Hillcrest Primary School, Bristol

Primary
Community school
Mixed
Ages 411

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~550m)Possible (~786m)Unlikely (~1.0km)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Ms Bridget Norman
Pupils:410 / 420 capacity
LA:Bristol, City of
Phone:01173772440
Address:Cemetery Road, Totterdown, Bristol, BS4 3DE
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open
Opened:1 September 1998

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 7 months ago

Report card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)

Achievement
Expected Standard
Behaviour
Expected Standard
Personal Development
Expected Standard
Leadership
Expected Standard
Early Years
Expected Standard
Inspected 24 February 2026View full report
URN:131522
UKPRN:10075540
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Bristol South
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Hillcrest is a genuinely inclusive school where every child is valued and supported to succeed. The school excels at building warm relationships with families and helping disadvantaged pupils achieve as well as their peers. Pupils develop strong communication skills, good behaviour and respect for others, preparing them well for secondary school and life in modern Britain.

Key Strengths

  • Strong phonics and reading progress, particularly by the end of key stage 2
  • Calm, orderly behaviour with clear expectations that pupils understand and follow
  • Excellent attendance tracking and support for families to overcome barriers
  • Highly inclusive approach with effective support for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs
  • Nurturing early years provision that builds children's confidence and language skills

Areas for Improvement

  • Writing outcomes currently lower than national averages, though improvements are underway and showing positive impact in key stage 2
  • Assessment information not always used quickly enough to inform future teaching
  • Errors in transcription and grammar not always identified precisely in some year groups

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met with an open, positive culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and pupils feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Choir, football, basketball, school visits and trips

Hillcrest Primary School is an inclusive primary school where pupils thrive in a caring, community-focused environment. The school demonstrates expected standard achievement across most areas, with particular strengths in reading and mathematics, though writing outcomes remain below national averages.

At a Glance

7.8%

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+1ppMaths+4ppWriting+4pp

Reading has remained stable at around 88%. Maths has improved from 82% to 86%. Writing has improved from 55% to 59%.

Class Sizes

29.2

Avg class size

30.0

Infant (KS1)

28.7

KS2

11

Total classes

1 class with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Brecknock Road (N-bound)
157m · 3 min walk
Beaconsfield Road (NW-bound)
226m · 4 min walk
Totterdown Bridge (W-bound)
291m · 5 min walk
Highgrove Street (E-bound)
394m · 6 min walk
Paintworks (W-bound)
399m · 6 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

98%

Near capacity

410 pupils

420 capacity

10 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(10)

24 February 2026Report card
Achievement
Behaviour
Personal Development
Leadership
Early Years
18 January 2022
28 June 2016
Leadership & ManagementGood

House Prices

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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

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

4.49617%

Overall absence

10.16484%

Persistent absence

364

Enrolments

Authorised3.57897%
Unauthorised0.9172%
Persistent (10%+)10.16484%
Severe (50%+)0.82418%

Absence trend

3.81609%
18/19
4.00524%
20/21
6.06726%
21/22
5.24494%
22/23
4.96184%
23/24
4.49617%
24/25
Overall absence rate

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

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