Brannel School
Rectory Road, St Stephen, St Austell, PL26 7RNOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Brannel School is a secondary school in St Austell for ages 11 to 16. It is one of the 295 schools in Cornwall. It ranks 3rd of 3 secondary schools in St Austell. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in April 2022.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 5 April 2022, report published 26 May 2022
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 5 April 2022
The school is ambitious for its pupils. There is a shared vision for pupils to achieve highly and develop strength of character during their time at Brannel School. There is a strong sense of being part of a community. Pupils follow an exciting curriculum. Alongside learning a range of subjects, they also participate in the weekly 'Brannel Challenge' as part of their personal development programme. Pupils have opportunities to broaden their horizons and raise their ambitions, for example with a Year 10 trip to Exeter University. Pupils are also encouraged to think about how they can develop their own knowledge across the curriculum. Pupils learn how to become global citizens. For example, they hosted a virtual eco conference at the same time as the G7 Summit took place. Within the curriculum, pupils focus on important areas of personal development. For example, Year 7 pupils learn about democracy and the rule of law. Pupils feel safe and say they are happy at school. Leaders model the high expectations they have of pupils. As a result, there is a calm and positive atmosphere around the school site. When rare incidents of poor behaviour or bullying happen, leaders act quickly to address these. However, there is a small minority of pupils who repeatedly display negative attitudes to learning.
What the school should improve
- Some parents do not feel the school communicates well with them about their child. This can lead to a breakdown in the partnership between school and home. Leaders should ensure they develop strong channels of communication with parents to allow them to work together effectively.
- A minority of pupils do not always show positive attitudes towards their learning in lessons. As a result, they are often removed from lessons to work elsewhere. Leaders must ensure that all pupils develop positive attitudes to learning through the consistent implementation of an effective behaviour policy.
Exam results
GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25
164 pupils in the year group
Pupil numbers and mix
888 pupils on roll, with places for 750
Schools near Brannel School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poltair School | 5 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 47.4 |
| The Roseland Academy | 5 miles | Ofsted: Outstanding | Attainment 8: 48.3 |
| Penrice Academy | 5 miles | Ofsted judgements: Outstanding | Attainment 8: 50.9 |
| Polwhele House School | 7 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Not published |
| Penair School | 8 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 49.1 |
School details
- School type
- Academy sponsor led
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- CORNWALL EDUCATION LEARNING TRUST
- Age range
- 11 to 16
- Gender
- Mixed
- Sixth form
- No
- Headteacher
- Mr Tristan Muller-Forster
- Phone
- 01726822485
- Address
- Rectory Road, St Stephen, St Austell, PL26 7RN
- Local authority
- Cornwall
- URN
- 145108
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.