Education Plus 15 September 2015

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DP-E01-S5Educa ion+[ Your guide to

education around the West 2015 ]

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WESTERN DAILY PRESS TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 15 2015 3WDP-E01-S52 TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 15 2015 WESTERN DAILY PRESS WDP-E01-S5

BY MARC [email protected]

A glance through news pageson the websites of some of Bris-tol’s secondary schools revealsa striking trend which leavesno doubt about the health ofthe city’s education system.

Schools which just a fewyears ago were being over-looked by parents have beenproudly trumpeting theirpupil recruitment figures –with record numbers startingin Year 7 in several institu-tions in the city this month.

The impressive enrolmentstatistics being bellowed fromthe rooftops by the likes ofOasis Academy Brightstoweand Fairfield High are partlydown to the excellent workbeing done in those schools.But they can also be attributedto a wider trend – the rise andrise of Bristol’s state educationsystem.

The transformation in Bris-tol’s state-funded schools couldhardly have been more dra-matic over the past 11 years –with buildings, results andOfsted ratings all changingbeyond recognition for theb e t t e r.

A feel-good factor is boostingthe prospects of all Bristol’sschools as the city sheds itsimage as one of the country’sworst performers.

The new-found popularity ofsome of the less-fanciedschools in the city reflects howfar the city has come since it

was publicly derided by politi-cians including Lord Adonisand its secondaries postedsome of the poorest GCSE res-ults in the land.

Since then the educationallandscape has changed dra-matically. But to what can theturnaround in results be at-t r i bu t e d ?

Many would point to the in-troduction of academies, withgroups such as Oasis Com-munity Learning and theCabot Learning Federationtaking over several strugglingcouncil-run schools and im-proving results.

Others would suggest thatnew school buildings construc-ted in Bristol as part of a re-development programme cost-ing hundreds of millions ofpounds has helped trigger thetur naround.

Most secondaries in the cityhave been rebuilt into gleam-ing modern centres for edu-cation under the BuildingSchools for the Future pro-gramme led by the last Labourgover nment.

And undoubtedly, Bristol’sheadline GCSE results figurehas also been bolstered byhigh-flying former privateschools Bristol CathedralChoir School and Colston’sG i rl s ’ School becoming states ch o o l s.

GCSE results have gonefrom being near to the bottomof the pile to approaching thenational average, with con-tinuous improvement being re-

corded between 2004 and 2014before a slight dip this year.This has come during a timewhen the national averagefigure has fluctuated and stu-dents have faced disruptioncaused by governmentchanges being made to the cur-riculum.

According to the city coun-cil, the upturn in results isdown to a combination offactors including investmentin new leaders, leadershipstructures and governancemodels, as well as the invest-ment in buildings.

A spokeswoman for the au-thority said: “Three times ayear, Bristol City Council re-cognises and celebrates headteachers and governorswh o ’ve gone above and beyond– and there are many successstories across the city.

“Capital investment in theinfrastructure of schools hasalso made a big difference. Thecouncil has been working inpartnership to secure substan-tial capital investment to buildnew schools and improve ex-isting ones.

“Over £390 million was in-vested between 2004 and 2011and this has been used to notonly ensure that there areenough places for all youngpeople, but also to improve thelearning environment andcreate spaces in which youngpeople can enjoy their learn-ing.

“Targeted school improve-ment strategies have been de-

veloped and implemented tomake sure changes are madewhere required.

“The partnership of Bristolsecondary headteachers andacademy principals is a strongcollegiate group of leaders,who work closely with eachother, the local authority andwith a range of partners, in-cluding higher education andbusiness partners.

“Schools have also been rad-ically reorganised through theacademy programme.

“There are now a diverserange of providers involved inthe delivery of secondary edu-cation in the city, either work-ing as part of an academy trustor as part of a larger federationof academies.”

It is clear the news of Bris-tol’s improving results is fil-tering through to parents.

At Oasis Academy Bright-

Feelgood factor is flowing through state school sectorstowe in Shirehampton,formerly Portway School, theYear 7 cohort this year is thelargest it has been since theacademy was founded eightyears ago.

More than 180 Year 6 chil-dren have joined from primaryschools in Shirehampton, Law-rence Weston, Avonmouth, SeaMills and Stoke Bishop.

Fairfield High was also cel-ebrating increasing numbers,with the school in Horfield cel-ebrating record applicationsfor 2015.

The number of families put-ting FHS as their first pref-erence has rocketed from 78last year to 120, even thoughthere are fewer children in theyear group.

Overall, the school had 310on-time applications and is intalks with Bristol City Councilabout increasing its maximumannual intake in future years.

Speaking earlier this year,the school’s principal CatrionaMangham said: “FHS has hada record number of applica-tions for Year 7 places inSeptember 2015.

“This comes after many suc-cesses in the past year; we arein the top 15 per cent nation-ally for value added, our GCSEresults exceeded many govern-ment targets and we havejoined the ExcaliburAcademies Trust, a move thatwill provide a strong supportnetwork and provide oppor-tunities to expand and im-p rove. ”

Fairfield High Principal CatrionaMangham Orchard School students celebrate another successful year

Results upThe percentage of Bristol students earningfive or more GCSEs at grades A*-C (includingEnglish and maths) over the last 11 years:

2004 – 26%2005 – 28%2006 – 30%

2007 – 31%2008 – 36%2009 – 40%2010 – 46%2011 – 50%2012 – 52%2013 – 52%2014 – 55%2015 - 54% (provisional)

Contributors to thissupplement

ReportersMarc RathKate Edser

AdvertisingMarc England

For education advertising giveMarc a call on 0117 934 3428or email marc.england@localworld .co.uk

CONTENTS

Pages 2&3 Why city’s statesector schools are feelingp o s i t ive

Pages 4&5 The quietrevolution in our specials ch o o l s

Pae 7 Why some schoolsd o n’t have to put up withpoliticians’ wh i m s

Page 8 The changing face ofthe exam system

Pages 10&11 How schoolsare working to meet thesurge in demand for places

Pages 12-16 Meet the Heads

A balloon releasemarks theopening of theOasis AcademyBrightstowe, inShirehampton,Bristol

©LW



A glance through news pageson the websites of some of Bris-tol’s secondary schools revealsa striking trend which leavesno doubt about the health ofthe city’s education system.

Schools which just a fewyears ago were being over-looked by parents have beenproudly trumpeting theirpupil recruitment figures –with record numbers startingin Year 7 in several institu-tions in the city this month.

The impressive enrolmentstatistics being bellowed fromthe rooftops by the likes ofOasis Academy Brightstoweand Fairfield High are partlydown to the excellent workbeing done in those schools.But they can also be attributedto a wider trend – the rise andrise of Bristol’s state educationsystem.

The transformation in Bris-tol’s state-funded schools couldhardly have been more dra-matic over the past 11 years –with buildings, results andOfsted ratings all changingbeyond recognition for theb e t t e r.

A feel-good factor is boostingthe prospects of all Bristol’sschools as the city sheds itsimage as one of the country’sworst performers.

The new-found popularity ofsome of the less-fanciedschools in the city reflects howfar the city has come since it

was publicly derided by politi-cians including Lord Adonisand its secondaries postedsome of the poorest GCSE res-ults in the land.

Since then the educationallandscape has changed dra-matically. But to what can theturnaround in results be at-t r i bu t e d ?

Many would point to the in-troduction of academies, withgroups such as Oasis Com-munity Learning and theCabot Learning Federationtaking over several strugglingcouncil-run schools and im-proving results.

Others would suggest thatnew school buildings construc-ted in Bristol as part of a re-development programme cost-ing hundreds of millions ofpounds has helped trigger thetur naround.

Most secondaries in the cityhave been rebuilt into gleam-ing modern centres for edu-cation under the BuildingSchools for the Future pro-gramme led by the last Labourgover nment.

And undoubtedly, Bristol’sheadline GCSE results figurehas also been bolstered byhigh-flying former privateschools Bristol CathedralChoir School and Colston’sG i rl s ’ School becoming states ch o o l s.

GCSE results have gonefrom being near to the bottomof the pile to approaching thenational average, with con-tinuous improvement being re-

corded between 2004 and 2014before a slight dip this year.This has come during a timewhen the national averagefigure has fluctuated and stu-dents have faced disruptioncaused by governmentchanges being made to the cur-riculum.

According to the city coun-cil, the upturn in results isdown to a combination offactors including investmentin new leaders, leadershipstructures and governancemodels, as well as the invest-ment in buildings.

A spokeswoman for the au-thority said: “Three times ayear, Bristol City Council re-cognises and celebrates headteachers and governorswh o ’ve gone above and beyond– and there are many successstories across the city.

“Capital investment in theinfrastructure of schools hasalso made a big difference. Thecouncil has been working inpartnership to secure substan-tial capital investment to buildnew schools and improve ex-isting ones.

“Over £390 million was in-vested between 2004 and 2011and this has been used to notonly ensure that there areenough places for all youngpeople, but also to improve thelearning environment andcreate spaces in which youngpeople can enjoy their learn-ing.

“Targeted school improve-ment strategies have been de-

veloped and implemented tomake sure changes are madewhere required.

“The partnership of Bristolsecondary headteachers andacademy principals is a strongcollegiate group of leaders,who work closely with eachother, the local authority andwith a range of partners, in-cluding higher education andbusiness partners.

“Schools have also been rad-ically reorganised through theacademy programme.

“There are now a diverserange of providers involved inthe delivery of secondary edu-cation in the city, either work-ing as part of an academy trustor as part of a larger federationof academies.”

It is clear the news of Bris-tol’s improving results is fil-tering through to parents.

At Oasis Academy Bright-

Feelgood factor is flowing through state school sectorstowe in Shirehampton,formerly Portway School, theYear 7 cohort this year is thelargest it has been since theacademy was founded eightyears ago.

More than 180 Year 6 chil-dren have joined from primaryschools in Shirehampton, Law-rence Weston, Avonmouth, SeaMills and Stoke Bishop.

Fairfield High was also cel-ebrating increasing numbers,with the school in Horfield cel-ebrating record applicationsfor 2015.

The number of families put-ting FHS as their first pref-erence has rocketed from 78last year to 120, even thoughthere are fewer children in theyear group.

Overall, the school had 310on-time applications and is intalks with Bristol City Councilabout increasing its maximumannual intake in future years.

Speaking earlier this year,the school’s principal CatrionaMangham said: “FHS has hada record number of applica-tions for Year 7 places inSeptember 2015.

“This comes after many suc-cesses in the past year; we arein the top 15 per cent nation-ally for value added, our GCSEresults exceeded many govern-ment targets and we havejoined the ExcaliburAcademies Trust, a move thatwill provide a strong supportnetwork and provide oppor-tunities to expand and im-p rove. ”

Fairfield High Principal CatrionaMangham Orchard School students celebrate another successful year

Results upThe percentage of Bristol students earningfive or more GCSEs at grades A*-C (includingEnglish and maths) over the last 11 years:

2004 – 26%2005 – 28%2006 – 30%

2007 – 31%2008 – 36%2009 – 40%2010 – 46%2011 – 50%2012 – 52%2013 – 52%2014 – 55%2015 - 54% (provisional)

Contributors to thissupplement

ReportersMarc RathKate Edser

AdvertisingMarc England

For education advertising giveMarc a call on 0117 934 3428or email marc.england@localworld .co.uk

CONTENTS

Pages 2&3 Why city’s statesector schools are feelingp o s i t ive

Pages 4&5 The quietrevolution in our specials ch o o l s

Pae 7 Why some schoolsd o n’t have to put up withpoliticians’ wh i m s

Page 8 The changing face ofthe exam system

Pages 10&11 How schoolsare working to meet thesurge in demand for places

Pages 12-16 Meet the Heads

A balloon releasemarks theopening of theOasis AcademyBrightstowe, inShirehampton,Bristol

©LW


The quietrevolution inspecial schoolsThe word is well and truly outthat standards are improvingin Bristol’s state schools. Par-ents are placing their trust inthe city’s secondaries againafter a decade in the doldrumswhile primaries are burstingat the seams with pupils.

Improving results in GCSEand SAT exams, paired withbetter performance in Ofstedinspections in recent years,are helping strengthen Bris-tol’s position.

But as mainstream schoolsare taking the plaudits, therehas been a quiet revolutionhappening in an area of thecity’s education system whichis rarely in the spotlight.

The pattern of improvementin Bristol is being repeated inspecial educational needsschools, with several of themnotching up impressive Ofstedreports this year. The schoolshelp the city’s most vulnerable

young people, ranging fromthose who are hospitalised andyoungsters requiring residen-tial education, to pupils withprofound and multiple learn-ing disabilities and studentswith emotional, social and be-havioural needs.

And with an increase in theproportion of students withspecial educational needs fore-cast in Bristol in the comingyears – with more places re-quired to keep up with demand– the upturn in the fortunesbodes well for the future. Fourof Bristol’s special schools cel-ebrated receiving ‘good’ Ofstedreports in the previous aca-demic year. The schools, whichsupport and teach childrenand young people who havebehavioural and social diffi-culties, are Knowle DGE,Notton House, WoodstockPrimary and Bristol GatewaySchool. Teaching and achieve-

ment within the schoolsreached new heights through acombination of hard work byleadership teams and partner-ship working in areas such asteacher training. This helpedthe schools to build on theirstrengths and to move forwardtogether to excel underOfsted’s new and more rigor-ous framework. City council-lor Brenda Massey, assistantmayor for people with respons-ibility for education, described

the glowing Ofsted ratings as“another success story in theupward trend in Bristols ch o o l s ”.

