Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend, Bristol
Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend is a primary school for pupils aged 7 to 11 in Bristol. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2016. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in April 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 49th-highest of the 198 schools in Bristol with published results, and 4,096th of 14,452 across England. It was full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2016)
- Capacity
- Full
- Attendance
- In line with England
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend in detail
Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "On behalf of the children, staff and governors, I welcome you to Christ Church CofE VC Junior School in Downend, Bristol. We are a vibrant, inclusive and family orientated school with a strong Christian and community ethos within South Gloucestershire."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, cricket, athletics, gymnastics, dance, Lego, book club and forest school.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 86% of Year 6 pupils at Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend reached the expected standard in reading and 81% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 76% in South Gloucestershire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 74% in reading and 83% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend
Across South Gloucestershire, 93% of families were offered their first-choice primary school for 2026 entry, and 98% were offered one of the schools they named.
In 2026, families in South Gloucestershire lodged 25 appeals against primary school offers; 15 reached a hearing and 1 succeeded (6.7% of those heard).
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend are Christ Church, Church of England Infant School, Downend (0.2 miles, Good); Staple Hill Primary School (0.3 miles, 69% reading, 69% maths); Frome Vale Academy (0.5 miles, Outstanding, 82% reading, 79% maths); and The Tynings Primary School (0.7 miles, 65% reading, 78% maths).
Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend's 2025 results were higher than all 3 of them.
Christ Church, Church of England Infant School, DownendStaple Hill Primary SchoolFrome Vale AcademyThe Tynings Primary School
What parents say
76 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend (as of September 2025): 91% would recommend the school, 93% say their child is happy there and 84% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (95%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (84%).
Who goes there
9.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 7.6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (81%) and Mixed (7%).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Bristol Parkway Rail Station, about 2.4 miles away in a straight line.
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Hurstwood Road (sw-bound), 210 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend 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 274 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in South Gloucestershire (116), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend issued 4 suspensions, 1.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend are Downend School (0.9 miles), South Gloucestershire Hospital Home Teaching Service (1.1 miles), Mangotsfield School (1.2 miles) and Bristol Metropolitan Academy (1.2 miles).
Downend SchoolSouth Gloucestershire Hospital Home Teaching ServiceMangotsfield SchoolBristol Metropolitan Academy
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from January 2016, 10 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's April 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Christ Church Junior School excels at creating an inclusive, supportive environment where children are encouraged to 'live life in all its fullness'. Teachers deliver a well-planned curriculum with strong subject knowledge, and pupils benefit from excellent reading support and numerous enrichment opportunities. The school's Christian values of love, hope and forgiveness help create a calm, purposeful learning environment where behaviour is excellent.
Key Strengths
- Carefully constructed curriculum with clear knowledge and skills progression helps pupils achieve well over time
- Strong teaching with good subject knowledge and effective use of resources to support learning
- Excellent focus on reading with tailored interventions that help all pupils become confident, fluent readers
- Rapid identification of pupils with SEND and swift action to reduce barriers to learning
- Wide range of enrichment opportunities through CCJ university and before/after-school clubs
Areas for Improvement
- Teachers do not always make appropriate adaptations to support pupils who are struggling with complex ideas, hindering some pupils' progress
- Understanding of individual liberty as a British value is less well developed than other fundamental British values
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with strong focus on protecting pupils and creating a culture where pupils feel confident to approach trusted adults.
Extracurricular Activities
Before and after-school clubs, CCJ university (50+ activities per year), well-being bees, eco-warriors, 100 books challenge
Christ Church Junior School has maintained good standards since its previous inspection. The school provides a rich and engaging curriculum where pupils achieve well across subjects and feel a strong sense of belonging.
At a Glance
9.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
76 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 74% to 86% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 81% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 81% to 91% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
30.1
Avg class size
30.1
KS2
10
Total classes
6 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend.
- Premier Education At Christ Church Infant School300m away · Not yet graded
- 11 Plus Tutoring Academy Bristol680m away · Not yet graded
- Kip McGrath Bristol North710m away · Not yet graded
- Bizzy Kidz Club750m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend is in South Gloucestershire; for families living there:
Apply to South Gloucestershire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 27
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 10
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 27 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 10 serious and 17 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
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 South Gloucestershire is 8 (the median across 127 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
100%
Full
300 pupils
300 places
No spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Bristol
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Bristol
Across South Gloucestershire council
Places available
3,640
Applications
3,033
Got 1st preference
92.8%
Got preferred school
98.3%
All primary applications across South Gloucestershire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
53
SEN Support
11
EHC Plans
21.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
301
Total Pupils
140
Boys
161
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
18
Teachers
16.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,587
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,055
Per pupil
£1626k
Total funding
£38k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.2%
Overall absence
7.5%
Persistent absence
307
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend
Questions parents ask about Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend
What are SATs results like at Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend?
Of the pupils at Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 86% reached the expected standard in reading and 81% did so in maths.
What is Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend's Ofsted rating?
Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend's most recent Ofsted inspection, in April 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2016, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend?
No fixed boundary. When Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend is oversubscribed, South Gloucestershire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend?
Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend was full in 2025, at 100% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend?
Classes at Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend average 30.1 pupils (2025/26). 6 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend?
Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend has around 301 pupils on roll. 9% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend?
4.2% of sessions were missed at Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend in 2024/25. 7.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend?
Apply through South Gloucestershire's coordinated admissions process, naming Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend 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 Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 4 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend: Premier Education At Christ Church Infant School (300m away, registered, not yet graded), 11 Plus Tutoring Academy Bristol (680m away, registered, not yet graded) and Kip McGrath Bristol North (710m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 27 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 10 serious and 17 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 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 South Gloucestershire is 8 (the median across 127 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend?
Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend is at Pendennis Road, Downend, Bristol, Gloucestershire, BS16 5JJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)