Birdwell Primary School, Bristol

Good
Primary
Academy converter
Mixed
Ages 311

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~1.1km)Possible (~1.6km)Unlikely (~2.0km)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mr Paul Sainsbury
Pupils:427 / 450 capacity
LA:North Somerset
Phone:01275392496
Address:Hollis Close, Long Ashton, Bristol, BS41 9AZ
Trust:BIRDWELL SCHOOL
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open
Opened:1 April 2013

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 9 months ago
-

Overall

Requires Improvement

Quality of Education

Requires Improvement

Behaviour & Attitudes

Requires Improvement

Personal Development

Requires Improvement

Leadership & Management

Requires Improvement

Early Years

Inspected 9 December 2025View full report
URN:139471
UKPRN:10040969
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:North Somerset
Urban/Rural:Larger rural: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Birdwell Primary is a caring, welcoming school where all children are valued and supported to succeed. Teachers are well-trained and deliver engaging lessons with a focus on developing strong reading and communication skills from the earliest years. The school goes the extra mile for vulnerable learners, including those with additional needs, ensuring no child is left behind.

Key Strengths

  • Pupils achieve well overall with reading, writing and mathematics outcomes consistently above national averages by end of Year 6
  • Staff provide high-quality teaching with clear explanations, effective questioning and promotion of adventurous vocabulary
  • Strong focus on early reading through well-structured phonics programme delivered with consistency from early years
  • Excellent support for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs, with appropriate adjustments and tailored interventions
  • Positive behaviour and high attendance, with caring staff who model expected behaviour and provide effective pastoral support

Areas for Improvement

  • Some expectations for work quality are not high enough, with variability in the quality of work pupils present
  • Checks on pupils' understanding occasionally lack precision for a small number of pupils, and some errors in written work persist
  • More forensic analysis of attendance data for specific groups of pupils would strengthen the approach
  • Understanding of different religions and cultures sometimes lacks depth

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met - the school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding where all legal requirements are met, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Tennis, swimming, golf, forest school, orienteering, educational visits to local places of interest, music lessons, residential visits, school council, eco-council, play leader roles, careers week, Memory Café community project

Birdwell Primary School is a caring, ambitious school where pupils thrive academically and socially. Leaders are committed to supporting all learners, particularly disadvantaged pupils and those with additional needs, resulting in consistently strong outcomes above national averages.

At a Glance

6.1%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading+6ppMaths+1ppWriting+5pp

Reading has improved from 86% to 92%. Maths has remained stable at around 89%. Writing has improved from 80% to 85%.

Class Sizes

28.1

Avg class size

24.3

Infant (KS1)

29.3

KS2

13

Total classes

2 classes with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Providence Lane (E-bound)
322m · 5 min walk
Lovelinch Gardens (W-bound)
439m · 7 min walk
Fenswood Road (NE-bound)
577m · 9 min walk
Bourton Mead (SW-bound)
615m · 10 min walk
Ridgeway Road (NE-bound)
689m · 11 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

95%

Near capacity

427 pupils

450 capacity

23 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Bristol

Low pressure
New homes approved:21,093
Projected new pupils:5,273

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Bristol

Admissions Demand - North Somerset

Low demand0.82x oversubscription

Places available

2,552

Applications

2,090

Got 1st preference

96.1%

Got preferred school

99.1%

Primary admissions across North Somerset (2025/26)

Inspection History(5)

9 December 2025
Quality of EducationRequires Improvement
Behaviour & AttitudesRequires Improvement
Personal DevelopmentRequires Improvement
Leadership & ManagementRequires Improvement
Early YearsRequires Improvement
20 October 2021
17 March 2016

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

4.12016%

Overall absence

5.52486%

Persistent absence

362

Enrolments

Authorised3.0258%
Unauthorised1.09436%
Persistent (10%+)5.52486%
Severe (50%+)0.27624%

Absence trend

3.59572%
18/19
2.74413%
20/21
4.55075%
21/22
4.58623%
22/23
4.84344%
23/24
4.12016%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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