She said: “These fourschools are a fantastic exampleof what can be achievedthrough strong leadership andpartnership working. It’s en-couraging to see such goodcomments in the recent Ofstedreports and I expect to seethese schools continue to im-prove on the good work they’re

doing. This is yet another suc-cess story in the upward trendin Bristol schools, and an ex-ample of how learning is im-proving across many areas ofthe city.”

Woodstock School movedfrom ‘requires improvement’in its previous inspection to‘good’. Ofsted reported thatpupils’ achievement in read-ing, writing and maths hadrisen sharply in the past year.

Les Haines, head teacher at

Woodstock School, said: “Staf fand students have worked ex-ceptionally hard to ensure thatgreat progress has been madeand it is to their credit that thisis the outcome. All lessons ob-served were judged to be goodand all of the results of theinspection showed that all staffand students are proud to workat Woodstock School.”

Five years ago Bristol Gate-way School in LawrenceWeston was threatened withclosure because it was deemedto be failing its pupils.

But it has made impressiveprogress and in the past fewyears it has climbed from ‘re -quires improvement’ to‘good’.

The 80-pupil school catersexclusively for children withemotional, behavioural orsocial difficulties. Youngpeople aged between 11 and 16from across Bristol attend.

The school received praisefor students’ progress and thestandard of teaching – it wasnoted that the leadershipteam’s diverse skills were play-ing a key role in driving theschool forward. Inspectorsfound Gateway’s GCSE resultshad almost doubled in twoyears and no children leavingthe school last year had beenclassed as Not in Employment,Education or Training. Thes ch o o l ’s head teacher KayePalmer-Greene said: “BristolGateway School has been on avery difficult journey butwe ’ve built a really strongteam and have a real commit-ment to progress andimpact.”

Paul Holroyd, executive

head of Bristol Gateway andWoodstock School, said: “T heleadership teams in bothschools have worked very hardto achieve a ‘good’ rating fromOfsted and I’m delighted at theprogress our students havem a d e. ”

Darren Ewings, head teach-er at Knowle DGE, said: “Wework together across a varietyof different areas ranging fromarts and sports events to staffdevelopment, training andpurchasing outside services.

The pupils in our schools arethe number one priority sowe ’re continually evaluatingwh at ’s working well, or not, todevelop a culture of collabor-ation which supports the chil-dren. Support from parentsand governors has also beenessential to our combined suc-c e s s. ”

Knowle DGE received spe-cial praise for its sixth form asstudents were found to be“highly motivated and achievevery well’ with an “e xc e l l e n t

range of courses”. NottonHouse was noted for the re-lationship between supportstaff and pupils, and has seen asteady increase in the numberand quality of qualificationsthat Year 11 pupils gain.

Peter Evans, head teacher atNotton House, said: “E ve r yo n eat Notton House School is de-lighted we have been recog-nised as a ‘good’ school, as weprovide the unique opportun-ity of residential education foryoung boys in and around Bris-

tol. We are proud to be a part ofthe ‘Wa N D ’ alliance of specials ch o o l s. ”

The city council estimatesthat the number of childrenlikely to require extra supportwill rise in the coming years.Over the last five years therehas been a significant growthin numbers of children withSEMH (social, emotional,mental health) difficulties andautistic spectrum conditions.

There has also been in a risein the number children withSpeech, Language & Commu-nication needs (SLCN), com-plex needs and Multi- SensoryImpairment (MSI).

Currently around 1.5 percent of primary school pupilsare in specialist places, with afurther 0.86 per cent supportedin mainstream schools. In sec-ondary school there arearound three per cent in spe-cialist places with a further0.85 per cent supported inmainstream schools.

Of its plans to cope with therise in numbers, a spokeswo-man for the authority said:“The council is working inpartnership and developingplans to expand existing pro-vision and choice, ensuringplaces are available to thosewho need them. The council isalso working with mainstreamschools to look at inclusionstrategies to ensure that wherepossible pupils can remain inmainstream education if theyp re f e r. ”

Left, Head teacher Les Haines (2ndleft) and teacher Anton Matthews(2nd right) with pupils ReeceMcCarthy (back left), Zyon Wright(back right), (front, L-R) JoshWalters, Thayae Thompson-Powell,Jamie-Lee Lloyd, Darryl Christopherand Marcus Hall at WoodstockSchool PICTURE: DAN REGAN

Above, Pupils and staff at BristolGateway School celebrate theirgood Ofsted report

Jack Wring, who has autism, picking up his GCSE results at KnowleDGE this year

Lisa Middle, spokesman for the Bristolbranch of the National Union of Teachers,commended the work of staff in the city’sspecial schools.

She said: “Teaching in any environmentcan be high on challenge, stress and rewardbut this is particularly true of these schoolsand services.

“Progress usually comes in very small

steps which are easily missed or overlookedand even the local community is often un-aware of the great work that is being done.We salute the dedication, commitment, skilland resilience of teachers and other staff inthese schools and services. We also applaudthe families of these young people whosesupport, collaboration and communicationis vital.”

‘We salute dedication and skill of teachers’

Learning and SuccessOpen Evening

Wednesday 23rd September6.00pm – 8.00pm

Open Morning –Wednesday 30th September at 9.00am.Please call to reserve a place.

“ ”Patchway Community College

Hempton Lane, Almondsbury, Bristol BS32 4AJ 01454 862020email: [email protected] website: www.patchwaycc.com

Open Mornings:Thursday 1st OctoberTours at 9:00am and 10:00am

Wednesday 7th OctoberTours at 9:00am, 10:00am and 1:45pmBookable by appointment only

Open Evening:Thursday 1st October6:00pm - 8:00pmCrèche facilities are available

Headteacher talks at 6:00pm and 6:45pm

Abbeywood Community SchoolNew Road

Stoke GiffordSouth Gloucestershire

BS34 [email protected]

Tel: 0117 307 5660

A ‘GOOD’ School inEvery CategoryOfsted

Open Day:Thursday 24th SeptemberTours at 8:45am, 9:45am,11:05am and 1:35pmBookable by appointment only

Open Evening:Thursday 24th September6:00pm - 8:00pmCrèche facilities are available


Bradley Stoke Community SchoolFiddlersWood Lane

Bradley StokeSouth Gloucestershire


Tel: 01454 868840

A ‘GOOD’ School,with ‘OUTSTANDING’Behaviour, Safety andLeadershipOfsted


The quietrevolution inspecial schoolsThe word is well and truly outthat standards are improvingin Bristol’s state schools. Par-ents are placing their trust inthe city’s secondaries againafter a decade in the doldrumswhile primaries are burstingat the seams with pupils.

Improving results in GCSEand SAT exams, paired withbetter performance in Ofstedinspections in recent years,are helping strengthen Bris-tol’s position.

But as mainstream schoolsare taking the plaudits, therehas been a quiet revolutionhappening in an area of thecity’s education system whichis rarely in the spotlight.

The pattern of improvementin Bristol is being repeated inspecial educational needsschools, with several of themnotching up impressive Ofstedreports this year. The schoolshelp the city’s most vulnerable

young people, ranging fromthose who are hospitalised andyoungsters requiring residen-tial education, to pupils withprofound and multiple learn-ing disabilities and studentswith emotional, social and be-havioural needs.

And with an increase in theproportion of students withspecial educational needs fore-cast in Bristol in the comingyears – with more places re-quired to keep up with demand– the upturn in the fortunesbodes well for the future. Fourof Bristol’s special schools cel-ebrated receiving ‘good’ Ofstedreports in the previous aca-demic year. The schools, whichsupport and teach childrenand young people who havebehavioural and social diffi-culties, are Knowle DGE,Notton House, WoodstockPrimary and Bristol GatewaySchool. Teaching and achieve-

ment within the schoolsreached new heights through acombination of hard work byleadership teams and partner-ship working in areas such asteacher training. This helpedthe schools to build on theirstrengths and to move forwardtogether to excel underOfsted’s new and more rigor-ous framework. City council-lor Brenda Massey, assistantmayor for people with respons-ibility for education, described

the glowing Ofsted ratings as“another success story in theupward trend in Bristols ch o o l s ”.

She said: “These fourschools are a fantastic exampleof what can be achievedthrough strong leadership andpartnership working. It’s en-couraging to see such goodcomments in the recent Ofstedreports and I expect to seethese schools continue to im-prove on the good work they’re

doing. This is yet another suc-cess story in the upward trendin Bristol schools, and an ex-ample of how learning is im-proving across many areas ofthe city.”

Woodstock School movedfrom ‘requires improvement’in its previous inspection to‘good’. Ofsted reported thatpupils’ achievement in read-ing, writing and maths hadrisen sharply in the past year.

Les Haines, head teacher at

Woodstock School, said: “Staf fand students have worked ex-ceptionally hard to ensure thatgreat progress has been madeand it is to their credit that thisis the outcome. All lessons ob-served were judged to be goodand all of the results of theinspection showed that all staffand students are proud to workat Woodstock School.”

Five years ago Bristol Gate-way School in LawrenceWeston was threatened withclosure because it was deemedto be failing its pupils.

But it has made impressiveprogress and in the past fewyears it has climbed from ‘re -quires improvement’ to‘good’.

The 80-pupil school catersexclusively for children withemotional, behavioural orsocial difficulties. Youngpeople aged between 11 and 16from across Bristol attend.

The school received praisefor students’ progress and thestandard of teaching – it wasnoted that the leadershipteam’s diverse skills were play-ing a key role in driving theschool forward. Inspectorsfound Gateway’s GCSE resultshad almost doubled in twoyears and no children leavingthe school last year had beenclassed as Not in Employment,Education or Training. Thes ch o o l ’s head teacher KayePalmer-Greene said: “BristolGateway School has been on avery difficult journey butwe ’ve built a really strongteam and have a real commit-ment to progress andimpact.”

Paul Holroyd, executive

head of Bristol Gateway andWoodstock School, said: “T heleadership teams in bothschools have worked very hardto achieve a ‘good’ rating fromOfsted and I’m delighted at theprogress our students havem a d e. ”

Darren Ewings, head teach-er at Knowle DGE, said: “Wework together across a varietyof different areas ranging fromarts and sports events to staffdevelopment, training andpurchasing outside services.

The pupils in our schools arethe number one priority sowe ’re continually evaluatingwh at ’s working well, or not, todevelop a culture of collabor-ation which supports the chil-dren. Support from parentsand governors has also beenessential to our combined suc-c e s s. ”

Knowle DGE received spe-cial praise for its sixth form asstudents were found to be“highly motivated and achievevery well’ with an “e xc e l l e n t

range of courses”. NottonHouse was noted for the re-lationship between supportstaff and pupils, and has seen asteady increase in the numberand quality of qualificationsthat Year 11 pupils gain.

Peter Evans, head teacher atNotton House, said: “E ve r yo n eat Notton House School is de-lighted we have been recog-nised as a ‘good’ school, as weprovide the unique opportun-ity of residential education foryoung boys in and around Bris-

tol. We are proud to be a part ofthe ‘Wa N D ’ alliance of specials ch o o l s. ”

The city council estimatesthat the number of childrenlikely to require extra supportwill rise in the coming years.Over the last five years therehas been a significant growthin numbers of children withSEMH (social, emotional,mental health) difficulties andautistic spectrum conditions.

There has also been in a risein the number children withSpeech, Language & Commu-nication needs (SLCN), com-plex needs and Multi- SensoryImpairment (MSI).

Currently around 1.5 percent of primary school pupilsare in specialist places, with afurther 0.86 per cent supportedin mainstream schools. In sec-ondary school there arearound three per cent in spe-cialist places with a further0.85 per cent supported inmainstream schools.

Of its plans to cope with therise in numbers, a spokeswo-man for the authority said:“The council is working inpartnership and developingplans to expand existing pro-vision and choice, ensuringplaces are available to thosewho need them. The council isalso working with mainstreamschools to look at inclusionstrategies to ensure that wherepossible pupils can remain inmainstream education if theyp re f e r. ”

Left, Head teacher Les Haines (2ndleft) and teacher Anton Matthews(2nd right) with pupils ReeceMcCarthy (back left), Zyon Wright(back right), (front, L-R) JoshWalters, Thayae Thompson-Powell,Jamie-Lee Lloyd, Darryl Christopherand Marcus Hall at WoodstockSchool PICTURE: DAN REGAN

Above, Pupils and staff at BristolGateway School celebrate theirgood Ofsted report

Jack Wring, who has autism, picking up his GCSE results at KnowleDGE this year

Lisa Middle, spokesman for the Bristolbranch of the National Union of Teachers,commended the work of staff in the city’sspecial schools.

She said: “Teaching in any environmentcan be high on challenge, stress and rewardbut this is particularly true of these schoolsand services.

“Progress usually comes in very small

steps which are easily missed or overlookedand even the local community is often un-aware of the great work that is being done.We salute the dedication, commitment, skilland resilience of teachers and other staff inthese schools and services. We also applaudthe families of these young people whosesupport, collaboration and communicationis vital.”

‘We salute dedication and skill of teachers’

Learning and SuccessOpen Evening

Wednesday 23rd September6.00pm – 8.00pm

Open Morning –Wednesday 30th September at 9.00am.Please call to reserve a place.

