The Brunts Academy

Im a former student i left back in 2016 its incredibly ovbious this place hasnt changed bullying is still the biggest issue something they claim to deal with yet never do when i was there it was "oh we'll tell them to stop" yes very effective well done. I couldn't take part in pe during the last year of school due to problems with my hips that i always had a note for ect yet was always put down and made to feel like it was my fault something i cant control and that has to be corrected with surgery - the favouritism to all the "blonde popular girls" was ridiculous i got my lip pierced and my tutor was awful she made my life hell constantly making comments, talking about me to other teachers yet none of this applied to the girl in my tutor group with the nose piercing.

I made a bag in D&T and we had to send the teacher it over so she could print it off so i did it was of my favourite band at the time to which i saw this bitch laugh then turn on the big whiteboard to display it to everyone because clearly you needed to do it for this specific one didnt you.

My photography teacher told me like 2 weeks before my gcse exam that my work wasnt up to his standard and that i had to do it all again to which he then told me i was "taking too long" so he litterally did all my work for me all my work was annotated so vaguely and i just had to act like I'd wrote it all

Honestly as whole the place is and will continue to be down hill as a parent myself now i can understand why my mum was always so pissed off with this place and its definitely a big no to my daughter attending here when she reaches that age. And tbh i only wrote these reviews because i think the fact you've been labeled as inadequate by ofsted is well deserved absolute shambles

Worlds most horrid school, dont go

i just think the teachers need an upgrade because they shout at the most smallest thing ever i know your not ment to talk in lessons but still i think we should still aloud to talk it helps with not just mental but also physical health and yep thats all i have to say overall its a good school (LET US WHERE COATS JOURING PE)

I’m a year 8 in this school, and it’s not bad, apart from some teachers not showing for lessons and stuff, but it’s the students what cause me most problems. I’m seen as “weird” by people for liking different things but I usually don’t care. But for some reason this girl in my class started a rumour that I sent embarrassing messages to another person in the class and I’ve taken 2 days off because the people who go to this school are ruthless. They will bully someone they don’t like until they either move sets or move schools. It’s happened before in my class. But anyways I’m scared to go back because I’m scared of what will be said about me when I do go back. I wish it was all a bad dream. Any way, good school, terrible students. Need punishing a lot more.

The school needs to change i am a former student who used to go there and i left and went to home educating because it was so bad so if any parents are reading this i strongly consider u do not send ur kids there and read reviews from a student/former student and not listen to what the teaches say because it will be lies for example if u are struggling with needs they wont care or listen ...before i went there i was so happy and such a bright kid but through there when u ask for help they dont want to help they just send you off and say it will get better then they give up because u keep asking there "there to support you" is nonesons they dont care if u ask for help more then once u get ignored ..if u skip class they dont come looking for you or worry about you even if u have bad mental health and they know they will just shout at you.all they care about is how you look..And the kids who are bad behaved well they dont really care but if they do one thing good like listen for 5 mins they get rewarded when the kids who do that all the time get ignored it is a descrase and i would not recoment anyone to go there unless u want to get ignored and have bad mental health please consider reading the reviews before u dont know whats behind those gates unless u been there.... Thank you

Awful they dont care about ur mental health and saftly is bad because if u skip lesson or something they dont come and find you..they dont help you they only shout at you as a former student i think this is horrific they should do bettee to help students at the school not shout and them and treat them like they are dirt

