King's Academy Easthampstead Park Review 2026: A Bracknell secondary with sixth form, deep local roots, and a strong co-curricular offer

The story behind this school stretches well beyond a modern academy conversion. The surrounding Easthampstead Park narrative includes royal hunting history dating to the 1300s, later landed estates, and the Victorian-era mansion that still defines the area’s identity today. The secondary school itself was set up in 1972, later relocating off the mansion site, and it now serves neighbourhoods including Great Hollands, Hanworth, and Birch Hill.

Today’s school is a mixed, state-funded 11 to 18 academy with capacity for 1,250 pupils and an official sixth form. It is part of King’s Group Academies. The most important practical takeaway for parents is that this is a mainstream comprehensive with clear ambition, strong emphasis on reading and wellbeing, and a club programme that is unusually specific and well signposted. Competition for places exists, though the pressure is not driven by academic selection.

The most consistent thread in official commentary is the emphasis on inclusivity and relationships. Pupils have been described in formal inspection evidence as feeling safe, listened to, and well supported, with staff responding promptly to concerns such as bullying or harassment. Behaviour is characterised as generally calm and purposeful, with clear expectations that reduce low-level disruption.

Student voice is not treated as a slogan. The school sets out a structured approach to student leadership, including tutor representatives, a student council, and a student parliament, using an election process designed to mirror real civic practice. That may appeal to families who want leadership experience to be part of daily school life, not limited to a small prefect cohort.

The school’s own admissions documentation frames its values as respectful, successful, and worldwise. The phrasing matters because it signals intent beyond exam outcomes alone. Worldwise, in particular, shows up in enrichment choices and global partnership activity, not only in curriculum statements.

Leadership is clearly presented as a team. The school’s published staffing information names David Littlemore as Executive Headteacher, alongside a named Head of School (Matt Hall) and a wider senior leadership structure. For parents, that typically means day-to-day presence is likely to come from the Head of School and deputies, while strategic direction and trust-wide alignment sit with the Executive Headteacher.

This is a school with a broadly middle-of-the-pack performance profile in England when judged by GCSE outcomes, paired with a sixth form that is more mixed relative to national patterns.

Rankings here are FindMySchool rankings based on official data. For GCSE outcomes, the school is ranked 1,957th in England and 3rd in Bracknell. That places it in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile), which is best read as solid rather than standout.

The GCSE measures suggest a broadly average outcomes picture with some clear areas to watch. Attainment 8 is 44.9. Progress 8 is -0.12, indicating students make slightly less progress than similar students nationally, on average. The school’s average EBacc APS is 4.03.

One detail that deserves careful interpretation is the EBacc pathway. The Ofsted inspection evidence for the predecessor school highlighted that language take-up at GCSE was low, and that leaders were working to increase the proportion of pupils studying a modern foreign language so that more pupils take the full EBacc suite. That aligns with the general picture of EBacc participation being a strategic focus rather than an embedded norm.

For A-levels, FindMySchool ranks the school 1,690th in England and 2nd in Bracknell for A-level outcomes, again based on official data. The sixth form grade profile shows 2.3% at A*, 10.5% at A, and 43.0% at A* to B. Compared with England averages of 23.6% at A* to A and 47.2% at A* to B, the headline is that top-end grades are less common than the England average, while the overall A* to B rate is not dramatically far away.

The practical implication is that the sixth form may suit students who want a local 16 to 18 option with structure and support, but those aiming for the most selective university routes should ask very direct questions about subject-level outcomes, support for high grades, and how the school prepares students for demanding applications.

Two themes come through strongly in published inspection evidence about curriculum intent and delivery: sequencing and reading.

Curriculum planning is described as being clearly set out, with important knowledge identified and ordered so teachers know what students are meant to learn and retain over time. That approach usually benefits pupils who prefer clear structures and helps parents understand what “high expectations” means in practice, rather than as a general claim.

Reading is positioned as a priority, not simply an English department responsibility. Pupils read regularly, and the library is presented as a meaningful part of learning rather than a quiet room that sits unused. Weaker readers are identified and supported so that gaps close early, improving access across subjects. For many families, that is a strong marker of a school thinking about long-term attainment, not only short-term test technique.

A useful note of realism also appears in the official evidence. At times, some teachers have been found not to check understanding carefully enough before moving on, meaning new ideas can arrive before earlier learning is secure. Leaders were described as addressing this. For parents, that is a sensible question to raise in open evening conversations, especially if your child benefits from frequent checks for understanding or is returning to learning after disruption.

Support for students with SEND is described as being appropriately identified with staff training in place, while also acknowledging that classroom adaptation is not yet consistently strong in every case. That is common in schools of this size. Families of children with additional needs should look for practical specifics: how plans are shared with staff, how adjustments are checked in lessons, and how communication works if support is not landing as expected.

The school’s sixth form is framed as having a personal tutor system and a separate sixth form area used for independent study and social time, with recent refurbishment and updated IT facilities. That kind of physical separation can help students feel the shift from Year 11 to Year 12 more clearly, which often supports maturity and independent study habits.

In earlier inspection evidence, students were described as progressing to a range of universities, apprenticeships, and employment, supported by regular, unbiased careers advice. The key point for parents is that the school positions destinations as a spectrum, not only a university pipeline.

However, the school does not currently publish a single, consolidated set of destination numbers in an easily verifiable way that can be used here. If destinations matter heavily to your decision, ask for the most recent leavers data by pathway, subject, and destination type during your visit.

