North Star 240°

North Star 240° is performing well overall, rated as good in all key areas. The school caters to pupils with social, emotional, and mental health needs, ensuring they are supported in accessing their education. Strong relationships between staff and students foster a secure and nurturing environment, which helps pupils manage their anxieties and achieve their personal goals. Despite several challenges, the leadership team, supported by trust leaders, is committed to continuous improvement and responsive to the diverse needs of their pupils. The school has a well-organized curriculum that engages students, particularly through focused efforts to enhance reading skills. However, there are areas for growth, particularly in supporting weaker readers and addressing attendance issues. By prioritizing these concerns, leaders aim to enhance the learning experience further and ensure all pupils have the opportunity to succeed.

Strengths

• Strong, trusting relationships between staff and pupils
• Well-organized and engaging curriculum
• Effective leadership and management
• Positive environment that encourages individual achievement
• Strong focus on reading and promoting enjoyment of literature
• Caring ethos fostering empathy and community among pupils

Areas for Improvement

• Support for weaker readers is inconsistent, hindering progress
• Assessment practices in key stage 3 can be ineffective, not adapting the curriculum as needed
• Some pupils do not attend school regularly enough

In 2024–25 pupils at North Star 240° attended 65.0% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 73.4% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).

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, 52.0% of pupils at North Star 240° were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). 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 North Star 240° had 4.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 32.4% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.5%).

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 North Star 240° had 75 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: specific learning difficulty; social, emotional and mental health; speech, language and communication needs; autistic spectrum disorder.

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 special school schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 North Star 240° received £40,642 and spent £38,970 for each of its 75 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,199,000 (£15,991 per pupil).

Across all 3 schools of North Star Academy Trust, income was £40,177 and spending £39,306 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

North Star 240° is part of North Star Academy Trust, which runs 3 schools. The nearest others:

• North Star 82° Bristol
• North Star 180° Bath

What is North Star 240°'s Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for North Star 240° is Good, from an inspection in May 2023.

When was North Star 240° last inspected by Ofsted?

North Star 240° was last inspected in May 2023.

How many pupils does North Star 240° have?

North Star 240° has 75 pupils on roll.

What age range does North Star 240° cover?

North Star 240° for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are North Star 240°'s GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 7.0, and 0% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is North Star 240°?

North Star 240° is at Long Cross, Lawrence Weston, Bristol, BS11 0QA.