DO NOT send your child here they treat you with no respect and they have no form of care in any way about yourself nor your mental well-being. Any form of incorrect uniform can typically result in you getting put in detention even for having no tie [in the event of no tie for example you are often forced into paying their overpriced prices there and then]. Any form of missing uniform is rectified instantly through the use of the lost property bin which is far from hygenic with clothes often being in a grim condition. Uniform is strict with them being more bothered about how a student looks rather than their academic development or on going personal struggles. Need the toilet? well, you'd be best holding it till you get home as the toilets are locked the majority of the time meaning you can't go during and even sometimes before/after lessons as they don't always open it at the start of the day/ break and also lunch. The only accessible toilet is dalton blocks and that's because they have no lockable doors as there aren't any, resulting in a clear view of inside both the men's and ladies toilets. These toilets however are in a poor state with cubicle doors missing and broken sinks. Cleanliness is rare to be seen in these toilets even if you use them first thing in the morning. The school often likes to promote being yourself yet remove any form of allowed personal identification with all students not allowed Jewelry of any kind nor allowed makeup not even subtle makeup [ one thing that allows people to have confidence in who they are and can help their mental wellbeing]. All coats are expected to be in only two colors [black and blue] with students having coats confiscated if breaching the policy. Blazers must be worn at all times and you have to seek permission to remove them, even during breaks and lunches where blazers must be visible and on you. The senior leaders i.e Carl Atkin the current headteacher rarely well truthfully never shows any form of care for the students and is mainly interested in keeping his reputation within the trust and keeping his job and its wealthy benefits. There are so many problems with this school I could write a full-on essay about the wrongdoings here but feel these are the main points that need to be brought to attention.

This school is so bad , I’ve been here for a while and the rules are getting stricter and stricter . They focus on how the students look instead of anything else . No one handles bullying and the bad students they do the bullying are friends with the teachers so they don’t do anything . If you are thinking about sending your child to this school … don’t .

Secondary School is quite bad, sixth form is okay. In general, there is a lot of bullying and nothing is done about it. To take any action they need proof before they even look into it. With scattered breaks now there is a high disturbance as pupils are screaming just outside the door. Teachers don't put enough effort into helping students especially year 11 and up. The science department is underfunded as most money goes to creative subjects like art. Computers are unusable as they are older than some of the students. Almost everything is swept under the carpet like: teacher that was inappropriately communicating with a student over text, counsellor that bullies students, suicide of one student that was bullied, inappropriate facilities within the trust at a special needs school. The cleanliness of the school us appalling and the cleaners are disrespectful. More money is put into humanities than science, when less pupils take those subject. Students are also not supported of awarded. As a year 12 student there is a head boy in the year above me that continues to put in his time to improve the community not just the school. I have not seen him being awarded. As well as that people who do well in lessons are ignored while those who behave badly and improve in the slightest bit are awarded. The whole environmental committee put in their own time to improve the school and do not get recognised.