“ ”Patchway Community College

Hempton Lane, Almondsbury, Bristol BS32 4AJ 01454 862020email: [email protected] website: www.patchwaycc.com

Open Mornings:Thursday 1st OctoberTours at 9:00am and 10:00am

Wednesday 7th OctoberTours at 9:00am, 10:00am and 1:45pmBookable by appointment only

Open Evening:Thursday 1st October6:00pm - 8:00pmCrèche facilities are available


Abbeywood Community SchoolNew Road

Stoke GiffordSouth Gloucestershire


Tel: 0117 307 5660

A ‘GOOD’ School inEvery CategoryOfsted

Open Day:Thursday 24th SeptemberTours at 8:45am, 9:45am,11:05am and 1:35pmBookable by appointment only

Open Evening:Thursday 24th September6:00pm - 8:00pmCrèche facilities are available


Bradley Stoke Community SchoolFiddlersWood Lane

Bradley StokeSouth Gloucestershire


Tel: 01454 868840

A ‘GOOD’ School,with ‘OUTSTANDING’Behaviour, Safety andLeadershipOfsted

6 TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 15 2015 WESTERN DAILY PRESS WDP-E01-S5

For further details visitwww.sgscol.ac.uk or call 0800 0567 253

Be part of oursuccess at SouthGloucestershire andStroud’s stand out college!HIGHER, PROFESSIONAL, TECHNICAL

Course areas available include:

• Access to Higher Education• Apprenticeships• Employability courses• Full time A Levels and GCSEs• Full time vocational courses in Animal Management & Conservation,

Art, Design & Photography, Business, Construction, Early Years, Engineering,Hair & Beauty, Health & Social Care, IT, Music, Media & Games Design,Performing Arts, Public Services, Sport or Travel

• Part time adult courses• Traineeships• University Level courses

OFSTED OUTSTANDING 2014For Business, Art, Performing Arts, Sports, Employability,Student Support and Leadership and Managementof the College.

2015OPEN EVENTS

Sat 10th Oct | 10:00 - 13:00

Sat 14th Nov | 10:00 - 14:00

Thur 3rd Dec | 17:30 - 20:00

WESTERN DAILY PRESS TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 15 2015 7WDP-E01-S5

Insulation from Governmentinterference is one of the reas-ons for choosing a privateschool over an academy, ac-cording to leaders at Bristol’sindependent schools.

Heads say that althoughacademies have morefreedoms than traditionalcouncil-run schools have everenjoyed, they are still ham-strung by politicians makingchanges to the state educationsystem.

Redland High School says itused its freedoms as an in-dependent school to shift fromthe GCSE to IGCSE in somesubjects five years ago,something state schools wouldhave been unable to do.

In common with many otherindependent schools it felt theIGCSE offered more rigour.

In 2014, when English GCSEresults dropped across thecountry, the school said itavoided embroiling pupils inthe anxiety and “sheer unfair-ness” of changed grade bound-a r i e s.

The school’s head StephanieFerro, pictured inset, saidstate schools were “at themercy of the vagaries of polit-ical red tape and the use ofchildren to score politicalpoints”.

She said: “At Redland Highwe focus on what is best forour pupils, and their teachersand tutors work hard toachieve that with them.”

In agreement, Angela Chap-man, deputy head at Badmin-ton School, said: “Schools inthe independent sector are notforced to follow governmentpolicy in the same way as theacademies and for that reasontheir provision can be trulyinde pendent.

“This therefore raises thequestion ‘Do academies reallyhave enough freedom to evercompete with the independentsector?

“They are still very heavilyregulated by the Governmentand this may not always be tothe benefit of the ground leveleducation provided for today’syoung people.”

Heads of Bristol privateschools say there are manyother reasons to choose an in-dependent education includ-

ing class sizes, exam perform-ance and access to extra-curricular activities.

Guy Cowper, director of op-erations at Clifton HighSchool, said: “The number ofchildren at independent day

schools continues to rise andhas increased 1.7 per cent thisyear. Coupled with this thenumber of internationalpupils seeking an education atour independent schools con-tinues to grow.

“This to me demonstratesthe desirability of an inde-pendent education.”

Ms Chapman, deputy head

at Badminton School, said thestaff to student ratio in in-dependent schools means nostudent can slip under ther a d a r.

She said: “Class sizes tend tobe small, ensuring more fre-quent pupil interaction andallowing every single pupil tobe engaged; ensuring there isno scope for pupils to go under

the radar. This also allows formore time to be dedicated toeach student with extra aca-demic support ‘cl i n i c s ’, one-to-ones and the opportunity forregular feedback to parentseither through the schooltracking and monitoring pro-gramme or on a much morepersonal and individualb a s i s. ”

Earlier this year at a hustingsheld in Bristol ahead of thegeneral election, politiciansclashed over the issue of in-dependent schools and theircontribution to helping stateschools and the community.

Thangam Debbonaire, thethen prospective Labour MPfor Bristol West, accused Lib-eral Democrat incumbentStephen Williams of failing topush for Bristol’s privateschools to do more to helpstate schools during a debateat Bristol University’s Gradu-ate School of Education.

Both politicians pledged toscrap the charitable status in-dependent schools enjoyunless they did more to benefitthe community by giving stateschools access to their sportsfacilities and teaching expert-i s e.

But what exactly are privateschools in Bristol doing tohelp communities?

The 2012 IndependentSchools Council (ISC) Censusreported that 90 per cent of itsmember schools were in-volved in some form of part-nership with state schools orthe wider community, wheth-er formalised or on an inform-al basis, and independentschools in Bristol say theirinstitutions are no exceptionto this.

Clifton High School andRedland High School say theyprovide access to some of theirfacilities free of charge, forexample their swimming pooland playing fields. RedlandHigh School says it works todevelop potential in Bristol’sch i l d re n .

The school works with To-mor row’s Achievers Educa-tional Trust, a national char-ity providing specialistmaster classes for gifted chil-d re n .

Badminton School runs anoutreach programme in sci-ence for local primary schools.They also hold an annualYoung Geographers’ Compet-ition and the Mary Fedden ArtCompetition for local prep andprimary schools.

‘Schools are free from political point-scoring’How do schools helpcommunities?

‘Class sizes tend tobe small, ensuringmore frequent pupilinteraction andallowing every singlepupil to be engaged’

Angela Chapman, deputy head,Badminton School

Below left, Clifton High School;top, Redland High pupils celebratetheir GCSE results. Above, GuyCowper, director of operations atClifton High School. LeftBadminton school

MONMOUTH SCHOOL ANDHABERDASHERS’ MONMOUTH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS

Day and Boarding Boys 3 - 18 Girls 3 - 18

A life-changing education is closer than you think.

www.habs-monmouth.org/opendaysOPEN DAYS 2 & 3 October 2015


The past few years have seenunprecedented changes made tothe curriculum and exams inBritish schools. There has been ashift away from modular coursesto assessment by end-of-yearexam only, the introduction offresh subject content with anemphasis on academic rigourand a new numerical gradingsystem brought in for GCSEs.Here, Stuart Dalley, directorof studies at Badminton Schoolin Bristol, explains why thereforms could spell a tricky fewyears ahead

“From 2015 through to 2019schools across Britain will befaced with renewed turbu-lence as a wave of reforms ofboth GCSEs and A levels getsu n d e r w ay.

The complexities of these re-forms are such that pupils,staff, governors and parentswill need to be fully up tospeed with what the changesmean.

In short, the Government islooking to turn the clock backto the pre-Curriculum 2000days when A-levels were basedon a linear system with all

exams at the end of two yearsof sixth form study.

However, such is the diffi-culty of reform that thesechanges will be staggered overtwo years so that there will besome subjects reformed forfirst teaching in a linear fash-ion from September 2015, afurther tranche in September2016 and the last in place forteaching in September 2017.

This will mean that for twoyears schools across Britainwill be faced with tough de-cisions on how they will copewith a ‘mixed currency’ of re-formed and non-reformed A-levels. Pupils, and their par-ents, will need to appreciatethat in reformed subjects onlythe exams sat at the end of theA2 year – and none from thelower sixth year if sat – willcount towards the final A-levelgrade, but this will be donealongside unreformed sub-jects where it will still be pos-sible to do exams at the end ofthe lower sixth year whichcould still count to towards thefinal grade!

Schools will need to managethis system for at least twoyears as these staggered re-forms take place.

If this was not enough tocope with, new GCSEs willalso be factored in startingwith maths and English inSeptember 2015, followed byother GCSE subjects inSeptember 2016.

It has been argued thatGCSEs require updating dueto the fact that grade inflationhas eroded the value of topgrade GCSEs and that there isa need for new content, a dif-ferent structure and better as-sessment if the country is toretain its educational stand-ing in the world.

Though it is difficult at this

Confused? Even more exam changes ahead

stage for schools to know theimpact of these GCSE reforms,it is suggested that there willbe a greater focus, where ap-propriate, on assessmentmainly through exams andcontent which is deemed to bemore demanding.

At the time of writing, thereis no definitive answer aboutthe rigour of content or as-sessment with old vs. new sys-t e m s.

However, there is a generalsense that whilst A-level con-tent will remain at a similarlevel of difficulty (albeit withan arguably more difficultframework), new GCSE con-tent will be noticeably moredif ficult.

What has been defined isthat a new 9-1 grading systemwill be used, with 9 being thenew top grade.

Broadly speaking, 8 is con-sidered to be the equivalent ofthe old A*, 7 an A grade and soon. In effect, 9 will be the newsuper grade with only a smallminority of pupils able toachieve this.

Stuart Dalley, director of studies atBadminton School

However, some IGCSE sub-jects are proposing to stickwith the A*-G system or tooffer both an A*-G option anda 9-1 option; so again a mixedsystem will prevail and willhave to be understood by thoseuniversities, courses and em-ployers recruiting based ont h e s e.

The government has giventhe message that it aims todrive to improve standards inBritish education; the updat-ing of the content of coursesand improvements to assess-ment methods are one vehiclebeing used to achieve this.

For those of us in the frontline of these changes, whetheras pupils, staff, parents andgoverning bodies, it means atricky few years ahead.”

� Summary of the changesbeing introduced to GCSEsthis month:

New GCSEs in English lan-guage, literature and mathscontain new content and arebeing assessed and graded dif-f e re n t ly.

Most subjects will be as-sessed by exam only, and stu-dents will be awarded one ofnine grades, represented bythe numbers 1-9, with 9 rep-resenting the highest level ofattainment. Those who fail tomeet the minimum standardwill be graded with a U – asb e fo re.

Many subjects will nolonger have coursework,unless it's decided that it'svital to judge how a student isdoing. This will be decided ona subject-by-subject basis.Subjects including the sci-ences, geography, history andmodern languages will be in-troduced as new GCSE qual-ifications in 2016.

‘Governors andparents will need tobe fully up to speedwith the changes’

Stuart Dalley

The past few years have seen unprecedented changes made to the curriculum and exams in British schools, writes Stuart Dalley, director of studies at Badminton School in Bristol

SENIOR SCHOOLSATURDAY 3 OCTOBER 2015

SATURDAY 7 MAY 2016

PREP SCHOOLSATURDAY 10 OCTOBER 2015

SATURDAY 14 MAY 2016

OUR OPEN MORNINGS

DISCOVERWARMINSTER

Visit Warminster School and discoverhow our teaching staff can inspireyour child and nurture theirnatural gifts and talents

01985 210160admissions@warminsterschool.org.ukwww.warminsterschool.org.uk

WESTERN DAILY PRESS TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 15 2015 9WDP-E01-S5

Saturday 26 SeptemberTo register on-line visit our website

or email [email protected]

Open Morning

Junior School, 0117 962 9451Senior School, 0117 989 8252

Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol BS9 redmaids.co.uk

Collaborative

Co-educational day & boarding: ages 13–18 > telephone: 01823 [email protected] > www.kings-taunton.co.uk

A Woodard School

O P E N D A YO P E N D A Y

Saturday 3rd October—10 am arrivalPlease contact us to reserve your place

B E PA RT O F T H E E X P E R I E N C E

Independent day and boarding school set in glorious Somersetcountryside, for boys and girls aged 3 to 18. Less than 30 minutesdrive from Bristol’s city centre on the A38 – Winscombe BS25 1PD.

At Sidcot School we develop students’ natural curiosityand creativity. We educate them, rather than simply trainthem to pass tests, so they can go out into the world andlive rewarding and adventurous lives.

Open MorningFriday 25 September9am – noonCall 01934 845236 or visitwww.curiousparents.org.uk to register.

• Scholarships and bursaries available• Daily school buses• A Levels and International Baccalaureate

sidcot.org.uk

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www.bristolpost.co.uk/education


BadmintonSchool

Girls Full,weeklyandflexi

WholeSchool 450

3–18 Day £2,830–£5,960Boarding£7,100–£11,290

Yes Availablein theJuniorSchool,11+, 13+and 16+.

‘A’level

Junior8.30am–

3.30/4.00pmSenior8.35am–

4.15/6.45pm

Available inthe Juniorand SeniorSchool

Minibus service from Chepstow area available, allfacilities including sports and swimming are on-site.Extended Project Qualification. IGCSE and GCSE.

GSA, IAPS and BSA affiliation.www.badmintonschool.co.uk or 0117 905 5200.

Sixth Form Open Evening:18/9/15

Whole School Open Evening:8/10/15

Whole School OpenMornings:10/10/15, 12/03/16, 02/05/16

BristolGrammarSchool

Co-ed No Infants 108Juniors 220Seniors 640Sixth Form

300

4–18 Infants andJuniors from

£2,440Senior andSixth Form£4,495

Yes 11+, 13+,14+ and16+

‘A’level

8.30am-3.30pm(Infants),3.40pm(Juniors),3.50pm(Senior)

7.45am(Yr 3-U6),8.00am (Rec–Yr2) -5.45pm (Rec–Yr 6) and 6.00pm

(Yr 7–U6)

Extended Project Qualification. IGCSE and GCSE. Extensivesporting facilities including a climbing wall. Fees includelunch for ages 4–16. Personalised curriculum from Year 9.Small classes. HMCand IAPS affiliation. New Performing

Arts Centre from September 2016.www.bristolgrammarschool.co.uk or 0117 933 9885.

