Briarwood School, Bristol
Briarwood School is a special school for pupils aged 3 to 19 in Bristol. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2014)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Briarwood School in detail
Briarwood School in its own words
In its own words: "The values of Briarwood School are that all pupils should Enjoy their time with us, so that they can Engage and Learn to their full potential. Our aim is for the School to be a happy, welcoming, nurturing environment, where all pupils feel safe, secure and are ready to learn."
From the headteacher's welcome: "Briarwood is a Bristol school committed to providing a high quality of education, care and life experiences for children and young people with Severe and Profound Learning Difficulties, Complex Needs, Autism and Sensory Impairment from 3-19 years. The school is based on three sites. The Juniors and Sixth Form Departments are on the Briar Way site."
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Briarwood School are Elmtree Grove School Ltd (0.6 miles); Soundwell Academy (0.8 miles, Good); New Horizons Learning Centre (1.3 miles, Good); and Warmley Park School (2.4 miles, Good).
Elmtree Grove School LtdSoundwell AcademyNew Horizons Learning CentreWarmley Park School
Where pupils go next
Of the 10 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms.
Who goes there
62.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 43.1% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (31%), Black (29%) and Asian (19%).
Almost every pupil at Briarwood School has an education, health and care plan (167 of 167 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Briarwood School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Stapleton Road Rail Station, about 2 miles away in a straight line.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Briar Way (sw-bound), 310 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Briarwood School issued 1 suspension, 0.6 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from March 2014, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Sixth Form
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Briarwood School is a place where pupils feel safe, secure and understood. The school is calm and orderly. It is a place where pupils thrive.
A skilled, patient staff team warmly welcomes pupils each morning. Pupils settle into consistent, safe routines. Pupils know that what lies ahead is a carefully planned day that takes their unique character as well as their communication and learning needs into account. As a result, pupils love their time at Briarwood and want to be there. They know that the school helps them to learn the things they need so that they can be as ready as they can for their next steps.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
Pupils who attend Briarwood School face complex challenges. What they experience at the school is heartening. Staff do everything possible to understand pupils' starting points as well as their communication and learning needs. This leads to bespoke, individualised learning pathways. These are based on a well-constructed curriculum that has a clear set of goals.
The school is determined to achieve the absolute best it can for all pupils. No stone is left unturned when seeking to understand pupils' challenges and barriers. Staff ensure that pupils have the support they need to develop essential skills, such as reading, writing and mathematics. Close partnership working ensures that, wherever possible, pupils achieve relevant qualifications. The school centres on preparing pupils for their futures.
From Ofsted's October 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its March 2014 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
62.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SpLD, Vision, Other +7
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Social & online
Keep up with Briarwood School
Before and after school care
Briarwood School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Bristol, City of
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Briarwood School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Briarwood School is in Bristol, City of; for families living there:
- Bristol, City of's school travel policy: Home to school travel policy
- How to apply: Apply online for home school travel support
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 23
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 23 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 20 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
5 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
72%
Available places
167 pupils
233 places
66 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(8)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good and may be improving; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
167
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Briarwood School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
167
Total Pupils
114
Boys
53
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
32
Teachers
5.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,961
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
13.6%
Overall absence
42.4%
Persistent absence
132
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Briarwood School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Briarwood School
What are SATs results like at Briarwood School?
Of the pupils at Briarwood School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Briarwood School's Ofsted rating?
Briarwood School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2014, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Briarwood School?
No fixed boundary. When Briarwood School is oversubscribed, Bristol, City of allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Briarwood School?
Briarwood School has around 167 pupils on roll. 63% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Briarwood School have specialist SEN provision?
Briarwood School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Briarwood School?
13.6% of sessions were missed at Briarwood School in 2024/25. 42.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Briarwood School?
Apply through Bristol, City of's coordinated admissions process, naming Briarwood School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
Does Briarwood School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Briarwood School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school.
How many road collisions happen near Briarwood School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 23 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 20 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 5 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 Briarwood School?
Briarwood School is at Briar Way, Fishponds, Bristol, BS16 4EA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)