Year 7 admissions are local authority coordinated. For entry in September 2026, the published admissions arrangements state that Bracknell Forest’s secondary guide becomes available from 12 September 2025 and that the closing date for applications is 31 October 2025. The school’s admission number for Year 7 entry in 2026 is 210.

The council also confirms that the September 2026 Year 7 application round closed on 31 October 2025, with late applications processed from 23 March 2026. If you move into the area or miss the deadline, that timing matters.

Competition exists. In the most recent admissions round captured in official data, there were 339 applications for 206 offers, which equates to about 1.65 applications per place. That is not extreme by South East standards, but it does mean families should treat admission as a process that needs planning, not a formality.

The school’s open evening pattern suggests a September event for Year 6 families, with booking required. Because published dates can age quickly, treat the month as reliable and the exact date as something to confirm on the school website.

For sixth form entry, the school invites applications and highlights a personal tutor model and financial support through the 16 to 19 bursary system. Families considering joining at Year 12 should ask two direct questions: minimum GCSE entry requirements for the sixth form overall, and subject-specific entry thresholds for popular A-levels.

Parents comparing several options should use the FindMySchool local Comparison Tool to view GCSE and A-level measures side by side, then use the Map Search to sense-check commuting and practical daily logistics.

Pastoral strength is a recurring theme in the available evidence base. Pupils have been described as knowing there is always someone to speak to if worried, and parents were recorded as valuing how staff support wellbeing. Behaviour expectations are described as clear, supporting a calm learning environment.

Safeguarding is also clear in the formal record. The most recent full inspection evidence states safeguarding arrangements were effective, with staff trained to act on concerns, leaders following up promptly, and pupils able to explain how to keep themselves safe, including online.

A practical indicator of pastoral breadth is the club programme, which includes Bereavement Club alongside academic and sports options. That combination, wellbeing support alongside enrichment, often signals a school trying to meet pupils where they are, not only pushing for outcomes.

For sixth formers, financial support is explicitly addressed through the 16 to 19 bursary guidance, including help with transport, meals, trips, and equipment. The published guidance sets an income threshold of below £30,000 for discretionary bursary eligibility, and it also references a higher-level bursary route for specific vulnerable groups, subject to criteria and successful application. For families where cost is a barrier to post-16 participation, that clarity is important.

The co-curricular programme is unusually concrete, with a published list of clubs that goes well beyond generic “sports and drama”.

On the academic and creative side, options listed include Debate Club and Mock Trial, Astronomy Club, Theatre Skills Club, Cooking Club, Art Club, Textiles Club, Craft Club, Book Club, Poetry Club, and Chess Club. There are also niche interest options such as Dungeons and Dragons Club, Warhammer, and Touch Typing Club. The implication is simple: students who need a reason to stay after school, or who thrive with structured social groups, have multiple routes to find their people.

Sport is also presented with detail, including Table Tennis, Badminton, Basketball across year groups, Fitness, Rugby, Netball, and Girls Football. The programme also references Boxing delivered through a named external provider and includes Duke of Edinburgh as an organised pathway. For many families, Duke of Edinburgh is a useful marker because it supports organisation, teamwork, and independence, while also building a CV for post-16 and post-18 choices.

International education is not left to chance. The trust-level international dimension content references partnership work with Challenges Abroad and Future Sense Foundation, including sixth form travel and charitable activity in Cambodia (2022) and Northern Thailand (July 2023). That is a meaningful offer for students who want global awareness to be practical, not purely classroom discussion.

The school day starts at 8:40am and finishes at 3:10pm for most year groups. Year 11 has additional compulsory Period 5 lessons on some days, extending the finish time to 4:10pm.

For structured after-school study, Homework Club runs every day in the library from 3:10pm to 4:10pm, staffed to support completion and organisation. For families balancing home routines and homework pressure, that is a valuable practical support.

For transport planning, Bracknell Forest’s travel information notes rail access via Bracknell and Martins Heron stations, with services towards Reading and London Waterloo. Local bus provision varies, so families should confirm their specific route and timings before relying on independent travel.

• Ofsted timing and academy conversion. The latest full Ofsted inspection evidence relates to the predecessor school (Good, November 2021); the academy conversion letter explains that the new academy is a separate legal entity and may not yet have had a full inspection under its current URN. If inspection recency is central to your decision, ask directly what has changed since conversion and how improvement is tracked.

• GCSE progress is slightly below average. Progress 8 is -0.12, suggesting students make a little less progress than similar students nationally. For some pupils this will not be an issue; for others, especially those who need consistent stretch, it is worth exploring how the school checks understanding and builds depth over time.

• EBacc and languages remain a strategic priority. Official inspection evidence identified low GCSE language take-up and a need to increase participation. If you want a language-rich pathway, ask how languages are promoted, what the GCSE offer looks like, and whether take-up is improving.

• Sixth form outcomes are mixed against England averages. With 43.0% of A-level grades at A* to B compared with the England average of 47.2%, the sixth form looks credible but not high-flying on paper. Students targeting the most competitive routes should ask for subject-level outcomes and how the school supports top grades.

King's Academy Easthampstead Park offers a grounded, community-focused 11 to 18 education with a clearly structured day, a strong emphasis on reading, and a club programme that feels designed for real teenagers with varied interests. It does not present as an exam-maximising specialist, but it does present as a school that values safety, relationships, and breadth alongside academic ambition.

Best suited to families in south Bracknell who want a local comprehensive with sixth form continuity, meaningful extracurricular structure, and pastoral stability. Admission is competitive enough that planning matters, and the most ambitious sixth formers should probe subject outcomes carefully, but for many students this is a sensible, supportive route through to 18.