepared to take their next steps.”
• Staff effectively identify gaps in prior learning and special educational needs, providing one-to-one support that has a “positive impact on their reading knowledge” and allowing pupils with SEND to access the same curriculum as their peers.
• The curriculum in technical subjects such as engineering is ambitious, incorporating advanced skills like “computer-aided design and laser cutting” that prepare pupils well for future study.

Areas to improve

• In a small number of subjects, particularly at A level, the school lacks a “secure understanding of where there are gaps in pupils’ knowledge and skills,” impacting achievement.
• The report states the school should “strengthen its leadership of the curriculum in these subjects” to ensure refinements are made and to have a positive impact on pupils’ achievement.

Safeguarding

The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”