The Brooksbank School Review 2026: A large Elland secondary with sixth form, strong routines, and a clear upward trajectory

A school with deep roots in Elland, and a very modern recent story. Founded in 1712 by Joseph Brooksbank to educate local children, the institution later moved to the current Victoria Road site in 1911 and evolved through grammar and specialist sports-college eras into today’s comprehensive 11 to 18 academy.

The headline for parents in 2026 is change that has stuck. The 1 and 2 April 2025 Ofsted inspection graded every key area as Good, and confirmed safeguarding is effective. That matters not only for reassurance, but because the report describes a school where routines are secure, pupils feel safe, and classroom culture is calm and purposeful.

Size brings breadth here. With a planned capacity of 1,703 places and 11 to 18 provision, there is room for subject choice, sport, leadership opportunities, and a sixth form that stays closely connected to the wider school. In practice, this suits families who want the scale and options of a large state secondary, alongside a clearly articulated approach to behaviour, reading, and personal development.

The tone is purposeful, with an emphasis on pupils knowing what is expected of them and why it matters. A defining feature is the shared language of the school’s Core Values, respect, empathy and determination, which pupils understand and demonstrate consistently. When values are embedded like this, the practical implication is less time spent negotiating basics and more time available for learning and enrichment.

Leadership is structured in a way that reflects the school’s trust context. Darren Atkinson is the headteacher (principal) and has been in post from 1 September 2020. The school also has an executive headteacher, Dave Hewitt, and operates within Together Learning Trust, with governance and oversight sitting at trust level as well as locally. For families, the key point is that improvement work is not solely dependent on one person; it is supported by a wider organisation with capacity to sustain change.

What does this feel like day to day? The best evidence comes from the way behaviour and learning routines are described. Pupils conduct themselves in a mature way, and staff and pupils share an understanding of expectations. Older pupils explicitly reference improvement in their experience, which is often a useful proxy for whether changes have reached classrooms rather than staying on paper.

Pastoral support is not presented as a bolt-on. The school describes a visible safeguarding and welfare team, with heads of year and pastoral support workers attached to year groups, and a designated safeguarding space for students who need help. A “postbox” approach for concerns is designed to give students a low-friction way to ask for support, including anonymously if needed. The implication for families is simple: pupils who are hesitant to speak up still have routes into help, and systems do not rely on confidence alone.

Performance tells a steady, middle-of-the-pack story at GCSE on the national picture, with encouraging signs around progress, and a weaker A-level profile that families should understand clearly before banking on sixth form outcomes.

GCSE outcomes (secondary phase)

Ranked 2,150th in England and 1st in Elland for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), the school sits in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).

Attainment 8 is 47.8. Progress 8 is +0.18, which indicates pupils make above-average progress from their starting points. EBacc outcomes are an area to watch: the average EBacc point score is 3.96, slightly below the England average of 4.08, and 9.2% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above across the EBacc. (All figures reflect the FindMySchool dataset for the latest available reporting period.)

The practical take-away is that this is not a school relying on headline academic selectivity to drive results. Instead, it appears to be building consistency through curriculum clarity, improved behaviour, and targeted support, which can benefit pupils who need structure and routines to make progress.

A-level outcomes (sixth form)

At A-level, the picture is more challenging. Ranked 2,146th in England and 1st in Elland for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), performance places the school below England average overall. A* grades account for 0.88% of entries, A grades 8.85%, B grades 21.24%, and A* to B 30.97%, compared with an England average of 47.2% achieving A* to B. (All figures reflect the FindMySchool dataset for the latest available reporting period.)

This does not mean sixth form is the wrong choice, but it does mean families should ask sharper questions: subject-by-subject strength, class sizes in key courses, entry requirements, and what support looks like for students retaking GCSE English and maths if needed. The most successful sixth forms are explicit about those practicalities.

A useful way to benchmark locally is to use FindMySchool’s Local Hub comparison tool to view GCSE and A-level measures side by side with other Calderdale options, then filter by travel time and sixth form offer to build a realistic shortlist.

