- Location
- Brentwood
- Age range
- 3–19
- Attendance
- Day and boarding
About Brentwood School
Schoolscout directory record ·
Brentwood School offers a vibrant and nurturing environment where academic excellence and personal development go hand in hand. With a rich heritage and a...
Supplementary catalogue notes ·
Brentwood School was founded in 1557 by Sir Antony Browne, a Justice of Common Pleas under Mary I, and opened the following year on its present 72-acre site on Ingrave Road in Brentwood, Essex. The original Tudor schoolroom — known as the "Old Big School" — still stands and is used today, alongside a Victorian chapel and several Grade II listed buildings. Brentwood is a member of the HMC, IAPS and AGBIS, and operates an integrated preparatory school (ages 3-11), senior school (11-16) and sixth form (16-19). It is co-educational using the "Diamond Model" — boys and girls educated separately from Year 7 to Year 11, then taught together in the sixth form. Boarding is offered for both boys and girls. Current enrolment is approximately 1,531 pupils.
The school's academic profile is broad rather than specialist, with consistent A-Level results and a steady record of Oxbridge admissions. The Church of England remains the religious affiliation, though the pupil body is now genuinely diverse. Several recent headmasters have been national education figures; the current headmaster, since 2019, is Michael Bond. The Chairman of Governors is Lord Black of Brentwood, himself an Old Brentwood.
Brentwood's most striking feature is its alumni list — "Old Brentwoods" — which spans literature, sport, politics, broadcasting and even the invention of British games. Douglas Adams, author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, was educated here (his school nemesis Paul Neil Milne Johnstone provided the surname of the appalling poet Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz). Frank Lampard, Chelsea's all-time leading goalscorer and an England international, also attended; the school's football academy continues to feed Premier League sides. Sir Hardy Amies, dressmaker by appointment to Queen Elizabeth II, was an Old Brentwood, as was Colonel Sir Neville Chamberlain — the army officer who in 1875, while serving in India, devised the rules of snooker.
Politically the school has produced Foreign Secretary and Lord Chancellor Jack Straw, the Conservative Secretary of State for Health Andrew Lansley and the former editor of The Times Sir Peter Stothard. In broadcasting it produced Sir Robin Day, Noel Edmonds, Griff Rhys Jones and Bob Simpson; in sport, the boxing promoter Eddie Hearn and squash internationals Peter Barker and Daryl Selby.
Additional source record ·
Of course, they work hard and enjoy great success in and out of the classroom, and once they’ve left us, many go on to use and develop their leadership skills and achieve beyond their expectations, always remembering what Brentwood has taught them.
Nurturing Individuality We have an excellent record of exam results but we are a School that offers much more than such finite outcomes: many schools promise to develop the whole person but few can claim to do so well as Brentwood.
We are also a day and boarding school with a difference – our boys and girls are taught separately until the Sixth Form, allowing us to encourage freedom of expression and create space for individual identity within the classroom whilst developing social integration beyond it. All our students enjoy access to our modern facilities, set in the heart of Brentwood yet surrounded by 75 acres of playing fields and gardens.
School life and highlights in the catalogue
- Founded 1557 by Sir Antony Browne — 469-year history
- Tudor schoolroom and Victorian chapel still in daily use; multiple Grade II listed buildings
- 72-acre central Brentwood campus straddling Middleton Hall Lane and Shenfield Road
- Diamond Model co-education (boys + girls separate Y7-11, together in sixth form)
- HMC member with full preparatory, senior school and sixth-form structure (ages 3-19)
- Day and boarding places for both boys and girls
- Football academy producing Premier League players (Frank Lampard, Max Dowman, Neil Harris)
- Cultural alumni span Douglas Adams to Royal couturier Sir Hardy Amies
- 1,857-pupil community
- Day and boarding places available
- Church of England/Christian foundation
Education and school life
- Education levels
- Nursery, Pre-Prep, Prep, Senior, Sixth Form
- Age range
- 3–19
- Attendance
- Day and boarding
- Pupil intake
- Co-educational
- School type
- Mainstream
- Headteacher / principal
- Mr Michael Bond
- Religious ethos
- Church of England/Christian
- Listed inspectorate
- ISI
Subjects and qualifications
- Cricket, football & squash (multiple England internationals)
- Drama (Douglas Adams, Griff Rhys Jones alumni)
- Modern languages
- Mathematics & physics
- Music (Crass, McCartney touring band alumni)
- Classics (Tudor schoolroom still in use)
- Drama
Listed memberships and accreditations
