Bristol Metropolitan Academy

Bristol Metropolitan Academy is a larger-than-average secondary school within the Cabot Learning Federation, serving a diverse cohort with above-average levels of SEN support, EHC plans and location deprivation. A new principal has been appointed since the previous inspection. Safeguarding standards are met, and the school is fulfilling the expected standard across achievement, attendance and behaviour, curriculum and teaching, inclusion, leadership and governance, and personal development and wellbeing. The school's strongest work is in inclusion and pastoral care. Disadvantaged pupils and those with low starting points often make significant progress, and disadvantaged pupils' progress has been above average. Behaviour is typically high, attendance is being rebuilt through clear routines and support, and pupils benefit from a broad enrichment offer, strong careers guidance, and effective support for SEND and early reading, language and mathematics needs. Leaders are committed, staff feel valued, and the trust provides strong professional development. However, there are clear areas to improve. In 2025, fewer pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and mathematics, and the gap between disadvantaged pupils and non-disadvantaged pupils nationally widened. Attendance has declined since the previous inspection and overall and persistent absence remain above national averages. Some pupils still do not consistently receive the adaptations they need in class, the school does not always identify pupils needing targeted writing support, and the personal development programme is less developed on fundamental British values and key institutions. Monitoring of enrichment and participation also needs greater rigour so all pupils fully benefit.

Strengths

• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open culture where concerns are actively identified and managed.
• Pupils' attainment is broadly in line with the national average, and many make significant progress.
• Disadvantaged pupils make above-average progress overall.
• Behaviour around the school and in classrooms is typically high.
• Leaders have reshaped approaches so severe and persistent absence are improving steadily.
• The school provides strong pastoral support and a welcoming, inclusive environment.
• Pupils with SEND, early English learners, and those with reading, speech and language, or mathematics weaknesses receive effective support.
• The curriculum offers ample opportunities to read widely and develop subject vocabulary.
• Pupils benefit from a broad enrichment programme, including trips, basketball, MET adventures and MET productions.
• Careers guidance is effective, and the rate of pupils leaving without an onward placement is below average.
• Staff feel valued and access high-quality professional training and collaboration through the trust.
• Leaders engage well with parents, the police and the local community.

Areas for Improvement

• In 2025, fewer pupils achieved a good or strong GCSE pass in both English and mathematics.
• The gap between disadvantaged pupils and non-disadvantaged pupils nationally widened in English and mathematics.
• Some pupils with barriers to learning do not consistently receive the adaptations they need in class.
• The school does not identify pupils who would benefit from different types of targeted writing support.
• Attendance has declined since the previous inspection, and overall and persistent absence remain above national averages.
• Leaders should continue to support pupils with severe absence to build regular attendance habits.
• The personal development programme is less focused on fundamental British values, democracy, the rule of law, and key British institutions.
• Leaders do not maintain sufficiently detailed oversight of who participates in enrichment and personal development, limiting evaluation of impact.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Bristol Metropolitan Academy attended 89.6% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 30.6% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 12.4% of pupils at Bristol Metropolitan Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Bristol Metropolitan Academy had 15.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 13.9% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 15.7% of pupils at Bristol Metropolitan Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 6.1% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Bristol Metropolitan Academy received £13,820 and spent £10,596 for each of its 1,102 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £643,000 (£584 per pupil).

Across all 33 schools of Cabot Learning Federation, income was £8,647 and spending £8,763 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Bristol · Bristol, City of local authority: places and applications

Bristol Metropolitan Academy is part of Cabot Learning Federation, which runs 34 schools. The nearest others:

• Begbrook Primary Academy Bristol
• Bristol Brunel Academy Bristol
• Minerva Primary Academy Bristol
• Frome Vale Academy Bristol
• Summerhill Academy Bristol
• Wallscourt Farm Academy Bristol
• The City Academy Bristol Bristol
• Evergreen Primary Academy Bristol
• John Cabot Academy Bristol
• Wicklea Academy Bristol

What is Bristol Metropolitan Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Bristol Metropolitan Academy is Expected standard, from an inspection in July 2026.

When was Bristol Metropolitan Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Bristol Metropolitan Academy was last inspected in July 2026.

How many pupils does Bristol Metropolitan Academy have?

Bristol Metropolitan Academy has 1,103 pupils on roll.

What age range does Bristol Metropolitan Academy cover?

Bristol Metropolitan Academy for pupils aged 11 to 19.

What are Bristol Metropolitan Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 48.4, and 48% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Bristol Metropolitan Academy?

Bristol Metropolitan Academy is at Snowdon Road, Fishponds, Bristol, Bristol, BS16 2HD.