Autumn Term: 3rd September 2026 to 18th December 2026

Tuesday 1st September 2026 – INSET Day – students not required in school

Wednesday 2nd September 2026 – INSET Day – students not required in school

October Half Term: Monday 19th October– Friday 30th October 2026

End of Term: Monday 21st December 2026

 

Spring Term: 4th January to 25th March 2027

February Half Term: Monday 15th February–Friday 19th February 2027

Easter Holidays: Friday 26th March–Friday 9th April 2027

 

Summer Term: 12th April to 23rd July 2027

Half Term: Tuesday 1st June–Friday 4th June 2027 

May Bank Holidays – Monday 3rd May & Monday 31st May 2027

End of Term: Friday 23rd July

School Uniform

Wearing a uniform is about having a sense of pride and belonging. A uniform shows that you are part of an organisation; it says: “We’re all in this together.” Every single learner contributes to the identity of Brannel School as part of our local community, and wearing your uniform smartly is your pledge to do your very best to model our school values and expectations.

Our school uniform

• Plain white shirt
• Brannel School tie
• Brannel School blazer
• Black trousers, black tailored shorts or a Brannel School skirt
• Plain black socks
• Plain black formal shoes made from leather or leather-like material.

Our PE kit

PE Kit is required for all PE lessons and extra-curricular sporting activities. It is essential that learners bring a complete change of clothes for PE in order to stay hygienic, this includes socks and footwear.

• Brannel sports shirt or polo shirt
• Plain black shorts, sports leggings or tracksuit bottoms
• Sports trainers
• Stud boots

 

 

School meals are freshly prepared here on site each day by our in-house catering team. Our ingredients are sourced wherever possible through local suppliers. Our aim is to encourage our learners to make good choices in order to eat well. 

We use a cashless catering system which provides a more efficient and faster service. Learners use their proximity cards to pay for food and drink, which is linked to their ParentPay account. Any amount of money can be added to learners' accounts via ParentPay. Any money spent will be deducted on a daily basis.

For further information please contact: brannelfinance@brannel.celtrust.org

ParentPay is used to pay for school meals, trips, instrumental lessons and more. ParentPay offers parents and carers the freedom to make payments whenever and wherever they like – safe in the knowledge that the technology used is of the highest security available.

Parents and carers will have a secure online account, activated using a unique username and password. If you have more than one child at our school, or children at other ParentPay schools, you can create a single account login for them all.

Parents and carers will receive their unique ParentPay account activation details from the school.

 

Safeguarding

We are committed to ensuring that our learners and staff are protected from abuse and harm. We believe it is the responsibility of everyone to ensure children are safeguarded from harm.

Our staff are committed to supporting the school community and receive regular training and updates to ensure they can keep all children safe.

To contact a member of the Safeguarding Team, please email our Pastoral Manager, Mrs Nash.

Inclusion

We understand that the transition process to secondary school can cause some children to feel anxious. Our SEND team are here to offer support and to help make the transition experience a positive one. The SENDCo will liaise closely with primary schools to ensure the correct provision is in place for learners in September.

To contact the Inclusion team, please email brannelsen@brannel.celtrust.org 

What should I do if my child is unable to attend school?

If your child is unable to attend school for any reason, please contact the Attendance Officer via phone to explain the reason for non-attendance: 01726 822485.

What should I do if we change address or contact details?

Please notify us if there are any changes to your address, telephone number or email address. This can be completed via the SIMS Parent App. All parents and carers will receive an email invite to create an account once learners have joined us.

It is important that we hold up-to-date contact details. We operate a texting and emailing service to parents and carers with news and updates.

What is ClassCharts?

ClassCharts is an online system which our staff use to record achievements, attendance and behaviour throughout our learners’ school life. As a parent or carer, you will be able to use ClassCharts to keep track of your child’s achievements, access behaviour reports and view assigned homework tasks. Log-in details are shared when learners join us and you can find helpful links, including ClassCharts, here.

How can I contact a member of staff?

Regular contact between home and school is essential to support students with their learning. If you wish to contact a member of staff, please telephone Reception on 01726 822485 or email brannelenquiries@brannel.celtrust.org. Form tutors should be your first point of contact and details of these can be found on our website.

What will my child learn?

In Year 7, learners will study a wide range of the KS3 National Curriculum and beyond, which will develop strong, knowledge-rich foundations. In Year 9, learners personalise their timetable by choosing GCSE options.

Learners will have a two-week timetable (Weeks A and B) to ensure all receive a balanced curriculum.

What essential equipment does my child need for school?

We want learners to have all the equipment they need to progress with learning and feel prepared. Every day, learners should bring their mandatory items of equipment:

• Pencil case
• Pen
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Rubber
• Whiteboard (provided)
• Whiteboard pen (provided)
• Scientific calculator
• School bag
• PE kit
• Water bottle

What if my child needs first aid or medical support whilst at school?

Qualified first aiders are available throughout the school day for emergencies only. If learners require ongoing medical support, the lead first aider will be able to support. It's important that you let us know about any medical conditions before your child starts school.

Will my child receive homework?

Home learning is an essential part of students' learning. It helps all learners to consolidate and develop their knowledge in the subjects they study whilst building confidence and resilience. Home Learning is set via ClassCharts.

Can my child bring their mobile phone to school?

We want students to be able to learn and develop socially, without any distractions from mobile devices, which is why Brannel School has been 'phone-free' since 2023. Learners are not allowed to use mobile phones at any time on our school site unless they use it to monitor a medical condition.

When learners join our school they are given with a Yondr pouch. These phone-sized pouches have a strong magnetic lock which, once closed, cannot be opened again without a specially designed unlocking magnet.

If learners need to contact a parent or carer, our Pastoral Team will be able to support this. If your child has a mobile phone then it must be turned off and put in their school bag before entering the school grounds.

What if my child has a medical or dental appointment?

Where possible, we advise that medical or dental appointments are made outside of school hours. If learners need to attend an appointment during the day, please inform the Attendance Officer, Mrs Caroline Hunt prior to the appointment and include evidence of the booked appointment.

How do I stay informed about my child's progress?

We have regular scheduled Progress Evenings to help our staff and parents/carers work together to support students‘ learning. These include a 'Meet the Tutor' evening where parents and carers will be invited to address any initial specific concerns. Dates of these meetings will be provided in September as part of the school calendar for the year.

Learners will be issued with progress reports twice across the school year. These reports give details about how learners are progressing and engaging with learning in each subject. The report will also give improvement targets and ways to best support learners to improve in each subject.