- HMC (Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference)
- IAPS (Independent Association of Prep Schools)
- AGBIS (Association of Governing Bodies of Independent Schools)
- ISI (Independent Schools Inspectorate)
Progression and destinations in the catalogue
- Oxbridge
- Russell Group (Imperial, UCL, Manchester, Bristol, Warwick)
- Russell Group + RADA / Central School of Speech and Drama
- Premier League football academies (Lampard, Dowman, Harris)
Alumni notes
- Douglas Adams (author — The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy)
- Frank Lampard (Chelsea and England footballer, Premier League all-time top-scoring midfielder)
- Jack Straw (Lord Chancellor, Foreign Secretary, Home Secretary)
- Sir Robin Day (BBC political broadcaster — Question Time)
- Griff Rhys Jones (comedian — Alas Smith and Jones)
- Noel Edmonds (broadcaster — Deal or No Deal)
- Sir Hardy Amies (Royal Couturier to HM Queen Elizabeth II)
- Eddie Hearn (Matchroom Boxing promoter)
- Sir Peter Stothard (former editor of The Times)
- Andrew Lansley (former Secretary of State for Health)
- Sir Charlie Bean (former Chief Economist of the Bank of England)
- Michael Tompsett (inventor of CCD image sensors)
- Colonel Sir Neville Chamberlain (army officer; credited with inventing the game of snooker in 1875)
- Penny Rimbaud (drummer and co-founder of the punk band Crass)
- Sir Antony Browne
Supporting school records
These dated records may contain different information. Ask our team about current details.
Supplementary catalogue notes ·
- Headteacher / principal
- Michael Bond
- Founded
- 1557
- Religious ethos
- Church of England
- Campus setting
- Rural
- Scholarships / bursaries
- Options indicated; confirm availability and eligibility.
Additional source record ·
- Campus setting
- Urban
Pupil information
- Total pupils
- 1,857
- Boys
- 1,039 · 55.95%
- Girls
- 817 · 44%
- Pupils receiving SEN support
- 398 · 21.43%
- Pupils with an EHCP
- 2 · 0.11%
Counts and percentages are reproduced from the directory. SEN means special educational needs; EHCP means Education, Health and Care Plan. A pupil census year is not supplied.
A-Level results
- Results year
- 2025
- Progress score
- 0.34 (Above Average)
- Average grade
- B+
- AAB percentage
- 19.50%
Results refer to the year shown. The directory does not provide a cohort size or a full methodology for these measures.
Tuition and costs
The fee year is not specified. Ask our team about current fees, VAT and included services.
Schoolscout directory record ·
| Attendance | GBP · Period and VAT unverified |
|---|---|
| Day | £6,511.2 – £9,704.4 |
| Boarding | Lower amount: £18,786 |
Current fees and VAT treatment require confirmation from the school. Directory labels are not a verified school quotation.
Check whether boarding, meals, registration, deposits, examinations, trips and guardian arrangements are included. Amounts are in pounds sterling (GBP), without currency conversion.
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Explore MEC guidanceQuestions in the school directory
Schoolscout directory record ·
What type of school is Brentwood School?
Brentwood School is a co-educational independent mainstream school for pupils aged 3 to 19, located near Brentwood in Essex. The school offers education from Nursery through to Sixth Form, with pathways leading to GCSEs and A Levels.
How do I apply to Brentwood School?
Historical directory text below. Its fees, billing period and VAT have not been verified with the school.
Most families apply to Brentwood School 1–2 years before entry, with a process that can include tests, interviews and school reports. See the private school admissions timeline for when to apply and what to expect.
What are the fees at Brentwood School?
Historical directory text below. Its fees, billing period and VAT have not been verified with the school.
Fees at Brentwood School are approximately £6,511–£9,704 per term, depending on the year group and whether pupils board. Families can learn more about UK private school fees and what is typically included.
Is Brentwood School a day or boarding school?
Brentwood School offers day and boarding options. Where boarding is available, this may include full, weekly or flexi arrangements.
Is Brentwood School selective?
Admissions to Brentwood School may include assessments and interviews where applicable.
School location and enquiries
- Street address
- Middleton Hall Lane
- Town / locality
- Brentwood
- County
- Essex
- Region
- South East
- Postcode
- CM15 8EE
- Country
- United Kingdom
Talk to our team about this school, current fees and your application.
Enquire about this schoolView the school locationMiddleton Hall Lane, Brentwood, Essex, South East, CM15 8EESchoolscout directory record ·
Supplementary catalogue notes ·
Additional source record ·
Collection and catalogue update dates are shown above; they are not fee years or pupil census dates. Source text is retained in its original language. The school’s official information takes precedence for current admissions, programmes and fees.