Hanham Woods Academy

Hanham Woods Academy has shown significant improvement during its latest inspection, moving from its previous inadequate rating to a good overall effectiveness. Students express pride in the school’s revival under current leadership, noting improved safety, behavior, and a supportive environment where they are encouraged to reach their potential. Parents and staff have commented positively on the visible progress, highlighting the dedication of leaders and the hard work of teaching staff that has led to improved academic standards. The school is inclusive, providing help for students with special educational needs and/or disabilities, fostering a friendly community environment.

Strengths

• Improved overall effectiveness from previous inadequate rating
• Pupils are proud of the school's achievements
• Strong leadership leading to enhanced academic standards
• Supportive environment for students with SEND
• Variety of extra-curricular opportunities offered
• High levels of pupil attendance and good behavior in lessons

Areas for Improvement

• Narrow curriculum in Year 9 with few pupils studying arts subjects
• Inconsistencies in teaching effectiveness
• Need for improved support for pupils' writing skills

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 Hanham Woods Academy attended 90.6% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 26.2% 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, 12.6% of pupils at Hanham Woods 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 Hanham Woods Academy had 17.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 21.0% 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, 14.8% of pupils at Hanham Woods Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 5.8% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

The school has resourced provision with 25 pupils.

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 Hanham Woods Academy received £8,016 and spent £8,584 for each of its 844 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £493,000 (£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 · South Gloucestershire local authority: places and applications

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

• John Cabot Academy Bristol
• Wicklea Academy Bristol
• Summerhill Academy Bristol
• Bristol Brunel Academy Bristol
• Digitech Studio School Bristol
• King's Oak Academy Bristol
• Minerva Primary Academy Bristol
• The City Academy Bristol Bristol
• Waycroft Academy Bristol
• Woodlands Academy Bristol

What is Hanham Woods Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Hanham Woods Academy is Good, from an inspection in March 2025.

When was Hanham Woods Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Hanham Woods Academy was last inspected in March 2025.

How many pupils does Hanham Woods Academy have?

Hanham Woods Academy has 825 pupils on roll.

What age range does Hanham Woods Academy cover?

Hanham Woods Academy for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Hanham Woods Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 44.6, and 44% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Hanham Woods Academy?

Hanham Woods Academy is at Memorial Road, Hanham, Bristol, Bristol, BS15 3LA.