The curriculum is described as ambitious, broad and balanced from Years 7 to 13, with clear end points that help teachers build learning in a structured sequence. For parents, “clear end points” usually translates to more consistent classroom experiences across a large staff body, and fewer gaps between what is intended and what is taught.

Reading sits at the centre of the school’s approach. Pupils read frequently through iGen sessions, the English curriculum, and a wider reading programme designed to expose them to high-quality texts. This matters beyond English: stronger reading fluency supports learning in history, science, and vocational subjects where exam success depends on comprehension and subject vocabulary.

The school is also explicit about what still needs tightening. Support for pupils who need help with reading is in place, including targeted phonics teaching for some pupils, but reading support beyond phonics is at an earlier stage. In a large secondary, that detail is important. It suggests the overall direction is right, but the next level of impact depends on consistency and staff training, particularly for pupils who do not fit a single “phonics” profile.

SEND practice is another area where consistency matters. There are clear processes to identify pupils needing additional help, and there are bespoke approaches and use of external agencies to remove barriers, including a space known as The Bridge to support engagement with education. The improvement priority is that staff do not yet consistently adapt the curriculum for some pupils with SEND in daily teaching. For families of children with additional needs, this becomes a key question for visits: what adjustments look like in specific subjects, and how the SENDCo and heads of year monitor follow-through.

For most families, the “next step” question has two layers: what happens at 16, and what the sixth form pipeline looks like beyond 18.

Within school, the sixth form is integrated into wider life, with students supporting younger pupils through mentoring and in-lesson help, and contributing to a culture where pupil voice is growing in influence. The Ofsted report also emphasises strong guidance for students about the range of next steps available, and links with employers, which is a meaningful marker of quality for a school serving a comprehensive local intake.

For university destinations, the school’s sixth form highlights Russell Group progression as part of its destinations story, stating that 30% of destinations are to Russell Group universities. There are no verified Oxbridge figures available in the published material reviewed here, and the school sensibly places more emphasis on broad next-step planning than on a narrow elite-university narrative.

In practical terms, this means families should assess “fit” rather than status. Students who are motivated, attend well, and use the available guidance tend to benefit most. Students who need a high-pressure, top-grade sixth form environment may find a different provider matches their goals better, especially in subjects where the A-level profile is currently weaker on the headline measures.

Year 7 entry (September 2026)

Applications are coordinated by Calderdale Council. The local authority’s published admission number for Brooksbank is 270 for 2026 entry. The coordinated scheme sets a clear timeline: applications open 23 June 2025 and close 31 October 2025; National Offer Day is 2 March 2026.

Oversubscription criteria are detailed and unusually specific for a large comprehensive. Priority includes looked-after and previously looked-after children, a defined list of linked primary schools, siblings, and children of staff. Two features stand out:

1. Sporting aptitude route: up to 10% of the planned admission number can be allocated for sporting aptitude, with a separate application and assessment process. For September 2026 entry, the school advertises a sporting admissions application deadline of 14 October 2025, a testing date of 16 October 2025, and results released on 23 October 2025.

2. Trust context: there is a priority category for pupils attending a Together Learning Trust primary school, alongside the wider linked-primary list.

After priority categories, places are allocated by straight-line distance to the school gate, with tie-breaks resolved by proximity. If your plan relies on distance, families should use a precise distance tool, such as FindMySchoolMap Search, rather than estimating by postcode or driving routes.

Sixth form entry (September 2026)

The sixth form welcomes applications from both internal and external students, and describes a 1:1 interview approach to help students choose the right courses. The published deadline for September 2026 applications is 9 February. Entry requirements vary by pathway, so families should check subject-by-subject expectations early, especially for competitive A-level combinations.

A large school lives or dies on routines and relationships. Here, attendance and behaviour have improved over a two-year period, and classroom culture is described as calm and purposeful, with staff working hard to understand pupils and remove barriers to success. That combination, higher expectations with practical support, tends to suit pupils who want to get on with learning but need adults to be consistent.

