Bringhurst Primary School Review 2026: A reading-led rural primary with strong KS2 outcomes

A small rural primary on the Leicestershire and Northamptonshire border, this is a school where reading sits at the centre of daily routines, and where pupils tend to leave Year 6 with secure basics and plenty of confidence. Official reporting highlights a calm, safe culture, clear expectations, and a curriculum that prioritises ambitious learning from the early years through to Key Stage 2.

Bringhurst is an academy within the David Ross Education Trust, with a published planned admission number of 26 for Reception entry. The school’s most recent inspection (8 to 9 November 2022) confirmed it continued to be a good school. Leadership has had a recent change, with Mrs Amelia Holdcroft shown as principal from 01 September 2024 on governance information.

Performance data is a clear headline. In 2024, 83.67% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, well above the England average of 62%. On FindMySchool’s primary outcomes ranking, the school sits above England average, placing it comfortably within the top 25% of primary schools in England. (FindMySchool ranking based on official data.)

The school positions itself as a small village community with a strong sense of belonging, and official commentary aligns with that picture. Pupils are described as proud of their school, and the culture is framed around ambition, achievement and respect, with staff setting clear expectations for learning and conduct.

Reading is the most distinctive strand in how the school presents itself and how it is externally described. Leaders describe reading as the curriculum’s foundation, and the inspection report reinforces the daily visibility of reading across classrooms, including adults reading to pupils and modelling fluent, expressive reading. The library is highlighted as a central feature of school life, with pupil librarians helping to maintain a space that encourages reading for enjoyment as well as for learning.

As a David Ross Education Trust academy, the school also sits within a wider network that shares policies and access to trust-wide opportunities. For many families, that translates into two practical implications. First, there can be a little more structure and consistency in policy and systems than in a standalone village school. Second, pupils can sometimes access wider trust opportunities, competitions, and enrichment that would be hard for a small school to run entirely on its own.

Bringhurst’s KS2 outcomes in 2024 are strong across the board, and they read as the profile of a school that gets core learning secure without narrowing pupils’ experience to test practice.

Headline KS2 combined measure

In 2024, 83.67% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with the England average of 62%.

High standard measure

At the higher standard in reading, writing and mathematics, 47.67% of pupils achieved this level in 2024, compared with an England average of 8%.

Scaled scores and subject measures

Average scaled scores are high, with reading at 108 and mathematics at 108. Grammar, punctuation and spelling is also strong, with an average scaled score of 107 and 86% meeting the expected standard. Science outcomes are also secure, with 86% reaching the expected standard, compared with an England average of 82%.

FindMySchool ranking context

Ranked 2,250th in England and 2nd in Market Harborough for primary outcomes, this places the school above England average, and comfortably within the top 25% of primary schools in England. (FindMySchool ranking based on official data.)

What that means for families is straightforward. If you are prioritising strong KS2 basics, especially reading fluency and maths security, the published outcomes suggest pupils are leaving Bringhurst well prepared for the jump to secondary curriculum pace.

Parents comparing local schools can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page to view these results side by side using the Comparison Tool.

The curriculum is described by the school as carefully sequenced and knowledge-rich, with content chosen by subject experts and organised so pupils can build secure knowledge year on year. In practical terms, that kind of curriculum design tends to show up as clear progression, fewer gaps between year groups, and better retention, because pupils revisit and extend ideas in a planned order rather than meeting them once and moving on.

Reading is the most visible “how” of teaching. Daily adult read-aloud, explicit modelling of fluency and expression, and a library culture are all highlighted as regular features of classroom life. The implication is twofold. Pupils who already love reading are likely to thrive because they are constantly given material and time to go further. Pupils who are less confident can benefit from predictable daily practice, and from a school culture that treats reading as a shared activity rather than a private struggle.

The school also frames music and physical education as structured parts of the week, with music taught weekly and opportunities for enrichment such as choir and specialist input. This matters at a small school because breadth can be harder to sustain without specialist capacity. Where that capacity exists, pupils tend to experience a more rounded week, even in a single-form entry setting.

Bringhurst is a primary school, so the key transition is Year 6 to Year 7. The school’s communications show purposeful transition work, including organised sessions designed to build familiarity and confidence for the next step.

For families planning ahead, the wider county timeline is also worth knowing. In Leicestershire, secondary applications for autumn 2026 entry follow the standard national pattern, with a published deadline of 31 October for Year 7 applications. While that date is for secondary admissions rather than primary, it helps Year 5 and Year 6 families plan visits, open evenings, and decision-making well before the final term of Year 6.

This part of Leicestershire sits close to Rutland and Northamptonshire, so families’ Year 7 choices can include several directions depending on catchment, transport, and preference. The local authority advises families to check catchment details directly with the schools they are considering, since proximity and “nearest school” are not the same thing in admissions terms.

Some families in this area also look at independent senior options. For context, Uppingham College lists Bringhurst among its partner schools, which suggests there is at least some existing relationship through outreach or school partnership activity.