i am currently enrolled as a student here, and my life could not be worse. this school is genuinely so awful. if there are parents reading this thinking of whether to send their children here, please listen to my reasoning for why the school is so poor.
mental health. this school treats students mental health like dirt. there is one male counselor for the whole 1300+ students here, and i personally dont feel my safest around men. i have spoken with him three times now and he has not helped me once. he doesnt help you or give you guidance, he just sits there and reiterates what you have said. "i want to die".. "so im hearing that you want to die..?". i know that school councillors are not going to be the best, but when i tell my tutor that im suicidal and she tells me my only way of getting help is through this teacher what am i supposed to do? the amount of teachers that i have told about my mental health being in pieces is more than i can count. my tutor is the only one that "helped" me, but not really.
bullying. during lockdown a boy hung himslef that went to the brunts academy. the only way i found put was through my mother telling me she saw about it on facebook and the school didnt post about it or anything. this poor boy was being bullied by his peers and there could have been other things sure, but bullying way still part of it. when i bought this up with a teacher they said that the bullying problem was sorted. its never sorted. i know this because ive been bullied relentlessly in my years here and its not as bad as it was, but its still bad. i told my parents and teachers at school many times and my mother also told my teachers, but they didnt really act on it. children at this school are evil to other children. i cant blame them 100% as they are being put under so much pressure for everything to be perfect by teachers. i know thats not an excuse for pupils awful behaviour to others.
teachers. in 2021, teachers were dropping like flies. in 2021 september we got tons of new faculty and the school said none are going to leave, its all going to be so much better, no more supplies. i know of 4 teachers so far that are no longer teaching here, 2 of which taught me, and i am positive there are many more. teachers treat children like theyre enrolled in the military. im shocked everyday of the new rules. one of the teachers taking pictures of only year 10 girls "shiny shoes" whilst theyre wearing cropped, tight trousers. the trousers that last year teachers were going crazy about.
uniform. the rules againt uniform is crazy. my mother spent £40 on two pairs on trousers this year because last year teachers kept kicking off about them, but now no one cares? the uniform policy needs to be less strict. we are in a SCHOOL! not military training! teachers also dont treat us like human beings. they treat us like were in some sort of game and they want to push us to see how far we go untill we snap.
homophobia, racism, sexism ect. i have dealt with everything you could imagine at this school as a minority student, and before you think "why wouldn't you tell someone" please, believe me. I HAVE. many times. countless times. this school does. not. care. i cant only blame the useless school, it is also the students. but the teachers dont punish these students for their mistakes. i get verbally assulted. i tell a teacher. nothing happens. i get verbally assaulted. i react. i get isolation. if teachers want behaviour to improve, forcing stupid rules wont fix it. creating punishments that fit the crime does fix it.
rules. here we cant express ourselves. people get upset about the piercing rules, but i can see why we cant wear it. if someone falls and it gets ripped out, the school will get in trouble. but when people question the rules, we get told we wont get a professional job. i have actually been told that by a teacher, who was wearing a nose peircing? if the excuse we get is that we wont get a job, how did a teacher get a job with piercings? the reasoning for rules is so off. we should be told why we do things.
i saw a teacher comment on here about pupils behaviour and how they followed these same rules when they were young, but that doesng mean its okay. pupils behaviour is bad because we are treated bad.
in conclusion please dont send your children here if you want them to have a good education and good mental health. thank you for reading.

I'm currently in year 9, when I first came here it was because of the amazing reviews that Brunts and the Evolve Trust was given.

So far in brunts I have had technically 4 head teachers, and too many supplies. The heads aren't doing good for the school and are putting people in isolation for forgetting there ties, and having nail varnish on. I'm all for being sophisticated and preparing the teens for future jobs but this is beginning to make the school be more like a prison.

With covid things have been difficult and we all understand that. Teachers have had to quit jobs and the school is being ran differently than it typically would. But it's gotten to the point that student don't want to be here even more than initially.

Every school requires order, but they also require teachers that willingly stay the entirety of the school year, maybe the entirety of a childs secondary education. But these teachers need the ethic and will to be more than just educators, but also decent human beings. The trust isn't giving the students this and its ruining there chances of a good, happy educational life.

The school used to be one of the best, but it needs changes before it can be up to that standard again.

When I first got here, yes my mental health was not in the best shape but now ,I’ve been here for a couple years, I’m suffering worse than I ever have. Before lockdown last year I needed help and my doctor referred me to the school therapist. Firstly if you’d ever THOUGHT about self harm the man would have to tell someone higher in the school, and the whole time I was incredibly uncomfortable. When I went back to lesson I was shaking. I still need help but I don’t want to speak to teachers about it after that. I have a lack of trust in this school and saying I am a student that just isn’t right.
Bullying is like a general attitude now, you cannot come to the Brunts Academy without getting harassed in one way or another. I’ll get called names that I would think about for a long time and if I spoke about it they’d get told off and that’s about it . So when people say things that are detrimental to my mental health that’s fiiiiine but other stupid things would get people in isolation (like not having a tie and nails). Some days ,because of what gets said to me, I don’t want to come to school.

