Brunel School is a special academy in Paignton, Torbay, for children and young people aged 11 to 16. It supports autism and SEMH.
- Ages 11–16
- 64 pupils
- Ofsted report card (2026)
School details
- Type
- Special academy
- Ages
- 11 to 16
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 64 (places for 63)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Vikki Alden
- Part of
- Special Partnership Trust
- Opened
- 1 September 2023
- Free school meals
- 76.6% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Torbay
- School reference (URN)
- 150616
Needs it supports
2 needs: autism, SEMH
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
Social, emotional and mental health
- Social, emotional and mental health Other schools for this in Torbay (2)
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places at schools like this usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. If your child doesn’t have one yet, you can ask the council for an assessment yourself.
- Visit and ask questions
See whether the school feels right and whether it can meet your child’s needs. Our list of questions below can help.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often Torbay council) that this is the school you want, and ask them to consult it.
- Named in the plan
If the school is named in your child’s plan, it must admit your child. Free home-to-school transport is often part of the arrangement.
Questions to ask when you visit
8 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them on the day.
Ofsted
Report card, June 2026: Expected standard in 5 of 6 areas
Inspected in June 2026 under Ofsted’s new report cards, which grade each area separately, from Exceptional to Urgent improvement, instead of one overall grade.
- InclusionExpected standard
- Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
- AchievementExpected standard
- Attendance and behaviourNeeds attention
- Personal development and wellbeingExpected standard
- Leadership and governanceExpected standard
- SafeguardingMet
Contact and getting there
170b Torquay Road, Paignton, TQ3 2AL
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
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The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- Preston Bridge School Independent · Ages 6–19 · Ofsted: Good 0.2 miles
- Preston Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 4–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.9 miles
- Cambian Devon School Independent · Ages 7–18 · Ofsted: Good 1.7 miles
By need in Torbay: Autism (4) · SEMH (3) · Speech and language (2) · Moderate learning (2) · Severe learning (2)
Questions about Brunel School
How do I get a place at Brunel School?
There’s no catchment area or application round. Places usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult Brunel School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does Brunel School support?
Autism and social, emotional and mental health. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does Brunel School take?
Aged 11 to 16, boys and girls.
What is Brunel School’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Requires improvement by Ofsted in June 2026 at its last graded inspection. Newer inspections no longer give a single overall grade, so read the latest report for the full picture.
Where is Brunel School?
170b Torquay Road, Paignton, TQ3 2AL, in Torbay.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.