Reception admissions sit within Leicestershire’s coordinated admissions system, and the school’s own admissions information describes the local authority as the admitting authority, with decisions ultimately made through that process. As an academy, the David Ross Education Trust is the admission authority in policy terms, but the practical route for Reception places follows the coordinated local authority timeline.

Demand picture

The school is listed as oversubscribed on the most recent entry-route demand data provided here. In the latest dataset, there were 38 applications and 24 offers for Reception entry, which is around 1.58 applications per place offered. The practical implication is that while this is not “extreme” oversubscription, it is competitive enough that families should approach it as a school where first preference does not guarantee an offer.

Key dates for autumn 2026 entry

Leicestershire publishes that the primary application window runs from 01 September to the national closing date of 15 January, with the national offer day on 16 April 2026. The county’s own news announcement for autumn 2026 also repeats the 15 January deadline for first-time primary entry.

Open events

The school’s events listing currently shows no diary dates. In practice, open mornings and tours are often added to school calendars seasonally. Families should check the school calendar and admissions page, and contact the school directly if dates are not yet posted.

Parents trying to sense-check competitiveness should use the FindMySchool Map Search tool to measure their home-to-school distance precisely and to compare options realistically, even where formal catchment lines are not clearly published.

The most useful evidence about pastoral culture comes from the external description of pupils feeling safe and happy at school, with behaviour systems that set clear expectations and a stance that does not accept bullying. For parents, that matters because a small school can sometimes feel either very secure or very intense depending on group dynamics. A clear, consistent approach to behaviour tends to reduce that risk.

On inclusion and additional needs, the school sets out a graduated approach, including written support plans with personalised targets, and a route to statutory assessment where pupils may need a more individualised programme of support. The named SENCo is Philippa Sturgess, and availability is described as daily, via the school’s published SEND information.

The broader implication is that families whose children need structured, documented support should expect a system that is formalised rather than ad hoc, with regular review points and clear communication routes.

For a small primary, the breadth of activity matters because it is one of the clearest ways a school avoids feeling narrow. Bringhurst’s enrichment is presented as a deliberate part of school life, framed around broadening skills and experiences, and it is linked to the David Ross Education Trust’s wider approach.

Clubs and wraparound activity

Breakfast club runs each morning from 08:00 to 08:40. After-school provision is described as running daily from 15:30 to 17:00, with a mix of sport, singing, and in-house clubs that vary by term. This has a clear practical payoff for working families, since it provides predictable cover at both ends of the day without relying entirely on external childcare.

Sport and events culture

Sport appears as a genuine strength in how the school reports on itself. A term update highlights pupils participating across football leagues, swimming galas, dance activities, and a whole-school Santa Run that raised over £1,700 for the DRET Inspiration Fund. Swimming features strongly, including KS2 participation in the Rutland Sport Swimming Gala and representation at a Year 5 and 6 team event. The implication is that sport is not limited to a small “team” group, it is positioned as inclusive, with multiple entry points for different ages and confidence levels.

Eco-Club and wider themes

The school’s COP26 update describes learning activities linked to sustainability and climate change and notes the restart of Eco-Club as part of that work. For pupils, this sort of club works best when it connects to real decisions and routines, such as recycling systems, outdoor learning, or local community links, and the school’s framing suggests it aims for that kind of practical engagement.

Music

Music is described as weekly across the school, with enrichment through music clubs, including school choir, and opportunities to work with music experts. For children who enjoy performance, regular assemblies and choir can provide a steady rhythm of rehearsals and shared goals.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Costs to plan for typically include uniform, trips, and optional extras such as music tuition, depending on what a family chooses to take up.

For daily logistics, the school publishes breakfast club hours (08:00 to 08:40) and after-school provision hours (15:30 to 17:00). Gates are referenced as opening at 08:40 for pupils to come into class and begin learning. If you need longer hours than the published wraparound offer, it is worth checking whether any term-by-term changes are made via the school’s club leaflets.

Uniform expectations are clearly set out, including charcoal grey items and a blue checked summer dress option, with guidance that items should be named.

As a rural school, travel patterns often depend on family transport and village-to-village routes. Families should factor in winter travel conditions and check realistic timings for drop-off and pick-up.

• A small-school experience. As a small rural primary, year groups are typically limited in size, which suits children who like being known well, but it can feel limiting for those who want a very large peer group.

• Competition for Reception places. Recent demand data shows more applications than offers. If you are moving into the area, plan early and understand how oversubscription criteria apply.

• Trust governance and policies. Being part of a multi-academy trust brings consistency and wider opportunities, but it can also mean some policies are trust-set rather than locally tailored.

• Rural logistics. Breakfast club and after-school provision cover key times, but family routines still rely on transport planning, especially if siblings attend different schools.

Bringhurst Primary School suits families who want a village-scale primary with strong KS2 outcomes, a clear reading-first culture, and a steady mix of enrichment across sport, music, and wider themes such as sustainability. The best fit is for pupils who respond well to clear expectations and who benefit from being known personally in a small setting. The main challenge for some families is admission competition, so planning around the county timeline matters.