Infant and Junior SchoolOpen Morning: 17/9/15Whole SchoolOpenEvening:

2/10/15Open Morning: 12/11/15

SixthFormOpenEvening:4/11/15

CliftonHigh School

Co-ed Yes WholeSchool 500

3–18 Reception£3,063

Senior School£4,526

Yes From11+

‘A’level

8.45am–3.35pm(N–Y6)

8.40am–4.05pm(Y7–Y13)

8.00am–6.00pm Beautiful grounds, on-site pool. Part owner of theCoombe Dingle Sports Complex. Free direct debitscheme. Extended Project Qualification.Holiday

activities. Offer French and English curriculum. EcoSchools Green Flag award.

www.cliftonhigh.bristol.sch.uk or 0117 973 0201.

Senior Open Evening: 17/9/15School OpenMorning: 10/10/15

Sixth FormOpen Evening:10/11/15

Year 7 Taster Days: 22/10/15,24/11/15

Colston’sSchool

Co-ed No WholeSchool 754

3–18 Lower Schoolfrom£2,310

Upper School£4,245

Yes 8+, 11+,13+ and16+

‘A’level

8.30am– 4.00pm After school clubsand supervisionavailable until

5.30pm

Extensive 30 acre site and extra-curricular provision,alongside a vast array of enrichment activities. CCFand DofE schemes available with over 100 pupilstaking part. Exemplary pastoral care. Taster visits

available throughout the Autumn Term.www.colstons.org or 0117 965 5207

Whole School OpenMorning:26/9/15


QueenElizabeth’sHospital

Boys No Junior 100Senior 570

3*–18 Junior£2,931Senior£4,485

Yes 7+ 11+,13+ and16+

‘A’level

8.40am– 4.00pm 8.00am–6.00pm Offers Bristol’s only all boys’ Junior and Senior Schooleducation. *QEH Infants are accommodated jointly at

the Redland High School site. Excellent sports facilities atFailand shared with Bristol City FC. IGCSE.

HMC and IAPS affiliation.www.qehbristol.co.uk or 0117 930 3040.

Senior OpenMorning:10/10/15

Junior Open Morning:9/10/15

Sixth Form Event:12/10/15

RedlandHigh School

Girls3-18Boys3-7only

No Junior 150Senior 350

3–18 Infants andJunior from

£2,640Senior£4,230

Yes 11+, 13+and 16+

‘A’level

8.35am–3.55pm 7.45am–6.00pm Excellent sports facilities at Golden Hill. EPQ and Giftedand Talented Programme offered. GCSE and IGCSE.Redland High Infants with QEH offers co-educational

provision for pupils aged 3-7. GSA and IAPS affiliated. Busservice available.

www.redlandhigh.com or 0124 4404.

Visiting Mornings:1/10/15, 6/11/15,1/12/15, 11/3/16

Open Morning: 17/10/15Sixth Form Open Evening:

11/11/15

Red Maids’School

Girls No Junior 140Senior 500

7–18 Junior£2,915

Senior andSixth Form£4,290

Yes 11+, 13+and 16+

‘A’leveland IBDiploma

8.40am–4.05pm 7.45am–6.00pm Residential location, public and private bus services.12-acre site with own facilities. Examinations andcurricular trips are included in the school fees. GSA

and IAPS affiliation. GCSE and IGCSEs. EPQ. Gifted andtalented programme.

www.redmaids.co.uk or 0117 962 2641.

Whole School:26/9/15 and 15/10/15Sixth Form: 10/11/15Taster Days: 6/10/15,13/10/15, 20/10/15,10/11/15, 24/11/15

SidcotSchool

Co-ed Full,weeklyandflexi

Nursery 24Junior 110Senior 465

(180boarders)

3–18 Day £2,384–£5,343Boarding£8,015–£9,597

Yes 6+, 7+,8+, 9+,11+, 13+and 16+


8.30am–3.40pm Junior8.00am–6.00pm

Senior to6.30pm

Sixth Form to9.30pm

Quaker ethos encourages student to ‘live adventurously’.Beautiful rural location on the A38 easily accessed

from Bristol – school buses daily. Sporting facilities andEquestrian Centre on-site. CReSTeD, HMC and IAPS

www.sidcot.org.uk or 01934 483 102.

Open Mornings: 25/9/15,29/1/2016 and 2/5/16Year 7 Taster Evening:

17/11/15Junior Taster afternoon

12/3/16These schools offer a wide range of additional opportunities including competitive sport, DofE, Young Enterprise, clubs and societies, holiday activities to name but a few. For detailed information about what makes each schoolunique, please visit the school’s website or attend one of the many open events available.

Developers hand over the keys to Marksbury Road, one of Bristol’s new primary schools. Planning is nowstepping up to ensure demand can be met when the new pupils hit secondary school age


Bristol’s primary schoolplaces crisis has been well doc-umented over the past fewyears. The surge in the numberof young children growing upin the city has forced educa-tion chiefs to create thousandsof extra places.

Gleaming new schools havebeen built and dozens of othershave been the beneficiaries ofmulti-million pound expan-sion projects.

But what will happen whenall those extra pupils finish atprimary school and move on tosecondary?

That is a problem statisti-cians in the city council havebeen wrestling with for severalyears, with the explosion in

numbers of youngsters comingthrough the educational ranksmeaning action needs to betaken before it is too late.

A glance through a list ofBristol state secondary schoolcapacities and current pupilnumbers reveals there areplenty of spare places at themoment.

But all that could be about tochange.

According to the council’smost recent strategy docu-ment for school places, theshortfall in Year 7 places couldbegin next September in thenorth of the city.

Then from 2019, there couldbe a lack of places city-wide.

Expanding existing second-ary provision appears to be thefavoured option, with the con-struction of new schools less

likely. But what has fuelled theboom?

The soaring birth rate whichbegan seven years ago hasbeen the main driver, but therehas also been a rise in thestandards at Bristol’s stateschools which has given par-

ents more confidence in theirlocal primaries and secondar-ies.

There is a feel-good factorsurrounding Bristol schoolswhich has seen parents look tothe city rather than chooseschools outside the city’sboundaries or opt to educatetheir children privately.

But the uncertainty overwhere the extra secondaryplaces will be created may be asource of anxiety for mumsand dads who are trying tomake long-term plans for theirchildren’s education.

According to the Depart-ment for Education, thenumber of pupilsattending England’s second-ary schools is set to rise by 20per cent over the course of thenext decade – a rise of morethan half a million children.

Although there has been adrop in secondary school num-bers since 2005, figures are ex-pected to climb next year as aresult of increases in the birthrate since 2002.

In Bristol, enough extraspaces (839) to fill a new sec-ondary school could be neededby 2021, according to the coun-

cil’s School OrganisationStrategy released in 2013.

A new strategy outlining thecouncil’s plans – based on thelatestprojected pupil numbers – isdue to be released in the earlyautumn.

At a recent meeting of theBishopston Forum, Ian Bell,the council’s placement plan-ning manager, said thedemand for extra places in theBS6 and BS7 postcodes wouldbe met by expanding existingsecondary schools.

But a different approachmight be taken in other areasof the city where schoolscannot be expanded.

Planning has been mademore complicated by the emer-gence of theGovernment’s free school pro-gramme, which allows groupsof teachers or parents to set uptheir own schools in locationswhich are not necessarily fa-voured by the city council.

A city council spokeswomansaid: “Bristol is an increas-ingly popular place to live andmore parents than ever arechoosing to send theirchildren to schools in the city,

so there’s naturally more pres-sure on places.

“The proportion of good andoutstanding schools is wellabove the current national av-erage.

“The council has been work-ing very hard to develop pro-vision to meet demand andensure there are enoughspaces for everyone in years tocome.

“In 2014/15 alone, BristolCity Council has creatednearly3,000 additional primaryschool places.

“Our predictions show asteady increase in demand forsecondary places across thecity from September 2017,which will be met with in-creased provision over thecoming few years.

“Our approach to increasingprovision of primary placeshas worked well and we’re cur-rently developing a new in-tegrated strategy which looksat the whole education picturein Bristol to ensure future edu-cation provision is of highquality for all young people,whatever their age and wherethey live.”

Schools couldexpand to meetrising demand

Ashton Park School 1,181 (1,330)Bedminster Down School 765(1,090)Bridge Learning Campus 1,058(1,365)Bristol Brunel Academy 1,071(1,080)Bristol Cathedral Choir School 736(680)Bristol Free School 393 (750)Bristol Metropolitan Academy 707(945)

The City Academy 908 (1,250)Colston’s Girls’ School 736 (720)Cotham School 1,394 (1,480)Fairfield High School 614 (1,080)Henbury School 624 (945)Merchants’ Academy 1,032 (1,120)Oasis Academy Brightstowe 604(945)Oasis Academy Brislington 1,196(1,448)Oasis Academy John Williams 724(1,080)

Orchard School Bristol 655 (925)Redland Green School 1,358(1,414)St Bede’s Catholic College 948(876)St Bernadette Catholic SecondarySchool 725 (750)St Mary Redcliffe and TempleSchool 1,581 (1,530)

2013/14 Pupil population in Bristol’s state secondary schools (capacity)

Colston’s Girls’ School added capacity into the system when it changed from an independent to a state school

Pupils at Redland Green school, which is close to capacity


BadmintonSchool

Girls Full,weeklyandflexi

WholeSchool 450

3–18 Day £2,830–£5,960Boarding£7,100–£11,290

Yes Availablein theJuniorSchool,11+, 13+and 16+.

‘A’level

Junior8.30am–

3.30/4.00pmSenior8.35am–

4.15/6.45pm

Available inthe Juniorand SeniorSchool

Minibus service from Chepstow area available, allfacilities including sports and swimming are on-site.Extended Project Qualification. IGCSE and GCSE.

GSA, IAPS and BSA affiliation.www.badmintonschool.co.uk or 0117 905 5200.


Whole School Open Evening:8/10/15

Whole School OpenMornings:10/10/15, 12/03/16, 02/05/16

BristolGrammarSchool

Co-ed No Infants 108Juniors 220Seniors 640Sixth Form

300

4–18 Infants andJuniors from

£2,440Senior andSixth Form£4,495

Yes 11+, 13+,14+ and16+

‘A’level

8.30am-3.30pm(Infants),3.40pm(Juniors),3.50pm(Senior)

7.45am(Yr 3-U6),8.00am (Rec–Yr2) -5.45pm (Rec–Yr 6) and 6.00pm

(Yr 7–U6)

Extended Project Qualification. IGCSE and GCSE. Extensivesporting facilities including a climbing wall. Fees includelunch for ages 4–16. Personalised curriculum from Year 9.Small classes. HMCand IAPS affiliation. New Performing

Arts Centre from September 2016.www.bristolgrammarschool.co.uk or 0117 933 9885.

Infant and Junior SchoolOpen Morning: 17/9/15Whole SchoolOpenEvening:

2/10/15Open Morning: 12/11/15

SixthFormOpenEvening:4/11/15

CliftonHigh School

Co-ed Yes WholeSchool 500

3–18 Reception£3,063

Senior School£4,526

Yes From11+

‘A’level

8.45am–3.35pm(N–Y6)

8.40am–4.05pm(Y7–Y13)

8.00am–6.00pm Beautiful grounds, on-site pool. Part owner of theCoombe Dingle Sports Complex. Free direct debitscheme. Extended Project Qualification.Holiday

activities. Offer French and English curriculum. EcoSchools Green Flag award.

www.cliftonhigh.bristol.sch.uk or 0117 973 0201.

Senior Open Evening: 17/9/15School OpenMorning: 10/10/15

Sixth FormOpen Evening:10/11/15

Year 7 Taster Days: 22/10/15,24/11/15

Colston’sSchool

Co-ed No WholeSchool 754

3–18 Lower Schoolfrom£2,310

Upper School£4,245

Yes 8+, 11+,13+ and16+

‘A’level

8.30am– 4.00pm After school clubsand supervisionavailable until

5.30pm

Extensive 30 acre site and extra-curricular provision,alongside a vast array of enrichment activities. CCFand DofE schemes available with over 100 pupilstaking part. Exemplary pastoral care. Taster visits

available throughout the Autumn Term.www.colstons.org or 0117 965 5207

Whole School OpenMorning:26/9/15


QueenElizabeth’sHospital

Boys No Junior 100Senior 570

3*–18 Junior£2,931Senior£4,485

Yes 7+ 11+,13+ and16+

‘A’level

8.40am– 4.00pm 8.00am–6.00pm Offers Bristol’s only all boys’ Junior and Senior Schooleducation. *QEH Infants are accommodated jointly at

the Redland High School site. Excellent sports facilities atFailand shared with Bristol City FC. IGCSE.

HMC and IAPS affiliation.www.qehbristol.co.uk or 0117 930 3040.

Senior OpenMorning:10/10/15

Junior Open Morning:9/10/15

Sixth Form Event:12/10/15

RedlandHigh School

Girls3-18Boys3-7only

No Junior 150Senior 350

3–18 Infants andJunior from

£2,640Senior£4,230

Yes 11+, 13+and 16+

‘A’level

8.35am–3.55pm 7.45am–6.00pm Excellent sports facilities at Golden Hill. EPQ and Giftedand Talented Programme offered. GCSE and IGCSE.Redland High Infants with QEH offers co-educational

provision for pupils aged 3-7. GSA and IAPS affiliated. Busservice available.

www.redlandhigh.com or 0124 4404.

