Frome Vale Academy, Bristol

Outstanding
Primary
Academy sponsor led
Mixed
Ages 411

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~405m)Possible (~578m)Unlikely (~751m)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Dr Janet Saunders
Pupils:203 / 210 capacity
LA:Bristol, City of
Phone:01173532902
Address:Frenchay Road, Downend, Bristol, BS16 2QS
Trust:CABOT LEARNING FEDERATION
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open
Opened:1 September 2012

Ofsted Rating

Outstanding

Overall

URN:138791
UKPRN:10038860
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Bristol North East
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Frome Vale Academy is a warm, welcoming school where every child is expected to achieve their best. Teachers use research-informed methods to deliver an engaging curriculum, and pupils develop not just strong academic knowledge but also confidence, resilience and a real sense of belonging. The school goes above and beyond with enriching experiences like visits to Stonehenge and trips to local farms, helping children see themselves as historians, artists and geographers.

Key Strengths

  • Pupils achieve higher than their peers nationally, including disadvantaged pupils
  • Well-designed, carefully sequenced curriculum with strong focus on reading, writing and speaking skills
  • Inclusive approach where pupils with special educational needs thrive and make clear progress
  • Strong attendance and behaviour management based on relationships and clear expectations
  • Rich enrichment experiences including trips, clubs and leadership roles that build confidence and resilience

Areas for Improvement

  • Staff interactions in early years are not consistently focused on developing children's language and vocabulary
  • Monitoring systems for pupils with SEND could be more rigorous to ensure greater impact

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and pupils are made safer and feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Japanese conversation, chess, taekwondo, cooking, gardening, wellbeing leader roles, eco-warrior roles, penguin pound initiative, visits to SS Great Britain, Chew Valley Farm, local river studies, Stonehenge visits

Frome Vale Academy is a strong primary school where pupils achieve well and make excellent progress across all areas of learning. Leaders have created a positive, inclusive culture where every child is supported to succeed.

At a Glance

29.1%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading-11ppMaths-11ppWriting-11pp

Reading has declined from 93% to 82%. Maths has declined from 90% to 79%. Writing has declined from 93% to 82%.

Class Sizes

28.9

Avg class size

28.3

Infant (KS1)

29.3

KS2

7

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Oldbury Court School (S-bound)
88m · 1 min walk
Selbrooke Crescent (SW-bound)
195m · 3 min walk
Long Close (SE-bound)
260m · 4 min walk
Croomes Hill (N-bound)
427m · 7 min walk
Cleeve Hill (N-bound)
434m · 7 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

97%

Near capacity

203 pupils

210 capacity

7 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 - Bristol, City of

Low demand0.83x oversubscription

Places available

5,450

Applications

4,547

Got 1st preference

93.3%

Got preferred school

99.1%

Primary admissions across Bristol, City of (2025/26)

Inspection History(104)

Date not published by Ofsted
Outstanding
Date not published by Ofsted
Outstanding
Date not published by Ofsted
Outstanding

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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

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

4.9234%

Overall absence

12.63736%

Persistent absence

182

Enrolments

Authorised4.00209%
Unauthorised0.92131%
Persistent (10%+)12.63736%
Severe (50%+)0%

Absence trend

4.73239%
18/19
4.44588%
20/21
6.38424%
21/22
7.19517%
22/23
4.82901%
23/24
4.9234%
24/25
Overall absence rate

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

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