Avonside School, Bristol
Avonside School is a special school for pupils aged 13 to 19 in Bristol.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Avonside School in detail
Avonside School in its own words
Coming up: an open day on Thursday 4 February 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Bristol, City of
Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Avonside School are MIAG (Meeting Individual Aspirations & Goals) (under 0.1 miles); Knowle DGE Academy (2.6 miles, Good); New Horizons Learning Centre (2.8 miles, Good); and Boomsatsuma Create Agency (2.8 miles).
MIAG (Meeting Individual Aspirations & Goals)Knowle DGE AcademyNew Horizons Learning CentreBoomsatsuma Create Agency
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Avonside School has an education, health and care plan (15 of 15 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Keynsham Rail Station, about 2 miles away in a straight line.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Brendan's College (ne-bound), 180 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Avonside School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 188 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Bristol, City of (417).
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's October 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Avonside School is specifically designed for pupils with SEND and offers excellent specialist facilities alongside a ambitious, broad curriculum. The school combines academic learning with practical vocational training, giving students multiple pathways to qualifications and employment. Strong emphasis on careers preparation means pupils leave with both relevant skills and qualifications for their chosen career.
Key Strengths
- Wide-ranging curriculum with vocational options (hair and beauty, hospitality, construction, computing) from Year 9 onwards
- Strong safeguarding culture with trained staff and effective policies in place
- Excellent premises with purpose-built facilities including teaching kitchen, gymnasium, art room, health and beauty room, and construction room
- Comprehensive support for pupils with SEND through individualized risk assessments and regular progress reviews
- Clear careers guidance and work experience opportunities to prepare pupils for employment
Areas for Improvement
- Leaders recognise they may need to take an individualised approach to PSHE with some pupils to ensure key messages are fully understood
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is effective - the proposed school has a safeguarding policy reflecting latest statutory guidance, trained designated safeguarding leaders, and an electronic system for recording concerns.
Extracurricular Activities
Educational visits, school council, work experience (virtual and hands-on), local sporting facilities
Avonside School is a new independent school in Bristol that is likely to meet all independent school standards when it opens. The school will serve pupils with SEND, offering a broad curriculum including vocational qualifications and preparing students for employment.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Avonside School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 23
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 23 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 3 serious and 19 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 on a bicycle.
6 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Bristol, City of is 27 (the median across 175 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
21%
Available places
15 pupils
72 places
57 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Bristol
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Bristol
Across Bristol, City of council
Places available
4,580
Applications
4,426
Got 1st preference
84.0%
Got preferred school
96.7%
All secondary applications across Bristol, City of council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
15
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Avonside School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
15
Total Pupils
10
Boys
5
Girls
2026 academic year
Questions parents ask about Avonside School
How many pupils go to Avonside School?
Avonside School has around 15 pupils on roll.
Does Avonside School have specialist SEN provision?
Avonside School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Avonside School?
Avonside School is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near Avonside School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 23 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 3 serious and 19 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 on a bicycle. 6 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Bristol, City of is 27 (the median across 175 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Avonside School?
Avonside School is at 23 Clothier Road, Bristol, BS4 5PS.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)