Visiting Mornings:1/10/15, 6/11/15,1/12/15, 11/3/16

Open Morning: 17/10/15Sixth Form Open Evening:

11/11/15

Red Maids’School

Girls No Junior 140Senior 500

7–18 Junior£2,915

Senior andSixth Form£4,290

Yes 11+, 13+and 16+


8.40am–4.05pm 7.45am–6.00pm Residential location, public and private bus services.12-acre site with own facilities. Examinations andcurricular trips are included in the school fees. GSA

and IAPS affiliation. GCSE and IGCSEs. EPQ. Gifted andtalented programme.

www.redmaids.co.uk or 0117 962 2641.

Whole School:26/9/15 and 15/10/15Sixth Form: 10/11/15Taster Days: 6/10/15,13/10/15, 20/10/15,10/11/15, 24/11/15

SidcotSchool

Co-ed Full,weeklyandflexi

Nursery 24Junior 110Senior 465

(180boarders)

3–18 Day £2,384–£5,343Boarding£8,015–£9,597

Yes 6+, 7+,8+, 9+,11+, 13+and 16+


8.30am–3.40pm Junior8.00am–6.00pm

Senior to6.30pm

Sixth Form to9.30pm

Quaker ethos encourages student to ‘live adventurously’.Beautiful rural location on the A38 easily accessed

from Bristol – school buses daily. Sporting facilities andEquestrian Centre on-site. CReSTeD, HMC and IAPS

www.sidcot.org.uk or 01934 483 102.

Open Mornings: 25/9/15,29/1/2016 and 2/5/16Year 7 Taster Evening:

17/11/15Junior Taster afternoon

12/3/16These schools offer a wide range of additional opportunities including competitive sport, DofE, Young Enterprise, clubs and societies, holiday activities to name but a few. For detailed information about what makes each schoolunique, please visit the school’s website or attend one of the many open events available.

Developers hand over the keys to Marksbury Road, one of Bristol’s new primary schools. Planning is nowstepping up to ensure demand can be met when the new pupils hit secondary school age


Bristol’s primary schoolplaces crisis has been well doc-umented over the past fewyears. The surge in the numberof young children growing upin the city has forced educa-tion chiefs to create thousandsof extra places.

Gleaming new schools havebeen built and dozens of othershave been the beneficiaries ofmulti-million pound expan-sion projects.

But what will happen whenall those extra pupils finish atprimary school and move on tosecondary?

That is a problem statisti-cians in the city council havebeen wrestling with for severalyears, with the explosion in

numbers of youngsters comingthrough the educational ranksmeaning action needs to betaken before it is too late.

A glance through a list ofBristol state secondary schoolcapacities and current pupilnumbers reveals there areplenty of spare places at themoment.

But all that could be about tochange.

According to the council’smost recent strategy docu-ment for school places, theshortfall in Year 7 places couldbegin next September in thenorth of the city.

Then from 2019, there couldbe a lack of places city-wide.

Expanding existing second-ary provision appears to be thefavoured option, with the con-struction of new schools less

likely. But what has fuelled theboom?

The soaring birth rate whichbegan seven years ago hasbeen the main driver, but therehas also been a rise in thestandards at Bristol’s stateschools which has given par-

ents more confidence in theirlocal primaries and secondar-ies.

There is a feel-good factorsurrounding Bristol schoolswhich has seen parents look tothe city rather than chooseschools outside the city’sboundaries or opt to educatetheir children privately.

But the uncertainty overwhere the extra secondaryplaces will be created may be asource of anxiety for mumsand dads who are trying tomake long-term plans for theirchildren’s education.

According to the Depart-ment for Education, thenumber of pupilsattending England’s second-ary schools is set to rise by 20per cent over the course of thenext decade – a rise of morethan half a million children.

Although there has been adrop in secondary school num-bers since 2005, figures are ex-pected to climb next year as aresult of increases in the birthrate since 2002.

In Bristol, enough extraspaces (839) to fill a new sec-ondary school could be neededby 2021, according to the coun-

cil’s School OrganisationStrategy released in 2013.

A new strategy outlining thecouncil’s plans – based on thelatestprojected pupil numbers – isdue to be released in the earlyautumn.

At a recent meeting of theBishopston Forum, Ian Bell,the council’s placement plan-ning manager, said thedemand for extra places in theBS6 and BS7 postcodes wouldbe met by expanding existingsecondary schools.

But a different approachmight be taken in other areasof the city where schoolscannot be expanded.

Planning has been mademore complicated by the emer-gence of theGovernment’s free school pro-gramme, which allows groupsof teachers or parents to set uptheir own schools in locationswhich are not necessarily fa-voured by the city council.

A city council spokeswomansaid: “Bristol is an increas-ingly popular place to live andmore parents than ever arechoosing to send theirchildren to schools in the city,

so there’s naturally more pres-sure on places.

“The proportion of good andoutstanding schools is wellabove the current national av-erage.

“The council has been work-ing very hard to develop pro-vision to meet demand andensure there are enoughspaces for everyone in years tocome.

“In 2014/15 alone, BristolCity Council has creatednearly3,000 additional primaryschool places.

“Our predictions show asteady increase in demand forsecondary places across thecity from September 2017,which will be met with in-creased provision over thecoming few years.

“Our approach to increasingprovision of primary placeshas worked well and we’re cur-rently developing a new in-tegrated strategy which looksat the whole education picturein Bristol to ensure future edu-cation provision is of highquality for all young people,whatever their age and wherethey live.”

Schools couldexpand to meetrising demand

Ashton Park School 1,181 (1,330)Bedminster Down School 765(1,090)Bridge Learning Campus 1,058(1,365)Bristol Brunel Academy 1,071(1,080)Bristol Cathedral Choir School 736(680)Bristol Free School 393 (750)Bristol Metropolitan Academy 707(945)

The City Academy 908 (1,250)Colston’s Girls’ School 736 (720)Cotham School 1,394 (1,480)Fairfield High School 614 (1,080)Henbury School 624 (945)Merchants’ Academy 1,032 (1,120)Oasis Academy Brightstowe 604(945)Oasis Academy Brislington 1,196(1,448)Oasis Academy John Williams 724(1,080)

Orchard School Bristol 655 (925)Redland Green School 1,358(1,414)St Bede’s Catholic College 948(876)St Bernadette Catholic SecondarySchool 725 (750)St Mary Redcliffe and TempleSchool 1,581 (1,530)

2013/14 Pupil population in Bristol’s state secondary schools (capacity)

Colston’s Girls’ School added capacity into the system when it changed from an independent to a state school

Pupils at Redland Green school, which is close to capacity


Stephanie Ferro, Redland High Senior School

Newly appointed headmistressStephanie Ferro says she reallywanted to lead a school whichpurposefully prioritises givingyoung people roots and wings.

She believes that young peoplecan flourish, in spite of facing arapidly changing future, whennurtured in an environmentwhich is secure and suitably chal-lenging.

Promoting clear thinking, en-couraging effort without fear offailure, and instilling a quiet con-fidence to pursue their interests,gives a sense of belonging and thecourage to reach out to thosebeyond them.

“It was the tangible sense thatthese values are deeply rooted inthe culture of Redland High thatconvinced me that its distinctiveethos is one which I would beproud to promote,” she explains.

“When I addressed the incom-ing senior school girls at theirinduction morning, I said howpleased I was to be looking at thefuture: the class of 2022 – the yearof our 140th anniversary.

“During the next seven yearsthey will make life-long friends ina school with a trusted reputationfor providing a stimulating edu-cation which prepares them wellfor the future.”

Stephanie Ferro, who has morethan 20 years’ experience in someof the most prestigious girls’schools, arrives after RedlandHigh has continued to achieve out-standing examination results.The young women have again won

places at their chosen universitiesto study for a wide range of com-petitive degree courses. MissFer ro’s extensive experience ofthe UCAS application process en-sures that, amid fierce compet-ition for good university places,Redland High School continues tohave the expertise to guide stu-dents wisely.

Miss Ferro continues: “We are aschool on a hill that looks outwardand aspires upward. Our housesare named after trees that put outdeep roots. Our school symbol ofthe daisy represents a flower thatopens in the sunlight, just as achild who is nurtured blossomsand thrives.

“This vision and proven trackrecord mean that Redland High iswell placed to meet the 2017demand for secondary provisionin Bristol, as well as the unchan-ging needs of young women to besupported so they can be their bestpossible selves. I am delighted tobe building on the school’s found-ing vision and look forward toleading Redland High at the nextexciting stage of its develop-ment.”

‘I am delighted to bebuilding on theschool’s foundingvision ’

Stephanie Ferro

Joe Eyles has an energetic andmotivational approach to leadingRedland High Junior School,having taught children across theage range and with specialistknowledge of many different as-pects of junior education includ-ing pastoral care, numeracy, lit-eracy, IT and physical education.

As an Independent SchoolsTeam Inspector, Mr Eyles also hasin-depth experience of best prac-tice from other schools. He is alsoa Governor of QEH.

The junior school caters forgirls aged three to 11. The EarlyYears and Key Stage 1 provision,Redland High Infants with QEH,is coeducational and the schoolworks closely with QEH boys’school to provide a seamless trans-ition at age seven.

The size of Redland High JuniorSchool means that each child isknown extremely well and there isa strong sense of community.

Mr Eyles explains: “Some of ourgirls join at age three and con-tinue at Redland High until theyare 18. Others join the juniorschool for just one or two years inreadiness to move into our seniors ch o o l .

“We are committed to ourpupils’ successful progress, rightthrough to our senior school –understanding their individualpersonalities, stretching them toachieve their very best, helpingthem to discover the joys of learn-ing and instilling good habits ofself-discipline, integrity, courtesyand honesty. Through happiness

Joe Eyles, Redland High Junior Schooland security the girls gain highself-esteem, enabling them tobecome independent learners.”

There is a myriad of extra-cur-ricular activity on offer in thejunior school and Mr Eyles firmlyencourages each pupil to try atleast one of them each term so thatthey can find their strengths anddevelop the self-esteem so essen-tial for effective learning.

The school also enjoys a goodrelationship with QEH, withmany joint activities allowinggirls of all ages to work positivelyand constructively with boys.

Means-tested bursaries areavailable for girls to enter RedlandHigh Junior School in Years 5 and6.

Visiting Morning is Thursday,October 1, from 9.30am to 11.30amand Saturday, October 17, from9.15am. See w w w. re d l a n d h i g h . c o mfor more details. Telephone: 0117290 2904.

‘Through happinessand security the girlsgain high self-esteem,enabling them tobecome independentlearners’

Joe Eyles

Martin Morris, Queen Elizabeth’s Hospital School (juniors)

QEH School has been providingoutstanding education for boys inBristol since 1590, but headmasterStephen Holliday also has a clearvision for its future.

“The school is at an excitingtime in its development, with ournew science and art buildingscheduled for completion by theend of this academic year,” hee x p l a i n s.

“This will enable us to continuemeeting the needs of an ever-chan-ging curriculum and provide ourpupils with the outstanding fa-cilities for which we are so wellk n ow n . ”

This summer also saw QEHpupils achieve record results, pla-cing the school in the top 10 boys’schools in the national leaguetables and ahead of any otherschool teaching boys in there gion.

“Although we know that leaguetables are only one kind of meas-urement of performance, it is non-etheless good to get positive re-cognition for the hard work andachievement of boys here in Bris-tol,” says Mr Holliday.

Academic excellence is onlypart of the QEH story. Boys areencouraged to be busy and activeat all levels, with a wealth of op-portunities to try new things anddiscover where their talents lie.From competing in rugby at in-ternational level, to representingthe UK at the Future Problem-Solving global final, to perform-ing at world-class music venues,pupils are flourishing in all as-

Stephen Holliday, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Schoolpects of school life. While QEHremains academically selective, itis not socially exclusive and offersmeans-tested bursaries as well asacademic, sport and music schol-a r s h i p s.

To meet the headmaster, talk tosome of the boys and find out whatlife is really like at QEH, visitduring open morning, on Sat-urday, October 10. The juniorschool open morning is on Friday,October 9. No appointment is re-q u i re d .

There is also a sixth form openevening on Monday, October 12, byap p o i n t m e n t .

Entry is by assessment, usuallyat seven, 11, 13 or 16, althoughoccasionally vacancies occur inother year groups.

For more information, or a pro-spectus, visit w w w. q e h b r i s -t o l . c o. u k , email admissions@qehb-r i s t o l . c o. u k or call CarolynMatthews, admissions registrar,on 0117 930 3068.

QEH Junior School has gone fromstrength to strength since openingits doors in 2007.

Last year the junior school’sfirst ISI report found the achieve-ments of pupils to be “e xc e l l e n t ,both in their academic studies andalso in a wide range of sporting,musical, dramatic and extra-cur-ricular activities”.

Headmaster Martin Morris be-lieves this success is due to thestrong sense of community andexcellent relationship betweenstaff and pupils.

“Staff work hard to inspirepupils, encouraging a love oflearning and equipping them withthe skills to build on this import-ant foundation,” said Mr Morris.

“As a relatively small school,teachers know their pupils verywell and are therefore able to taketheir individual needs into ac-count.”

Pupils move on from QEHjunior school confident and wellprepared for life in the seniors ch o o l .

It is no surprise to Mr Morristhat boys from the junior schoolare often among the highest per-formers in the senior entranceexam.

Strong pastoral care and avaried extra-curricular provisionbalance high academic standardsto ensure a well-rounded educa-tion for boys.