As for options, the pupils that have to take e-bac get one free option,it’s unacceptable and now they will have a bare minimum range of education.
It’s ridiculous, the only thing I can say that there are some nice teachers (like 4 or 5 that actually teach me and I have met some lovely friends.

this school is a business run by a trust only looking for money and not the wellbeing of their students.the slt staff don't care if the students come out pig shit stupid . it's just so they can be richer. it's discussing seeing the misogyny of not letting any of my female friends play cricket or footbal but making up new games.the homophobia is unreal. transphobia is at its peak I know teachers don't care about students wellbeing and I know openly transphobic staff at this school.money is key at this school if you're poor you will get bullied by the rich. this school is dog shit <3

As a teacher and reading these reviews I would like to state that I am an adult not a child therefore I can wear nail polish and make up. When I was at school I couldn’t. That is the circle of life. When you’re older you’ll be able to wear make up and nail polish in your job. Good luck finding a school that doesn’t have a uniform policy. It’s about getting the small things right which in turn improves behaviour. If you can’t see that the two go hand in hand then there is the problem. The behaviour of pupils at this school is appalling. A lot is down to a sense of entitlement and parents facilitating this behaviour by backing up the poor behaviour and not backing the schools policies.

So,this school has gone downhill so badly. They tell us to be individuals but they ban the things that make somebody themselves. Like nail polish. Like I'm sorry but that isn't distracting and it's not going to hurt anyone in the slitest. Everyone will still live life like normal. And teachers have nail polish on all the time and they don't do anything about it. They now send us in isolation for wearing nail polish. Its just so petty. Boots aswell, I don't get why they tell you of for this because your still wearing shoes and still turning up to school. And also all of the good teachers are leaving. And when I say good teachers I meen the ones that are actually good at teachers and the ones that will listen to your problems. For example I've been going to ** ******* alot for my problems and he listens and he's leaving. And some of the teachers didn't want to go. Most of them have been here years. Bullying, one of my friends have been getting bullied since day 1 of joining the school and they say they take it seriously but they don't do anything about it at all. They also don't understand that some people's family carnt afford some stuff, and they expect you to get a new time by the end of the week or something like that. In most lessons I have supplies and we got told we wouldn't. At first I thought it was alright but it's honestly not anymore. Self harm, they don't do shit about that either. They need to get there act together.

This school is horrific. Members of staff do not treat or value their students/pupils as human beings. They also have these "core values" that they adhere to, but it's a load of rubbish. As for how they handle mental health? They do little to nothing. This school has made me depressed and they bring your self esteem down by not allowing you to wear jewellery, earrings, smart watches, or even dye your hair a different colour as it is seen as "unnatural" and they would much rather prefer for students/pupils to have no sense of self-identity. None of the things listed should affect learning, but the thick staff at this school, for some reason, have yet to realise it. Moving on to their mobile phone policy, they don't allow you to go on your phone, EVEN during breaks and lunches. Your child will also be bullied in some way or another and yet again they refuse to do anything about it. As for the toilet situation, they are taking away a LITERAL human right and don't allow students/pupils to go to the toilet during lessons, before lessons, even after lessons. The food there is also horrible. I've always brought my own lunch because I would much rather starve than eat any of the dog food that they provide. This concludes my review and I hope you all consider what I have said very carefully.

To any staff who work at Brunts, if you do happen to be reading this, I hope you seriously get your act together and sort this out. You should honestly be ashamed of yourselves. Fuming.

terrible safe guarding team and don’t care about mental health

Awful school, I don’t understand why parents continue to send their children here.

Students are treated unfairly for cosmetic reasons - makeup, piercings, hair, uniform. The school pride’s itself in presentation but does little to help students struggling academically. If you wish for your child to retain any sense of individuality after leaving secondary school, do not send them to Brunts.

Students are not supported in their own academic decisions, and are belittled and talked down to when they try to speak their mind on the matter. Some students are freely allowed to ‘drop’ certain subjects, while others are forced to take them despite giving compelling arguments as to why they are having a negative impact on their well-being and academic achievement.

They hand out so called ‘behaviour points’ too readily for the most minor infractions. From a few minor incidents, students can be blocked from whole events hosted by the school. These events include academic and work-related opportunities, because obviously if a child is slightly badly behaved, they shouldn’t received a fair chance.

This school is absolutely appalling, and recently spent £1million on a new building as their old one has had asbestos for years. The building truly is an eyesore. They should sue whoever designed that atrocity.

Thank you.

teachers care more about my home work and not my well being