Safeguarding structures are unusually transparent. The school sets out a multi-layer safeguarding team with designated roles, and a physical safeguarding space intended as a safe, staffed place for pupils to seek help. The postbox initiative extends that by giving pupils a route to raise concerns even when they find face-to-face conversations hard.

Beyond safeguarding, the personal development offer is built around leadership and character. Pupils learn age-appropriate content on relationships and safety, and there is emphasis on careers guidance and employer links. The school also signposts external wellbeing support services for young people, which can be helpful for families who want clear routes to advice outside school hours.

Extracurricular provision is strongest where it feels specific rather than generic. A published weekly programme includes a mix of creative, academic, wellbeing, and interest-led clubs. Examples include Textiles and Fashion Club, Lego Club, STEM Club (Years 7 to 9), Volunteering Club, LGBTQIA+ Club, Minecraft Club, and a wellbeing-focused Mind Strong session. This breadth matters in a school of this size because it creates multiple “ways in” for pupils to feel known, whether they are sporty, creative, academic, or simply looking for structured social time.

Sport is a long-standing identity strand, and facilities support that. The school site includes a 3G pitch that can be configured from 5v5 through to 11v11, and it can also accommodate a full-size rugby pitch. For cyclists, a notable asset is the Brooksbank Cycle Circuit, described as a 750-metre traffic-free road circuit for training and racing. Indoor provision is similarly broad: a sports hall marked for multiple games with four-court badminton and cricket nets, gymnasiums, and a MUGA court with markings for basketball and netball.

The performing arts offer benefits from space as well as enthusiasm. A main hall theatre is described as having professional sound and lighting and tiered retractable seating for up to 270 people, alongside dance studios with a semi-sprung floor. For pupils, the implication is that school productions and performance opportunities can feel “real” rather than improvised in a classroom.

Academic enrichment shows up in smaller, practical ways. The Ofsted report references sporting opportunities as well as lunchtime darts and after-school competitive rugby, plus student ambassadors and volunteering beyond school. Those details indicate a culture where enrichment is not reserved for a small top set, and where students can build confidence through contribution.

The school day starts with registration at 8.30am, and students can access the Learning Resource Centre and canteen from 8.00am. The school day finishes at 2.40pm. The Learning Resource Centre is described as open from 8.00am to 3.40pm, which can be useful for students who want a quiet study base after lessons.

Lunch is expected to be taken on site for main school students, while sixth form students may be allowed off site at lunchtime with permission. For transport and parking, the school advises that on-site parking for major events can be limited, so families should plan for overflow parking and considerate drop-off arrangements.

• SEND consistency remains an improvement priority. Processes to identify pupils needing help are in place, and support structures exist, but staff do not yet consistently adapt curriculum delivery for some pupils with SEND. Families should ask how subject teachers are trained and how classroom adjustments are monitored.

• Reading intervention is developing beyond early phonics. Targeted phonics support exists, but wider reading support is still being built. This matters for pupils whose barrier is comprehension and vocabulary rather than decoding.

• A-level outcomes are currently below England average on headline measures. Students who are set on highly competitive university routes should probe subject-level outcomes, teaching capacity, and support for retakes before committing to sixth form here.

• The sporting aptitude pathway has its own deadlines. Families aiming for a sport place need to complete a separate process with earlier autumn deadlines, and should not assume the standard application timeline is enough.

This is a large, mixed state secondary that has moved decisively into a more stable, orderly phase, with Good judgements across the board and safeguarding confirmed as effective. The school’s best evidence sits in routines, culture, reading emphasis, and a structured approach to behaviour and personal development.

Best suited to families who want a big-school offer, strong sport and enrichment facilities, and a clearer sense of direction than the school had several years ago. The key decision point is post-16: sixth form provides continuity and guidance, but headline A-level measures are weaker than England average, so students with very academic sixth form ambitions should compare options carefully.