“Our pupils value this tremend-o u s ly, ” said Mr Morris, “and par-ticipate in activities and clubs,ranging from philosophy to judo,

with enthusiasm. Sport, musicand drama all feature strongly inthe junior school and pupils be-nefit from access to the outstand-ing facilities in the senior schoolsuch as the professional theatreand the extensive sports groundsat Failand.”

The enviable reputation of thejunior school has led to increaseddemand for places at infant stageand, last year, QEH joined forceswith Redland High School. Boysare now able to join

“Redland High Infants withQEH” at age three, transferringseamlessly to QEH junior schoolat the end of Year 2.

Prospective parents can visit, orcome to the junior school openmorning on Friday, October 9.

For more information, or to re-quest a prospectus, visit the schoolwebsite at w w w. q e h b r i s t o l . c o. u k ,email admissions@qehbris-t o l . c o. u k , or call Carolyn Mat-thews, admissions registrar, on0117 930 3068.

‘As a relatively smallschool, teachers knowtheir pupils very welland are therefore ableto take their individualneeds into account’

Martin Morris

‘The school is at anexciting time in itsdevelopment, with ournew science and artbuilding scheduled forcompletion by the endof this academic year’

Stephen Holliday


Stephanie Ferro, Redland High Senior School

Newly appointed headmistressStephanie Ferro says she reallywanted to lead a school whichpurposefully prioritises givingyoung people roots and wings.

She believes that young peoplecan flourish, in spite of facing arapidly changing future, whennurtured in an environmentwhich is secure and suitably chal-lenging.

Promoting clear thinking, en-couraging effort without fear offailure, and instilling a quiet con-fidence to pursue their interests,gives a sense of belonging and thecourage to reach out to thosebeyond them.

“It was the tangible sense thatthese values are deeply rooted inthe culture of Redland High thatconvinced me that its distinctiveethos is one which I would beproud to promote,” she explains.

“When I addressed the incom-ing senior school girls at theirinduction morning, I said howpleased I was to be looking at thefuture: the class of 2022 – the yearof our 140th anniversary.

“During the next seven yearsthey will make life-long friends ina school with a trusted reputationfor providing a stimulating edu-cation which prepares them wellfor the future.”

Stephanie Ferro, who has morethan 20 years’ experience in someof the most prestigious girls’schools, arrives after RedlandHigh has continued to achieve out-standing examination results.The young women have again won

places at their chosen universitiesto study for a wide range of com-petitive degree courses. MissFer ro’s extensive experience ofthe UCAS application process en-sures that, amid fierce compet-ition for good university places,Redland High School continues tohave the expertise to guide stu-dents wisely.

Miss Ferro continues: “We are aschool on a hill that looks outwardand aspires upward. Our housesare named after trees that put outdeep roots. Our school symbol ofthe daisy represents a flower thatopens in the sunlight, just as achild who is nurtured blossomsand thrives.

“This vision and proven trackrecord mean that Redland High iswell placed to meet the 2017demand for secondary provisionin Bristol, as well as the unchan-ging needs of young women to besupported so they can be their bestpossible selves. I am delighted tobe building on the school’s found-ing vision and look forward toleading Redland High at the nextexciting stage of its develop-ment.”

‘I am delighted to bebuilding on theschool’s foundingvision ’

Stephanie Ferro

Joe Eyles has an energetic andmotivational approach to leadingRedland High Junior School,having taught children across theage range and with specialistknowledge of many different as-pects of junior education includ-ing pastoral care, numeracy, lit-eracy, IT and physical education.

As an Independent SchoolsTeam Inspector, Mr Eyles also hasin-depth experience of best prac-tice from other schools. He is alsoa Governor of QEH.

The junior school caters forgirls aged three to 11. The EarlyYears and Key Stage 1 provision,Redland High Infants with QEH,is coeducational and the schoolworks closely with QEH boys’school to provide a seamless trans-ition at age seven.

The size of Redland High JuniorSchool means that each child isknown extremely well and there isa strong sense of community.

Mr Eyles explains: “Some of ourgirls join at age three and con-tinue at Redland High until theyare 18. Others join the juniorschool for just one or two years inreadiness to move into our seniors ch o o l .

“We are committed to ourpupils’ successful progress, rightthrough to our senior school –understanding their individualpersonalities, stretching them toachieve their very best, helpingthem to discover the joys of learn-ing and instilling good habits ofself-discipline, integrity, courtesyand honesty. Through happiness

Joe Eyles, Redland High Junior Schooland security the girls gain highself-esteem, enabling them tobecome independent learners.”

There is a myriad of extra-cur-ricular activity on offer in thejunior school and Mr Eyles firmlyencourages each pupil to try atleast one of them each term so thatthey can find their strengths anddevelop the self-esteem so essen-tial for effective learning.

The school also enjoys a goodrelationship with QEH, withmany joint activities allowinggirls of all ages to work positivelyand constructively with boys.

Means-tested bursaries areavailable for girls to enter RedlandHigh Junior School in Years 5 and6.

Visiting Morning is Thursday,October 1, from 9.30am to 11.30amand Saturday, October 17, from9.15am. See w w w. re d l a n d h i g h . c o mfor more details. Telephone: 0117290 2904.

‘Through happinessand security the girlsgain high self-esteem,enabling them tobecome independentlearners’

Joe Eyles

Martin Morris, Queen Elizabeth’s Hospital School (juniors)

QEH School has been providingoutstanding education for boys inBristol since 1590, but headmasterStephen Holliday also has a clearvision for its future.

“The school is at an excitingtime in its development, with ournew science and art buildingscheduled for completion by theend of this academic year,” hee x p l a i n s.

“This will enable us to continuemeeting the needs of an ever-chan-ging curriculum and provide ourpupils with the outstanding fa-cilities for which we are so wellk n ow n . ”

This summer also saw QEHpupils achieve record results, pla-cing the school in the top 10 boys’schools in the national leaguetables and ahead of any otherschool teaching boys in there gion.

“Although we know that leaguetables are only one kind of meas-urement of performance, it is non-etheless good to get positive re-cognition for the hard work andachievement of boys here in Bris-tol,” says Mr Holliday.

Academic excellence is onlypart of the QEH story. Boys areencouraged to be busy and activeat all levels, with a wealth of op-portunities to try new things anddiscover where their talents lie.From competing in rugby at in-ternational level, to representingthe UK at the Future Problem-Solving global final, to perform-ing at world-class music venues,pupils are flourishing in all as-

Stephen Holliday, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Schoolpects of school life. While QEHremains academically selective, itis not socially exclusive and offersmeans-tested bursaries as well asacademic, sport and music schol-a r s h i p s.

To meet the headmaster, talk tosome of the boys and find out whatlife is really like at QEH, visitduring open morning, on Sat-urday, October 10. The juniorschool open morning is on Friday,October 9. No appointment is re-q u i re d .

There is also a sixth form openevening on Monday, October 12, byap p o i n t m e n t .

Entry is by assessment, usuallyat seven, 11, 13 or 16, althoughoccasionally vacancies occur inother year groups.

For more information, or a pro-spectus, visit w w w. q e h b r i s -t o l . c o. u k , email admissions@qehb-r i s t o l . c o. u k or call CarolynMatthews, admissions registrar,on 0117 930 3068.

QEH Junior School has gone fromstrength to strength since openingits doors in 2007.

Last year the junior school’sfirst ISI report found the achieve-ments of pupils to be “e xc e l l e n t ,both in their academic studies andalso in a wide range of sporting,musical, dramatic and extra-cur-ricular activities”.

Headmaster Martin Morris be-lieves this success is due to thestrong sense of community andexcellent relationship betweenstaff and pupils.

“Staff work hard to inspirepupils, encouraging a love oflearning and equipping them withthe skills to build on this import-ant foundation,” said Mr Morris.

“As a relatively small school,teachers know their pupils verywell and are therefore able to taketheir individual needs into ac-count.”

Pupils move on from QEHjunior school confident and wellprepared for life in the seniors ch o o l .

It is no surprise to Mr Morristhat boys from the junior schoolare often among the highest per-formers in the senior entranceexam.

Strong pastoral care and avaried extra-curricular provisionbalance high academic standardsto ensure a well-rounded educa-tion for boys.

“Our pupils value this tremend-o u s ly, ” said Mr Morris, “and par-ticipate in activities and clubs,ranging from philosophy to judo,

with enthusiasm. Sport, musicand drama all feature strongly inthe junior school and pupils be-nefit from access to the outstand-ing facilities in the senior schoolsuch as the professional theatreand the extensive sports groundsat Failand.”

The enviable reputation of thejunior school has led to increaseddemand for places at infant stageand, last year, QEH joined forceswith Redland High School. Boysare now able to join

“Redland High Infants withQEH” at age three, transferringseamlessly to QEH junior schoolat the end of Year 2.

Prospective parents can visit, orcome to the junior school openmorning on Friday, October 9.

For more information, or to re-quest a prospectus, visit the schoolwebsite at w w w. q e h b r i s t o l . c o. u k ,email admissions@qehbris-t o l . c o. u k , or call Carolyn Mat-thews, admissions registrar, on0117 930 3068.

‘As a relatively smallschool, teachers knowtheir pupils very welland are therefore ableto take their individualneeds into account’

Martin Morris

‘The school is at anexciting time in itsdevelopment, with ournew science and artbuilding scheduled forcompletion by the endof this academic year’

Stephen Holliday


Jane Millicent, Patchway Community College

Jane Millicent has been head-teacher at Patchway CommunityCollege for eight years.

“The college has changedenormously in my time here,” shesaid, “but one thing that has notchanged is the commitment, in-novation and caring ethos ofstaf f.”

A total of 60 per cent of studentsobtained five A* to C grades thisyear, with 28 per cent gaining atleast one A grade or equivalentand 100 per cent with at least oneA* to G.

Mrs Millicent commented that:“I am particularly proud of thedestinations that students are ableto move on to.

“University places this yearranged from computer science atNottingham to psychology atCardiff and costume design atBirmingham, while other stu-dents gained prestigious appren-t i c e s h i p s. ”

One innovation this year is thenew house system, where Year 9,10 and 11 students are now inmixed tutor groups, giving lead-ership opportunities and peersupport to all.

Mrs Millicent said: “When stu-dents are talking to visitors andguests, I am always pleased whenthey refer to Patchway as beinglike a family.

“By moving to our new house-based tutor system we will buildon the positive relationships andteamwork that already exist tocontinue to foster our supportiverelationships with all the mem-

bers of our community.” Spor tsday this year was another innov-ation, being an inclusive, funevent for all, which saw recordnumbers of students participat-ing.

Students took part in a range ofindividual and team sportsthroughout the day, from a penaltyshoot-out, standing long jump,and welly-wanging to tug-of-war,rounders and football.

Patchway is also committed tothe arts and working with localbusinesses. Mrs Millicent ex-plained that: “The Great Aero-nautical Art Hunt, which tookplace this summer, was a fantasticopportunity that we hope to buildon for the future.”

The school worked with localprimaries to design and buildglobe-like sculptures based on thelocal aerospace industry. Thesehave then been part of a Shaun theSheep-type art hunt in the Patch-way area.

Patchway Community College’sopen evening is on Wednesday,September 23, with talks from thehead teacher at 6.15pm and7.15pm.

South Gloucestershire and StroudCollege (SGS) is the highest-per-forming further education collegein the Greater Bristol area.

With campuses in the north ofBristol and Stoke Gifford areas,SGS consistently delivers a rangeof academic and recreationalcourses which are among the bestperforming in the country.

Judged by Ofsted in 2014 toprovide “outstanding” p rov i s i o nin creative and performing art,business and IT and sport andleisure, the college continues tog row.

Ofsted also rated the college’sapproach to developing employ-ability skills for all of its studentsas “outstanding”.

Leadership and managementwas also judged “outstanding”,with the principal, Kevin Ham-blin, supported by five vice andassistant principals, each anexpert in their field.

Mr Hamblin, who previouslyworked at Swindon and Hartpurycolleges and joined SGS in 2001,explained that SGS College is farmore than simply a learningc e n t re.

He said: “It is important to usthat students leave with the bestpossible chance of gaining em-ployment, not just with a qual-i f i c at i o n .

“We want students to view SGSas somewhere to enjoy spendingtime, and as the place where they

Kevin Hamblin, South Gloucestershireand Stroud College

have the opportunity to make pro-gress for their own economic andsocial wellbeing. We want SGS tohave a positive impact on theirlives. The college is an importantpart of the community and aims toprovide local people with the bestopportunity to progress.

“As such, we share our excellentresources for community use, andplay a key role in improving edu-cation within our catchmenta re a s.

“We want our staff to enjoyworking in a supportive envir-onment where expectations arehigh and fulfilled, and where weprovide the most productive en-vironment in which studentslearn, succeed and progress.

“We also want employers toview SGS as the first place theyturn to for quality employees, whodemonstrate the skills of commu-nication, literacy, numeracy, re-liability, enthusiasm, working in ateam, problem solving, IT, per-sonal presentation and businessaw a re n e s s. ”

With more than 150 full-timecourses covering entry-level pro-grammes, technical qualifica-tions, A-levels and professionalcourses up to degree level, all ap-plicants will have a wide choice ofstudy pathways and can expectpersonalised career advice andguidance to make sure they are onthe course that is right for them.

Visit w w w. s g s c o l . a c . u k .

Dave Baker,The Olympus Academy Trust,

Mark Mortimer, headmaster ofWarminster School was educatedat Mill Hill School and the Uni-versity of London, where he readH i s t o r y.

On leaving university he atten-ded the Royal Military AcademySandhurst and then spent eightyears as an officer in the LightInfantry regiment.

