It is hard to capture a city of such grit and wit in words, with its unforgettable setting, floating harbour, iconic bridge, two universities, difficult history and, in the words of John Betjeman, ‘the handsomest suburb in Europe’: in our view, Bristol has it all. If Bath is the pretty, simpering younger sister, Bristol is her rebellious older non-binary sibling, staying out too late and mixing with the wrong crowd – and don’t we love it.
The city grew up around a crossing point over the Avon and received a royal charter in 1155. Only a few of the city’s later medieval buildings survive, many were destroyed either by ferocious bombing during WW2 or subsequent town planners. Prosperity that came from the trade in slaves and tobacco resulted in fine buildings, charitable foundations (some educational) and civic wealth but also a shameful legacy that is still very much a live issue. Home to many born and bred there and who would never leave, Bristol has long attracted people from further west, from London and the south east, as well as good numbers from all over the world including the Caribbean, Somalia, the Indian sub-continent and Europe.
English is not the sole language spoken on the streets, but to be a true Bristolian, adopted or otherwise, remember to say ‘Cheers, drive!’ to the bus driver as you alight at your stop. Clifton, with its village feel and Georgian and Victorian town houses, has long been the most desirable (and expensive) area, but Redland, Cotham and increasingly Southville and Totterdown are also attractive and a bit more affordable.
| Local Education Authorities in Bristol |
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| Bristol City Council |
Bristol offers everything and anything, from sought-after state schools to ancient and distinguished independent day and boarding schools. We’ve focused our attentions on five areas of Bristol popular with families and home to a range of good schools – Clifton, Redland, Henleaze, Bristol City Centre and Southville.
There are no grammar schools in Bristol, so all state secondaries – 22 in total (including two all-throughs), half of which record positive Progress 8 results - are non-selective comprehensives, albeit with tight catchments or admissions criteria for the more popular. Five of the city’s secondary schools finish at 16, their students moving on to one of the local sixth form schools and colleges (City of Bristol College, North Bristol Post 16 Centre, St Brendan's Sixth Form College) to complete their studies. All but one of the senior independents start at 11 years old, (the other at 13).
Places at the best of the city’s 119 state primary schools are almost as hotly contested and people move into their catchments, pushing house prices skywards. Some Bristol primary schools operate as separate infant and junior schools, although moving between them at seven years old is normally seamless.
There are a few single sex senior schools in Bristol. All girls’ options are limited to Redmaids’ High (as the name suggests) and Badminton in the private sector and Montpelier High in the state; for boys it’s the private Queen Elizabeth’s Hospital. The Good Schools Guide publishes essential information on all Bristol schools and currently reviews 16 of the best alongside many more in the areas surrounding the city – get instant online access to the reviews now.
Looking for the best schools in Bristol? Our Education Consultants can help.
Every day, Good Schools Guide education consultants successfully help parents from all over the world find the best schools for their children. Our UK team is spread out across the country, each expert with their own specialist areas of knowledge. Our consultants in Bristol and the surrounding area are headed by Charlotte Obolensky. If you would like us to help you find a school place or are keen to know more about your family’s education options in Bristol, Charlotte or one of her team is ready to help. Read about our education consultancy services or get in touch - consultants@goodschoolsguide.co.uk.
Your thoughts on education in Bristol
Do you have experience of education in Bristol – or indeed elsewhere – that you would like to share with us? We depend on our network of parents and teachers to make sure the advice and information we publish is accurate, complete, relevant and up to date. Please write to us at editor@goodschoolsguide.co.uk.
Need help? Perhaps you suspect your child has some learning difficulty and you would like advice on what you should do. Or perhaps it is becoming clear that your child's current school is not working for him or her, and you need help to find a mainstream school which has better SEN provision, or to find a special school which will best cater for your child's area of need. Our SEN consultancy team advises on both special schools, and the mainstream schools with good SEN support, from reception through to the specialist colleges for 19+. Special Educational Needs Index
Find top international, British, IB and American schools in over 40 countries. The Good Schools Guide International publishes impartial and forthright reviews of international schools across the world.
We examined the value-added from KS2 to GCSE for 2022 to see which state selective grammar schools added the most value to their offspring. A note of caution - the more highly selective a grammar school, the less scope there will be to add value.
Grammar schools are state-funded, academically selective senior schools. The education a child receives at grammar school is paid for by the state unlike at private schools which provide education for a fee. There are currently around 163 located in 36 English local authorities, with around 167,000 pupils between them. Northern Ireland has a further 67 grammar schools, but there are none in Wales or Scotland. A word of caution: there are private schools that have the word 'grammar' in their name but this is purely for historical reasons.
At specialist music, dance or performing arts schools, the arts aren't optional extras. They’re intrinsic to the school curriculum. Students are expected to fit in high level training and hours of practice alongside a full academic provision. It's a lot to ask any child to take on, but for those with exceptional performing ability this kind of education can be transformative.