The Bishop David Brown School

  • Secondary
  • Academy
  • Ages 11 to 16
Ofsted: Good

Albert Drive, Woking, GU21 5RFOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

The Bishop David Brown School is a secondary school in Woking for ages 11 to 16. It is one of the 512 schools in Surrey. It ranks 6th of 6 secondary schools in Woking. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in January 2019.

Ofsted inspection

Inspected 8 January 2019, report published 3 February 2019

Overall effectiveness
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Safeguarding
Met

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 6 March 2024

Pupils are immensely proud to belong to this vibrant and inclusive school. They value the trusting relationships they build with staff and each other. There are nurturing environments around the school, such as the 'spirit room and garden', where pupils feel safe and well looked after. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are fully included in every aspect of school life. They benefit from receiving bespoke support when needed. Adults use the information in pupils' education, health and care plans to adapt the curriculum to meet the individual needs of pupils. The school's house system creates a positive competitive environment among pupils. They enjoy taking part in creative and academic competitions, such as 'effort challenges' as well as various sports events. Pupils love receiving rewards to celebrate their efforts, such as 'VIP' passes and non-uniform days. Pupils from all backgrounds and ages get along well. They look out for each other and make sure that nobody feels isolated, regardless of when they join the school. Staff celebrate their diverse school community through events like the Japanese and International Days. Pupils value these opportunities and the extensive clubs that are on offer to them. For example, they can attend chess and debating clubs as well as various sports clubs. Pupils also feel lucky to have leisure facilities on site where they can swim as part of their physical education curriculum. They are happy and enjoy the learning on offer to them.

What the school should improve

  • The curriculum in some subject areas has been recently developed. Teacher's expertise in these subjects is more varied, meaning pupils are not always learning as much as they could. The school should continue with their improvements to strengthen the teaching across the full curriculum.
  • Some specific strategies for teachers to swiftly check pupils' knowledge and understanding have recently been implemented. Consequently, some staff and pupils are not yet confident in using these to identify where there may be gaps in knowledge and understanding. The school needs to continue to embed these checking processes and develop teachers' expertise so that this information is used effectively to inform the next steps of learning.

Exam results

GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25

130 pupils in the year group

Attainment 8 score45.0

45.0, 1.1 below the England average of 46.1.

Grade 5 or above in English and maths42.3%

42.3%, 3.1 percentage points below the England average of 45.4%.

Grade 4 or above in English and maths70%

70%, 5.2 percentage points above the England average of 64.8%.

Pupils entering the EBacc55.4%

55.4%, 14.9 percentage points above the England average of 40.5%.

EBacc average point score4.03

4.03, 0.06 below the England average of 4.09.

Pupil numbers and mix

790 pupils on roll, with places for 750

Eligible for free school meals28.7%

28.7%, 2.2 percentage points above the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language22%

22%, 0.4 percentage points above the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support18.7%

18.7%, 3.9 percentage points above the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan4.4%

4.4%, 1.6 percentage points below the England average of 6%.

Schools near The Bishop David Brown School

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
Fullbrook School0.9 milesReport card: Expected standardAttainment 8: 52.6
Hoe Bridge School2 milesNo Ofsted inspectionNot published
Woking High School2 milesOfsted: GoodAttainment 8: 54.3
St John the Baptist Catholic Comprehensive School, Woking2 milesOfsted judgements: OutstandingAttainment 8: 58.1
Woking College2 milesNo Ofsted inspectionNot published

School details

School type
Academy converter
Sector
Academy
Trust
UNITY SCHOOLS TRUST
Age range
11 to 16
Gender
Mixed
Sixth form
No
Headteacher
Ms Charlotte Venter
Address
Albert Drive, Woking, GU21 5RF
Local authority
Surrey
URN
142284

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.