Why Brymore?

New students and parents often comment how different we are from their previous school. What makes us unique?

  • Small class sizes (19/20 students) often with at least one other adult supporting. In practical lessons this can rise to three other adults giving ratios of six students to one adult.
  • Students achieve well above expectations academically, particularly at 5 A*-C level. In fact we consistently place in the top 3% of schools nationally for progress made compared to target grades (5 A*- C’s).
  • As a small school we know each student well, reporting to parents on progress in each subject every six weeks
  • Students are mainly taught in a brand new teaching block, with one of the highest computer to student ratios in the county
  • We have one of the largest school farms in the country, with unprecedented examination success rates (over 95% of students achieving a grade C equivalent or above at GCSE agriculture, where the whole year group is entered). There is a working dairy, beef herd, rare breed British Lop pigs, lambs and chickens which all provide produce available at our Farm Shop or nearby Blackmore Farm.
  • We have extensive workshop facilities allowing welding, coppersmithing, engineering, blacksmithing with the department also achieving exceptional examination results that are second to none in the area
  • Excellent horticulture facilities including a one acre walled garden, a large heated glasshouse, two poly tunnels, a large potting shed, numerous beds and borders with mature shrubs, a herb garden, an apiary, extensive cold frames, a soft fruit cage, an orchard and the opportunity for every student to have their own plot. The school has achieved RHS level 5 status, making it one of only a handful of schools nationally to do so.

  • Proud traditions with ‘The Old Brymorians’ containing members that date back to the first ever students in the school. Visitors have included HRH Prince Charles, HRH Princess Anne, Lord Carrington, Lord Baker and Sean Fitzpatrick (New Zealand All Blacks captain). We have fetured on the Archers, Blue Peter, Farming today, The Daily Telegraph, Country Life and other national publications.
  • A proud sporting record, based on the improvement of the individual. We regularly compete in the Area Rugby final, and numerous boys have gone on to represent Somerset at athletics. Sports offered include: rugby, cricket, hockey, cross country, athletics, tennis, swimming, golf, karate, boxercise, mountain biking, sailing, archery, skiing and football.
  • Boarding facilities, with a common room and kitchen for student use. Each boarding house has a dedicated house parent, with two staff living within each house. Dormitories all have individual study desks with internet capability. Common rooms have a TV (with freeview) and DVD player, a pool table, ICT facilities and access to a kitchen.
  • A wide range of activities including: trips and visits, paintballing, shooting, Duke of Edinburgh, music practice facilities and tuition, mountain biking, blacksmithing, motor vehicle maintenance, coppersmithing, engineering, welding, hill walking, photography, cooking, countryside management, fishing (both in our own pond and sea, river and course fishing), young farmers club and farm and garden duties.