Orchard School Bristol

Orchard School Bristol has shown effective progress in maintaining the standards from its previous inspections. The school fosters an inclusive environment where pupils feel happy and safe while promoting values of respect and responsibility. Although there have been disappointing outcomes in recent examinations, the leadership has raised expectations and strengthened the curriculum. The students, many of whom come from disadvantaged backgrounds and have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), are now benefitting from a more ambitious educational framework that prepares them well for future opportunities.

Strengths

• Inclusive environment where pupils feel happy and safe
• Strong contribution to pupils' personal development through extracurricular activities
• Ambitious and broad curriculum with academic and vocational options
• Effective teaching with a focus on clear presentation of new information
• Strong careers guidance and work experience opportunities for pupils
• Positive relationships between staff and pupils, fostering trust and support

Areas for Improvement

• Low attendance rates among some pupils, particularly those with SEND
• Inconsistent teaching quality regarding pupil discussions on subject content

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 Orchard School Bristol attended 89.6% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 26.7% 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, 13.6% of pupils at Orchard School Bristol were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 2 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 Orchard School Bristol had 15.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 15.9% 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, 25.2% of pupils at Orchard School Bristol were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 3.6% 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 Orchard School Bristol received £9,688 and spent £9,404 for each of its 947 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £788,000 (£832 per pupil).

Across all 21 schools of Amplify Education, income was £8,102 and spending £8,050 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

Orchard School Bristol is part of Amplify Education, which runs 21 schools. The nearest others:

• Filton Avenue Primary School Bristol
• Fonthill Primary Academy Bristol
• Stoke Park Primary School Bristol
• Trinity Academy Bristol
• Little Mead Primary Academy Bristol
• Henleaze Junior School Bristol
• Henleaze Infant School Bristol
• St Werburgh's Primary School Bristol
• Charlton Wood Primary Academy Bristol
• Henbury Court Primary Academy Bristol

What is Orchard School Bristol's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Orchard School Bristol is Good, from an inspection in May 2025.

When was Orchard School Bristol last inspected by Ofsted?

Orchard School Bristol was last inspected in May 2025.

How many pupils does Orchard School Bristol have?

Orchard School Bristol has 942 pupils on roll.

What age range does Orchard School Bristol cover?

Orchard School Bristol for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Orchard School Bristol's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 41.5, and 36% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Orchard School Bristol?

Orchard School Bristol is at Filton Road, Horfield, Bristol, Bristol, BS7 0XZ.