After a brief career as a man-agement consultant, he movedinto education. He is a keensportsman, particularly rugby,cricket and cycling, and hascoached pupils at various levelsduring his career. He has twicerowed across the Atlantic Ocean,once in a pair and once alone. Healso takes a keen interest in thearts, especially ballet and theatre.Other interests include cooking,leadership development and mil-itary history, particularly theFirst World War. Mr Mortimer ismarried to Anna, who is fromParis. They have three small chil-d re n .

He was appointed Headmasterof Warminster School in January2014.

‘If you saw Warminster Schoolon ITV’s recent two-part docu-mentary School Swap – the ClassDi vide, then you will have had anaccurate snapshot of the School. Ihope that what came across ontelevision is what we prideourselves on most – a sense ofcommunity, a culture of encour-agement and participation inwhich it’s ok to struggle or evenfail sometimes.

Mark Mortimer, Warminster School“Our website is good, but lots of

schools have good websites whichgive the same message, so pleasecome and visit us. I ask all visitorsto Warminster to look to see ifpeople are smiling, do they lookhappy, what does the interactionbetween staff and pupils (as wellas older and younger pupils) lookl i ke ?

“Ours is a beautiful school, butschools are not about buildingsand facilities but about people andrelationships. Being part of a com-munity means that everyone hasto contribute and play their part:giving as well as getting.

“Our educational philosophy issimple. What happens outside theclassroom is just as important aswhat happens inside and thatevery child is good at somethingand a school’s job is to help themfind it and nurture it.

For further details please con-tact Gayle Webb, Head of Admis-sions 01985 210160

Email: admissions@war min-s t e rs ch o o l . o rg. u k

The Olympus Academy Trust is amulti-academy trust establishedin 2012 and made up of primary,secondary and all-through schoolsworking in partnership in thelocal area.

In charge is Head Teacher andCEO, Dave Baker.

Outlining the trust’s mission, hesaid: “We aspire to be seen as thebest local option for education andare keen to work with other localschools, colleges and universitiesto make this happen. It is likelythat we will grow within the localarea in the coming months andye a r s.

“Our vision is to establish ourschools at the heart of the com-munity and to provide an out-standing educational experiencefor our learners.

“In order to do this, we need tobe the employer and teacher train-er of choice for staff so that ourlearners have access to the higheststandards of teaching, resourcesand opportunities.

“This will equip our learners tobecome responsible individualswho are able to make a meaningfulcontribution to society.

“OAT ’s aim is to create consist-ency and share best practicebetween its schools through ashared leadership structure. Thisyear has been a year of consol-idation, with two primary schoolsjoining the trust and the openingof a primary phase at Bradley

‘I am always pleasedwhen they refer toPatchway as being likea family’

Jane Millicent

‘It is importantto us thatstudents leavewith the bestpossible chanceof gainingemployment, notjust with aqualification’

Kevin Hamblin

‘Provide anoutstandingeducationalexperience forour learners’

Dave Baker

‘Our educationalphilosophy issimple.What happensoutside the classroomis just as important aswhat happens inside’

Mark Mortimer

Stoke Community School.“By working in a larger part-

nership of schools we can shareexpertise, provide mutual supportand challenge one another to de-liver the best outcomes for youngp e o p l e. ”

Let me start with a few facts:Firstly, Red Maids’ is the oldestg i rl s ’ school in the country, foun-ded in 1634 and still going strong(very much so!). Secondly, this isthe only school in Bristol offeringthe IB diploma or A-levels for sixthform study.

Thirdly, more parents choose tosend their daughters to Red Maids’than any other independentschool in Bristol. It seems to bepaying off for students: doors openfor them at the best UK universit-ies – predominantly Russell Group– and overseas; others enjoy gapyears before higher education;and some move straight into in-d u s t r y.

As a girls-only school, we arequite simply specialists in allthings girls. We structure lessonsand the timetable to suit theirneeds. We know what is best forthem academically and pastor-a l ly.

We help them build strong self-esteem, empower them to be lead-ers and to aspire to any profes-sion.

They rise magnificently to thechallenge and consistently forgeahead in areas that have histor-ically been male strongholds.

This year, almost half of oursixth form leavers took up degreesin STEM-related subjects includ-ing physics and astrophysics, civilengineering, neuroscience, phar-macy and psychology.

Isabel Tobias,Red Maids’ Senior School

More than 10 per cent of the yeargroup won places at medicals ch o o l .

Our students also excel in lan-guages and in the humanities.Music, drama and sport also play abig part in their lives. We provideadded “s t re t ch ” through excitingand challenging curricular andextra-curricular trips at home andoverseas, such as projects in Nepaland Cambodia, and through par-ticipation in special events, in-cluding the Edinburgh FringeFestival, the Rotary competitionfor young musicians and usingour own observatory.

We are forward looking in ourteaching, using mobile technologyto create dynamic learning andour links with many industriesand professions bring practicaland up-to-date expertise directlyinto the classroom.

Whichever way you look at it,Red Maids’ is a highly successfuland special educational establish-ment and I would urge you to visitu s.

The open morning is on Sat-urday, September 26. For more in-formation, contact the admissionsregistrar on 0117 989 8252, or ad-m i s s i o n s @ re d m a i d s. b r i s -t o l . s ch . u k .

‘As a girls-onlyschool, we arequite simplyspecialists in allthings girls. Westructure lessonsand thetimetable to suittheir needs’

Isabel Tobias

HIGH standards of academicachievement combined withstrong pastoral care have been im-portant hallmarks of Red Maids’Junior School for more than 25years and remain so today, sayshead teacher Lisa Brown.

She goes on: “I was privileged totake over the headship in January,maintaining the principles onwhich the school has grown: thatof allowing personalities andfriendships to blossom, and nur-turing every girl’s interests, en-ergies and talents.

“The junior school is a busy,happy and vibrant school, whereour girls are free to explore, dis-cover and develop their strengthswithout the constraints of stereo-typing. It gives me great pleasureto watch ballet club on a Tuesdayand then the very same girlsthrowing themselves whole-heartedly into dramatic judomoves later in the week.

“Our curriculum and variedextra-curricular activitiesprovide a great breadth of oppor-tunity for Red Maids to find outwhat they are good at and enjoymost, ensuring that they areequipped with a wide range ofskills and knowledge enablingthem to make informed choices.

“For us, communication is a keyaspect of our teaching pro-gramme: through writing, speak-ing and using the latest techno-logy. We value highly and

Lisa Brown,Red Maids’ Junior School

encourage the ability to voiceopinions or share knowledgeopenly in discussions.

“Learning is fun here and this isevident in the way that lessons aretaught and the skill of the teachingstaff in their delivery. Everyone isencouraged to join in and the vari-ety of experiences, both withinand beyond the classroom, createsa memorable pathway of discoveryin which each girl grows throughinteractive, engaging teachingand independent study.

“Being a parent myself, I amvery aware of the need to provideflexible provision that accommod-ates the many changing commit-ments of modern family life on adaily basis. School opens from7.45am for breakfast and after-school care is provided within thecost of our fees until 6pm. Many ofour families are within walkingdistance, but for those coming fur-ther we are well-served by Bris-tol’s transport systems. We alsohave our own private bus servicesfrom Clifton and the Chew Valleywhich are used by a number of ourjunior pupils

“I do hope you will make a dateto visit us during the autumn.”

For further details, contactLynn McCabe on 0117 962 9451, orjuniors@ redmaids.bristol.sch.uk.

‘Learning is funhere and this isevident in theway that lessonsare taught andthe skill of theteaching staff intheir delivery’

Lisa Brown


Jane Millicent, Patchway Community College

Jane Millicent has been head-teacher at Patchway CommunityCollege for eight years.

“The college has changedenormously in my time here,” shesaid, “but one thing that has notchanged is the commitment, in-novation and caring ethos ofstaf f.”

A total of 60 per cent of studentsobtained five A* to C grades thisyear, with 28 per cent gaining atleast one A grade or equivalentand 100 per cent with at least oneA* to G.

Mrs Millicent commented that:“I am particularly proud of thedestinations that students are ableto move on to.

“University places this yearranged from computer science atNottingham to psychology atCardiff and costume design atBirmingham, while other stu-dents gained prestigious appren-t i c e s h i p s. ”

One innovation this year is thenew house system, where Year 9,10 and 11 students are now inmixed tutor groups, giving lead-ership opportunities and peersupport to all.

Mrs Millicent said: “When stu-dents are talking to visitors andguests, I am always pleased whenthey refer to Patchway as beinglike a family.

“By moving to our new house-based tutor system we will buildon the positive relationships andteamwork that already exist tocontinue to foster our supportiverelationships with all the mem-

bers of our community.” Spor tsday this year was another innov-ation, being an inclusive, funevent for all, which saw recordnumbers of students participat-ing.

Students took part in a range ofindividual and team sportsthroughout the day, from a penaltyshoot-out, standing long jump,and welly-wanging to tug-of-war,rounders and football.

Patchway is also committed tothe arts and working with localbusinesses. Mrs Millicent ex-plained that: “The Great Aero-nautical Art Hunt, which tookplace this summer, was a fantasticopportunity that we hope to buildon for the future.”

The school worked with localprimaries to design and buildglobe-like sculptures based on thelocal aerospace industry. Thesehave then been part of a Shaun theSheep-type art hunt in the Patch-way area.

Patchway Community College’sopen evening is on Wednesday,September 23, with talks from thehead teacher at 6.15pm and7.15pm.

South Gloucestershire and StroudCollege (SGS) is the highest-per-forming further education collegein the Greater Bristol area.

With campuses in the north ofBristol and Stoke Gifford areas,SGS consistently delivers a rangeof academic and recreationalcourses which are among the bestperforming in the country.

Judged by Ofsted in 2014 toprovide “outstanding” p rov i s i o nin creative and performing art,business and IT and sport andleisure, the college continues tog row.

Ofsted also rated the college’sapproach to developing employ-ability skills for all of its studentsas “outstanding”.

Leadership and managementwas also judged “outstanding”,with the principal, Kevin Ham-blin, supported by five vice andassistant principals, each anexpert in their field.

Mr Hamblin, who previouslyworked at Swindon and Hartpurycolleges and joined SGS in 2001,explained that SGS College is farmore than simply a learningc e n t re.

He said: “It is important to usthat students leave with the bestpossible chance of gaining em-ployment, not just with a qual-i f i c at i o n .

“We want students to view SGSas somewhere to enjoy spendingtime, and as the place where they

Kevin Hamblin, South Gloucestershireand Stroud College

have the opportunity to make pro-gress for their own economic andsocial wellbeing. We want SGS tohave a positive impact on theirlives. The college is an importantpart of the community and aims toprovide local people with the bestopportunity to progress.

“As such, we share our excellentresources for community use, andplay a key role in improving edu-cation within our catchmenta re a s.

“We want our staff to enjoyworking in a supportive envir-onment where expectations arehigh and fulfilled, and where weprovide the most productive en-vironment in which studentslearn, succeed and progress.

“We also want employers toview SGS as the first place theyturn to for quality employees, whodemonstrate the skills of commu-nication, literacy, numeracy, re-liability, enthusiasm, working in ateam, problem solving, IT, per-sonal presentation and businessaw a re n e s s. ”

With more than 150 full-timecourses covering entry-level pro-grammes, technical qualifica-tions, A-levels and professionalcourses up to degree level, all ap-plicants will have a wide choice ofstudy pathways and can expectpersonalised career advice andguidance to make sure they are onthe course that is right for them.

Visit w w w. s g s c o l . a c . u k .

Dave Baker,The Olympus Academy Trust,

Mark Mortimer, headmaster ofWarminster School was educatedat Mill Hill School and the Uni-versity of London, where he readH i s t o r y.

On leaving university he atten-ded the Royal Military AcademySandhurst and then spent eightyears as an officer in the LightInfantry regiment.

After a brief career as a man-agement consultant, he movedinto education. He is a keensportsman, particularly rugby,cricket and cycling, and hascoached pupils at various levelsduring his career. He has twicerowed across the Atlantic Ocean,once in a pair and once alone. Healso takes a keen interest in thearts, especially ballet and theatre.Other interests include cooking,leadership development and mil-itary history, particularly theFirst World War. Mr Mortimer ismarried to Anna, who is fromParis. They have three small chil-d re n .

He was appointed Headmasterof Warminster School in January2014.

‘If you saw Warminster Schoolon ITV’s recent two-part docu-mentary School Swap – the ClassDi vide, then you will have had anaccurate snapshot of the School. Ihope that what came across ontelevision is what we prideourselves on most – a sense ofcommunity, a culture of encour-agement and participation inwhich it’s ok to struggle or evenfail sometimes.

Mark Mortimer, Warminster School“Our website is good, but lots of

schools have good websites whichgive the same message, so pleasecome and visit us. I ask all visitorsto Warminster to look to see ifpeople are smiling, do they lookhappy, what does the interactionbetween staff and pupils (as wellas older and younger pupils) lookl i ke ?

“Ours is a beautiful school, butschools are not about buildingsand facilities but about people andrelationships. Being part of a com-munity means that everyone hasto contribute and play their part:giving as well as getting.

“Our educational philosophy issimple. What happens outside theclassroom is just as important aswhat happens inside and thatevery child is good at somethingand a school’s job is to help themfind it and nurture it.

For further details please con-tact Gayle Webb, Head of Admis-sions 01985 210160

Email: admissions@war min-s t e rs ch o o l . o rg. u k

The Olympus Academy Trust is amulti-academy trust establishedin 2012 and made up of primary,secondary and all-through schoolsworking in partnership in thelocal area.

In charge is Head Teacher andCEO, Dave Baker.

