Clifton College, Bristol
Clifton College is an independent school for pupils aged 3 to 19 in Bristol. It has a Church of England religious character. It is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted; its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in October 2023.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Clifton College in detail
Results
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Clifton College can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other independent schools to Clifton College are Clifton High School (0.2 miles); Queen Elizabeth's Hospital (0.7 miles, selective); Bristol Grammar School (0.8 miles); and Badminton School (1.6 miles).
Clifton High SchoolQueen Elizabeth's HospitalBristol Grammar SchoolBadminton School
Where pupils go next
Of the 162 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 56% went on to university or other higher education, 1% to apprenticeships and 17% into work.
Who goes there
In 2026, 239 pupils (19.9%) received SEN support and 1 (0.1%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Clifton Down Rail Station, about 730 metres away (roughly a 9-minute walk).
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is College Road (se-bound), 260 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Clifton College stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE destination measures; 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 GIASISI Inspection Reports
Independent schools in England are inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), not Ofsted.
Routine Inspection
10 October 2023
Short Visit
14 November 2022
Short Visit
4 November 2021
Regulatory Compliance
4 December 2019
Short Visit
11 June 2019
Short Visit
17 January 2019
Educational Quality / Focused Compliance
28 February 2017
Focused Compliance Inspection
28 February 2017
About
Clifton College is a public school in the city of Bristol in South West England, founded in 1862 and offering both boarding and day school for pupils aged 13–18. In its early years, unlike most contemporary public schools, it emphasised science rather than classics in the curriculum, and was less concerned with social elitism, for example by admitting day-boys on...
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Clifton College can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
GCSE Subjects Offered
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby all-through schools
Latest from Clifton College
Ryan Bresnahan Memorial Match Celebrates Spirit of the Game
1 Oct 2026
Heads of School Attend Annual Conference at Wells Cathedral School
1 Oct 2026
Old Cliftonian Secures Place at Prestigious Guildford School of Acting
29 Sep 2026
From Clifton College's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Clifton College
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Clifton College.
- Shine @ Clifton High School300m away · Not yet graded
- Shine @ Christ Church Primary620m away · Not yet graded
- Shine @ St John's Juniors910m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 13
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 13 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 9 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt.
2 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
89%
Available places
1,204 pupils
1,350 places
146 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.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
239
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
19.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
1,204
Total Pupils
679
Boys
525
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Clifton College
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Clifton College
What are GCSE results like at Clifton College?
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Clifton College can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
When was Clifton College last inspected?
Clifton College is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted. Its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in October 2023.
How many pupils go to Clifton College?
Clifton College has around 1204 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Clifton College?
Clifton College 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.
Does Clifton College have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 3 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of Clifton College: Shine @ Clifton High School (300m away, registered, not yet graded), Shine @ Christ Church Primary (620m away, registered, not yet graded) and Shine @ St John's Juniors (910m 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 Clifton College?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 13 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 9 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt. 2 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 Clifton College?
Clifton College is at Guthrie Road, Bristol, BS8 3EZ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)