High Down Junior School, Bristol
High Down Junior School is a primary school for pupils aged 7 to 11 in Bristol, part of Lighthouse Schools Partnership. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 46th-highest of the 198 schools in Bristol with published results, and 3,885th of 14,452 across England. It was 93% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2015)
- Capacity
- 93% full
- Attendance
- In line with England
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
High Down Junior School in detail
Results
In 2025, 82% of Year 6 pupils at High Down Junior School reached the expected standard in reading and 86% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 75% in North Somerset and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (85% in reading, 83% in maths).
Getting a place at High Down Junior School
Across North Somerset, 97% of families were offered their first-choice primary school for 2026 entry, and 99% were offered one of the schools they named.
In 2026, families in North Somerset lodged 18 appeals against primary school offers; 14 reached a hearing and 2 succeeded (14.3% of those heard).
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to High Down Junior School are High Down Infant School (under 0.1 miles, Good); St Peter's Church of England Primary School (0.9 miles, Outstanding, 82% reading, 89% maths); St Joseph's Catholic Primary School (1 mile); and Portishead Primary School (1.2 miles, Good, 77% reading, 81% maths).
High Down Junior School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 2 schools.
High Down Infant SchoolSt Peter's Church of England Primary SchoolSt Joseph's Catholic Primary SchoolPortishead Primary School
The trust
High Down Junior School is one of 34 schools run by Lighthouse Schools Partnership, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 67% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
99 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about High Down Junior School (as of September 2025): 84% would recommend the school, 90% say their child is happy there and 75% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (91%); the weakest, that the school has high expectations for their child (75%).
Who goes there
9.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 4.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 21 pupils (6.4%) received SEN support and 15 (4.6%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of High Down Junior School.
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is High Down Schools (w-bound), 90 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood High Down Junior School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
High Down Junior School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; 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
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from December 2015, 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's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils are happy and enjoy their learning at this school. The excellent pastoral support team assists anyone who is having a tricky time. This helps pupils to be ready to learn in lessons. Staff have high expectations of pupils and have positive relationships with them. This helps the new arrivals in Year 3 settle quickly. By the time pupils leave, they achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics. As a result, they are well prepared for secondary school.
Pupils behave well in class. They listen closely to staff's instructions. Pupils share their ideas in small groups respectfully. They are polite and courteous when speaking to visitors. Staff effectively support pupils who struggle to manage their behaviour. This includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). At social times, pupils play well together. Bullying is rare. The school swiftly addresses any incidents that occur.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
In 2024, key stage 2 outcomes in national curriculum tests were significantly above national averages. Nevertheless, the school is not complacent. It has continued to consider how pupils can learn even more. For example, it has made changes so that pupils regularly practise using ambitious vocabulary in their writing. Some wider subjects have also been revised to ensure pupils learn topics in sufficient depth. The school has supported staff well through this period to minimise the impact on workload. The trust has helped to make regular checks to ascertain the impact of the changes on pupils' learning.
The school's curriculum is ambitious. It is carefully arranged so that pupils learn new content in a logical order. The school has trained staff well to help them turn the aims of the curriculum into reality. Staff quickly identify pupils with SEND who need support. They help to make adaptations so that they learn the same curriculum as their peers.
From Ofsted's November 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 December 2015 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
9.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
99 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 remained stable at around 82% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 86% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 81% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.8
Avg class size
29.8
KS2
11
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with High Down Junior School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near High Down Junior School.
- Future Stars Coaching at High Down Primary SchoolAt the school · Not yet graded
Term dates
High Down Junior School is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see North Somerset's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to High Down Junior School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. High Down Junior School is in North Somerset; for families living there:
Apply to North Somerset for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 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 North Somerset is 5 (the median across 85 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
93%
Near capacity
336 pupils
360 places
24 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 North Somerset council
Places available
2,490
Applications
1,984
Got 1st preference
96.8%
Got preferred school
99.3%
All primary applications across North Somerset council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
21
SEN Support
15
EHC Plans
11.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
328
Total Pupils
185
Boys
143
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
16
Teachers
20.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,852
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£4,955
Per pupil
£1787k
Total funding
£50k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.5%
Overall absence
8.4%
Persistent absence
345
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
High Down Junior School
Questions parents ask about High Down Junior School
What are SATs results like at High Down Junior School?
Of the pupils at High Down Junior School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 82% reached the expected standard in reading and 86% did so in maths.
What is High Down Junior School's Ofsted rating?
High Down Junior School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in December 2015, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for High Down Junior School?
No fixed boundary. When High Down Junior School is oversubscribed, North Somerset allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at High Down Junior School?
High Down Junior School was not full in 2025: it ran at 93% of its 360 places.
How big are the classes at High Down Junior School?
Classes at High Down Junior School average 29.8 pupils (2025/26). 2 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to High Down Junior School?
High Down Junior School has around 328 pupils on roll. 10% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at High Down Junior School?
4.5% of sessions were missed at High Down Junior School in 2024/25. 8.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to High Down Junior School?
Apply through North Somerset's coordinated admissions process, naming High Down Junior 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 High Down Junior School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Future Stars Coaching at High Down Primary School (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 High Down Junior School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 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 North Somerset is 5 (the median across 85 schools, same distance and years).
Where is High Down Junior School?
High Down Junior School is at Down Road, Portishead, Bristol, Somerset, BS20 6DY.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)