Outlining the trust’s mission, hesaid: “We aspire to be seen as thebest local option for education andare keen to work with other localschools, colleges and universitiesto make this happen. It is likelythat we will grow within the localarea in the coming months andye a r s.

“Our vision is to establish ourschools at the heart of the com-munity and to provide an out-standing educational experiencefor our learners.

“In order to do this, we need tobe the employer and teacher train-er of choice for staff so that ourlearners have access to the higheststandards of teaching, resourcesand opportunities.

“This will equip our learners tobecome responsible individualswho are able to make a meaningfulcontribution to society.

“OAT ’s aim is to create consist-ency and share best practicebetween its schools through ashared leadership structure. Thisyear has been a year of consol-idation, with two primary schoolsjoining the trust and the openingof a primary phase at Bradley

‘I am always pleasedwhen they refer toPatchway as being likea family’

Jane Millicent

‘It is importantto us thatstudents leavewith the bestpossible chanceof gainingemployment, notjust with aqualification’

Kevin Hamblin

‘Provide anoutstandingeducationalexperience forour learners’

Dave Baker

‘Our educationalphilosophy issimple.What happensoutside the classroomis just as important aswhat happens inside’

Mark Mortimer

Stoke Community School.“By working in a larger part-

nership of schools we can shareexpertise, provide mutual supportand challenge one another to de-liver the best outcomes for youngp e o p l e. ”

Let me start with a few facts:Firstly, Red Maids’ is the oldestg i rl s ’ school in the country, foun-ded in 1634 and still going strong(very much so!). Secondly, this isthe only school in Bristol offeringthe IB diploma or A-levels for sixthform study.

Thirdly, more parents choose tosend their daughters to Red Maids’than any other independentschool in Bristol. It seems to bepaying off for students: doors openfor them at the best UK universit-ies – predominantly Russell Group– and overseas; others enjoy gapyears before higher education;and some move straight into in-d u s t r y.

As a girls-only school, we arequite simply specialists in allthings girls. We structure lessonsand the timetable to suit theirneeds. We know what is best forthem academically and pastor-a l ly.

We help them build strong self-esteem, empower them to be lead-ers and to aspire to any profes-sion.

They rise magnificently to thechallenge and consistently forgeahead in areas that have histor-ically been male strongholds.

This year, almost half of oursixth form leavers took up degreesin STEM-related subjects includ-ing physics and astrophysics, civilengineering, neuroscience, phar-macy and psychology.

Isabel Tobias,Red Maids’ Senior School

More than 10 per cent of the yeargroup won places at medicals ch o o l .

Our students also excel in lan-guages and in the humanities.Music, drama and sport also play abig part in their lives. We provideadded “s t re t ch ” through excitingand challenging curricular andextra-curricular trips at home andoverseas, such as projects in Nepaland Cambodia, and through par-ticipation in special events, in-cluding the Edinburgh FringeFestival, the Rotary competitionfor young musicians and usingour own observatory.

We are forward looking in ourteaching, using mobile technologyto create dynamic learning andour links with many industriesand professions bring practicaland up-to-date expertise directlyinto the classroom.

Whichever way you look at it,Red Maids’ is a highly successfuland special educational establish-ment and I would urge you to visitu s.

The open morning is on Sat-urday, September 26. For more in-formation, contact the admissionsregistrar on 0117 989 8252, or ad-m i s s i o n s @ re d m a i d s. b r i s -t o l . s ch . u k .

‘As a girls-onlyschool, we arequite simplyspecialists in allthings girls. Westructure lessonsand thetimetable to suittheir needs’

Isabel Tobias

HIGH standards of academicachievement combined withstrong pastoral care have been im-portant hallmarks of Red Maids’Junior School for more than 25years and remain so today, sayshead teacher Lisa Brown.

She goes on: “I was privileged totake over the headship in January,maintaining the principles onwhich the school has grown: thatof allowing personalities andfriendships to blossom, and nur-turing every girl’s interests, en-ergies and talents.

“The junior school is a busy,happy and vibrant school, whereour girls are free to explore, dis-cover and develop their strengthswithout the constraints of stereo-typing. It gives me great pleasureto watch ballet club on a Tuesdayand then the very same girlsthrowing themselves whole-heartedly into dramatic judomoves later in the week.

“Our curriculum and variedextra-curricular activitiesprovide a great breadth of oppor-tunity for Red Maids to find outwhat they are good at and enjoymost, ensuring that they areequipped with a wide range ofskills and knowledge enablingthem to make informed choices.

“For us, communication is a keyaspect of our teaching pro-gramme: through writing, speak-ing and using the latest techno-logy. We value highly and

Lisa Brown,Red Maids’ Junior School

encourage the ability to voiceopinions or share knowledgeopenly in discussions.

“Learning is fun here and this isevident in the way that lessons aretaught and the skill of the teachingstaff in their delivery. Everyone isencouraged to join in and the vari-ety of experiences, both withinand beyond the classroom, createsa memorable pathway of discoveryin which each girl grows throughinteractive, engaging teachingand independent study.

“Being a parent myself, I amvery aware of the need to provideflexible provision that accommod-ates the many changing commit-ments of modern family life on adaily basis. School opens from7.45am for breakfast and after-school care is provided within thecost of our fees until 6pm. Many ofour families are within walkingdistance, but for those coming fur-ther we are well-served by Bris-tol’s transport systems. We alsohave our own private bus servicesfrom Clifton and the Chew Valleywhich are used by a number of ourjunior pupils

“I do hope you will make a dateto visit us during the autumn.”

For further details, contactLynn McCabe on 0117 962 9451, orjuniors@ redmaids.bristol.sch.uk.

‘Learning is funhere and this isevident in theway that lessonsare taught andthe skill of theteaching staff intheir delivery’

Lisa Brown


BGS infants and juniors is a placewhere we are rightly proud of ourhistory but, at the same time,always looking to the future;where a strong sense of continuityand stability combines with anexciting desire for new ap-p ro a ch e s.

The infant school celebrated itsfifth birthday recently and thesenior school now contains chil-dren who started their learningjourney here. One of the manybenefits of an all-through schoolsuch as BGS, of course, is that wekeep in touch with them.

Connections with older stu-dents in the senior school are animportant way for our youngerstudents to develop and we love,for example, to welcome sixthformers to help with reading inthe infants school or to encourageour Year 5 singers to team up withthose in Year 7 to form a choir.

Last year, infants sang andspoke at senior school assemblies,while our juniors were enthusi-astically involved in the BGSmock election.

Similarly, although most of ourteaching and learning happens inthe purpose-designed surround-ings of our own buildings, we arealways looking for opportunitiesto make use of the facilities avail-able across the school campus –such as the sports hall and sciencelabs – and to invite teachers fromthe senior school staff to share

Peter Huckle, Bristol Grammar SchoolInfants and Juniors

their expertise with us in spe-cialist areas such as dance, art,games, languages or food tech-nology. Thanks to the energy andinitiative of our excellent staff,there are always new opportun-ities emerging.

Whether it be performing onstage as part of the ShakespeareSchools Festival, competing in theEnglish Primary Schools’ ChessAssociation semi finals hostedhere at BGS, or joining a studentliterary committee, life at BGSinfants and juniors provides everychance to build a firm foundationfor a lifetime of learning.

When our students finally leavethe BGS sixth form to make theirway in the world, and we sit along-side one another at the leavers’dinner in the Great Hall, I know itwill be experiences like this in theinfants and junior school that werecall together as being so veryformative for the continuing storyof their learning adventure,wherever it may lead them.� For further details, visitwww.bristolg rammarschool.co.uk.

September at BGS sees the cheer-ful buzz of new and returningstudents swapping holiday newsas they all collect this year’s set oftextbooks and iPads. It is a delightto hear from our children whatthey are looking forward to thisyear and what they have beendoing over the summer.

In the first few days of this term,I have particularly enjoyed hear-ing first-hand accounts of oursummer holiday school journeys(St Petersburg, Mannheim andTurkey) along with the adven-tures of our various gold Duke ofEdinburgh Award expeditiont e a m s.

This year, these conversationsare all taking place in sight of theconstruction of our school’s newperforming and creative artscentre. This extensive new suite offacilities is now visibly takingshape alongside Elton Road and isdue to open in September 2016.

Personal fulfilment in tomor-row ’s world will depend more thanever on an individual’s self-con-fidence, creativity and collabor-ative skills; their ability to workindependently and as part of ateam in a variety of settings.

At Bristol Grammar School, wehelp young people develop the es-sential personal qualities throughengaging and challenging teach-ing in a rich and varied range ofcurricular and extra-curricularactivities (music, drama, dance,

Rod MacKinnon,Bristol Grammar School, Seniors

sport, etc.) The school has longprioritised provision in the cre-ative and performing arts as theseactivities give every student theirspace and the stage on which togrow in emotional and intellec-tual stature.

Building capacity, self-belief,empathy, integrity and resiliencewithin each BGS child beginswith quality professional relation-ships with expert and committedstaff, who determinedly strive tosee every student develop theirown ambitions and dreams whilewe equip children to pursue theirown goals in the years to come.

Children are always the bestambassadors for Bristol Gram-mar School, I would be delightedto welcome prospective parentsand pupils to school where theycan see how our engaging andinspiring students throw them-selves into all aspects of schoollife.For further details, visitwww.bristol g ram-m a rs ch o o l . c o. u k .

Monmouth School has been de-livering educational excellencefor more than 400 years.

This is a powerful academic in-stitution, but not a hot-house: wecelebrate our most able boysachieving top grades in examin-ations, and taking places in themost prestigious universities, yetwe are equally proud of our boyswho balance their academic workwith distinguished accomplish-ments in a wide range of extra-curricular activities.

Our first teams in sport competeat an exceptionally high level, andour top athletes are renowned na-tionally and indeed internation-ally, but we are also passionateabout the success of our B, C and Dt e a m s.

The achievements of our boys inmusic, art, drama and outdoorpursuits are extraordinary, with avast array of concerts, theatre per-formances, expeditions and tripsrunning throughout the schoolyear. The extra-curricular andacademic opportunities availableto our boys are further enhancedthrough our collaborative part-nership with the Haberdashers’Monmouth School for Girls.

We develop and enhance ourschool facilities regularly, and ourteaching, extra-curricular andboarding facilities are the envy ofother schools. However, we haveretained our fundamental ethos ofproviding value for money, and

Dr Andrew Daniel,Monmouth School

our fees are extremely compet-i t ive.

In Ta t l e r ’s School Guide, 2015,our fees were rated “among thebest value in the country”. Al-lowing talented boys from manydifferent backgrounds to join ourschool is an important objectivefor us and, therefore, we offer awide range of scholarships andbu r s a r i e s.

The latest inspection of Mon-mouth School graded us as ex-cellent, the highest possible stand-ard, in every single category.However, this endorsement of ouroutstanding school has not madeus complacent, but ambitious forour boys in the future: our visionchallenges us to “be renowned forthe remarkable and dispropor-tionate contribution that thepupils from a small town in Walessubsequently make to societyacross the world”.

This is a challenge that we takevery seriously: when our boysleave us we hope that they will beconfident, happy and inspired tomake a positive impact on ourwo rl d .

Energy, happiness and a sensethat girls can achieve extraordin-ary things are at the heart of Hab-e rd a s h e r s ’ Monmouth School forGirls and its prep school, Ingle-field House. With a mixture of dayand boarding pupils, aged seven to18, HMSG creates a real sense ofc o m m u n i t y.

Set in the Wye Valley, the schoolaims to provide the finest edu-cation possible and we are pleasedto announce the introduction of aYear 7 sports scholarship, whichgirls joining in September 2015will be eligible to apply for.

Inglefield House offers prepar-atory education for girls agedbetween seven and 11, with board-ing now from seven. Situated onthe same campus, InglefieldHouse benefits from HMSG’s ex-tensive facilities, including sci-ence laboratories, a theatre, musicschool and superb sports provi-sion. A strong House system in-tegrates girls from age seventhrough to 18.

Academic results are impress-ive and the school is ranked top inWales for GCSE results in 2013.

In 2014, 42.6 per cent of thecohort were awarded A*s andmore than half of all candidates(57 per cent) achieved nine ormore A*/A grades. An impressive81.4 per cent of girls were awardedA*/As in maths, and in IGCSE 90per cent achieved A*/As in bio-logy, 82.5 per cent were awarded

Caroline Pascoe, Haberdashers’Monmouth School for Girls

A*/As in chemistry and 87.2 percent received A*/As in physics.

With 100 per cent pass rate at A-level now a regular achievement,most girls win places at their first-choice universities to read sub-jects as diverse as medicine, law,languages, engineering and eco-nomics. In 2014, 52.6 per cent ofgirls achieved A*/A grades – m o rethan double the national averageof 26 per cent.

A close link with our siblingestablishment, Monmouth School,provides a dynamic sixth formexperience with seminar-styleclasses in preparation for uni-versity. Our new sixth form board-ing house, Augusta House, furthereases this transition betweenschool and university.

HMSG offers far more than justgood grades. Whether a pupil’spassion is for sport, music, drama,photography, dance or CCF, theschool will encourage her to reachthe highest standard. At all ages,your daughter will be encouragedto take personal responsibility, tothink for herself and to under-stand service to the community.

‘Your daughter will beencouraged to takepersonal responsibility’

Caroline Pascoe

‘This is a powerfulacademic institution,but not a hot-house’

Dr Andrew Daniel

‘Build a firmfoundation for alifetime of learning’

Peter Huckle

‘We help young peopledevelop the essentialpersonal qualitiesthrough engaging andchallenging teaching’

Rod MacKinnon

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Education Plus 15 September 2015

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