Brantridge School

Brantridge School is a specialist SEMH school for pupils with education, health and care plans, part of the Orchard Hill College Academy Trust. This full inspection found the school performing very strongly overall: safeguarding standards are met, attendance and behaviour are exceptional, and achievement, curriculum and teaching, inclusion, leadership and governance, and personal development and wellbeing are all strong. Pupils make solid progress from diverse starting points, benefit from a carefully designed and inclusive curriculum, and are well prepared for their next steps. Staff know pupils well, relationships are positive, and pupils feel safe, valued and happy. Attendance has improved dramatically over time.

Strengths

• Exceptional attendance and behaviour practice, with pupils wanting to attend and behaving calmly and respectfully.
• Pupils make solid progress from diverse starting points and produce consistently high-quality work.
• High-quality teaching of reading, writing and mathematics, with reading prioritised daily.
• Curriculum pathways are carefully designed to meet varied needs and are constantly reviewed.
• Leaders have a detailed understanding of curriculum and teaching quality, ensuring consistency across year groups and pathways.
• Inclusion is strong: SEND needs are identified swiftly and support is implemented promptly.
• Staff use EHC plans effectively and monitor progress towards outcomes and wellbeing.
• Pupil premium strategy is thoughtfully considered and closely monitored for impact.
• Personal development programme is comprehensive, well taught and personalised.
• Pupils develop confidence, resilience, self-regulation and a secure understanding of fundamental British values.
• Leadership and governance are collaborative, ambitious and focused on pupils' best interests.
• Staff feel cared about, well trained and trusted, with workload considered.
• Trustees and local governors are knowledgeable, passionate and bring expertise.
• Pupils are very well prepared for their next steps and life in modern Britain.
• Safeguarding culture is open and positive, and pupils feel safe.

In 2024–25 pupils at Brantridge School attended 92.5% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 25.6% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.0% of pupils at Brantridge School were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Brantridge School had 5.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 28.3% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.5%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26 Brantridge School had 80 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: specific learning difficulty; moderate learning difficulty; severe learning difficulty; social, emotional and mental health; speech, language and communication needs; hearing impairment; vision impairment; multi-sensory impairment; autistic spectrum disorder; other difficulty or disability.

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded special school schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Brantridge School received £46,591 and spent £45,197 for each of its 77 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £510,000 (£6,629 per pupil).

Across all 12 schools of Orchard Hill College Academy Trust, income was £39,932 and spending £38,950 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Haywards Heath · West Sussex local authority: places and applications

Brantridge School is part of Orchard Hill College Academy Trust, which runs 12 schools. The nearest others:

• Unified Academy Dorking
• St Dominic's School Godalming
• Carew Academy Wallington
• St Philip's School Chessington
• The Link School Croydon
• Addington Valley Academy Croydon
• Dysart School Surbiton
• Bedelsford School Kingston Upon Thames
• Nightingale Community Academy London
• The PRIDE Academy West Drayton

What is Brantridge School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Brantridge School is Strong standard, from an inspection in June 2026.

When was Brantridge School last inspected by Ofsted?

Brantridge School was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does Brantridge School have?

Brantridge School has 80 pupils on roll.

What age range does Brantridge School cover?

Brantridge School for pupils aged 6 to 11.

What are Brantridge School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 0% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Brantridge School?

Brantridge School is at Staplefield Place, Staplefield, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH17 6EQ.