Clifton High School, Bristol
Clifton High School is an independent school for pupils aged 3 to 19 in Bristol. It is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted; its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in April 2026.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Clifton High School in detail
Clifton High School in its own words
In its own words: "Welcome to Clifton High School, an independent, co-educational school for children aged 3 to 18 in the heart of Clifton Village, Bristol. Established in 1877, Clifton High has been educating children for almost 150 years. While much has changed since our beginnings as a girls' school, our commitment to providing an ambitious, inclusive and forward-thinking education has remained constant."
From the headteacher's welcome: "Our dedicated team of qualified and extremely experienced teachers and Early Years educators work in partnership with parents to support and introduce young children to School life. Drawing upon individual potential, we carefully establish solid education foundations which compassionately encourage all our children to become confident and secure learners."
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
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 High School 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 High School are Clifton College (0.2 miles); Queen Elizabeth's Hospital (0.5 miles, selective); Bristol Grammar School (0.6 miles); and LPW Independent School (1.7 miles, Outstanding).
Clifton CollegeQueen Elizabeth's HospitalBristol Grammar SchoolLPW Independent School
Where pupils go next
Of the 60 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 45% went on to university or other higher education, 7% to apprenticeships and 30% into work.
Who goes there
In 2026, 239 pupils (29.8%) received SEN support and 3 (0.4%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Clifton Down Rail Station, about 770 metres away (roughly a 10-minute walk).
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Lansdown Road (e-bound), 120 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Clifton High School 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
28 April 2026
Educational Quality / Focused Compliance
6 June 2023
Regulatory Compliance
30 January 2019
Integrated
26 January 2016
About
Clifton High School is a co-educational private school in Clifton, Bristol, England. Clifton High School was founded as an all-girls' school in 1877 for girls aged 7–17, and the nearby Clifton College was then a boys' school.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Fees for 2026/27
Day fees, per year
£13,176 to £23,454
depending on year group
| Sixth Form & Senior School (Year 7 - 13): per term | £23,454 a year |
| Junior School (Year 3 - 6): per term | £16,056 a year |
| The Infant School (Year 1 - 2): per term | £13,176 a year |
From the school's own fee schedule; check with the school before you rely on it.
Private school fees in Bristol, City of - 4 schools' published fees side by side
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 High School 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
Keep up with Clifton High School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Clifton High School.
- Shine @ Clifton High SchoolAt the school · Not yet graded
- Shine @ Christ Church Primary310m away · Not yet graded
- The Outdoors Project Bristol @ Hotwells School900m away · Not yet graded
- Progressive Kids Hotwells900m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 16
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 16 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 14 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle.
3 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
96%
Near capacity
803 pupils
840 places
37 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
3
EHC Plans
30.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
803
Total Pupils
412
Boys
391
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Clifton High School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Clifton High School
What are GCSE results like at Clifton High School?
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 High School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
When was Clifton High School last inspected?
Clifton High School is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted. Its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in April 2026.
How many pupils go to Clifton High School?
Clifton High School has around 803 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Clifton High School?
Clifton High 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.
Does Clifton High School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Shine @ Clifton High School (registered, not yet graded). There are 3 more within a kilometre. The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Clifton High School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 16 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 14 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle. 3 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 High School?
Clifton High School is at College Road, Bristol, Bristol, BS8 3JD.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)