Holy Cross RC Primary School, Bristol
Holy Cross RC Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Bristol. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2023. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 104th-highest of the 198 schools in Bristol with published results, and 8,234th of 14,452 across England. It was 87% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Bristol, City of (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Holy Cross RC Primary School in detail
Holy Cross RC Primary School in its own words
The school runs a breakfast club from 8:00am and after-school care.
Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 77% of Year 6 pupils at Holy Cross RC Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 73% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 72% in Bristol, City of; and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 68% in reading and 61% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Holy Cross RC Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 10 families put Holy Cross RC Primary School as their first choice and 29 named it as one of their preferences, for 10 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Holy Cross RC Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Holy Cross RC Primary School are Southville Primary School (0.2 miles, Good, 87% reading, 90% maths); Compass Point Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 68% reading, 45% maths); St Mary Redcliffe Church of England Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 61% reading, 59% maths); and Cathedral Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 80% reading, 70% maths).
Holy Cross RC Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
Southville Primary SchoolCompass Point Primary SchoolSt Mary Redcliffe Church of England Primary SchoolCathedral Primary School
Who goes there
56.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 54.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (25%), other ethnic groups (19%) and Black (17%).
In 2026, 37 pupils (21.8%) received SEN support and 12 (7.1%) 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.
Staffing
Holy Cross RC Primary School had 5 teachers in 2026, one for every 37 pupils: fewer teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Bedminster Rail Station, about 500 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).
14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Dean Street (sw-bound), 150 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Holy Cross RC Primary School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 5th decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 1200 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Bristol, City of (417), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Holy Cross RC Primary School issued 7 suspensions, 4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Holy Cross RC Primary School are St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School (0.6 miles), Bristol Cathedral Choir School (0.6 miles), Oasis Academy Temple Quarter (0.6 miles) and Oasis Academy Daventry Road (1.2 miles).
St Mary Redcliffe and Temple SchoolBristol Cathedral Choir SchoolOasis Academy Temple QuarterOasis Academy Daventry Road
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's May 2023 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Holy Cross is a welcoming, caring school where children develop positive attitudes to learning and feel genuinely safe. The school excels in teaching reading and mathematics with clear, well-planned progression, and provides excellent support for children with additional needs. Staff build strong relationships with pupils and families, making learning a priority while also developing children's character through community involvement and school leadership roles.
Key Strengths
- Strong focus on reading with effective phonics teaching and early intervention for struggling readers
- Well-structured mathematics curriculum that builds knowledge progressively from early years onwards
- Positive behaviour and attitudes to learning across the school, with calm and productive learning environments
- Excellent support for pupils with SEND who receive precise plans and a broad curriculum
- Clear school values that underpin personal development and community involvement
Areas for Improvement
- Assessment systems in some subjects are not used effectively to check what pupils know and remember
- Gaps in the use of assessment information to plan future learning in some curriculum areas
- Some pupils not making sufficient progress through the curriculum due to inconsistent assessment practices
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with strong staff training, quick action when signs of risk are identified, and good working relationships with external professionals.
Extracurricular Activities
Football, art, forest school, cartoon club, sports captains roles, eco-warriors, school council
Holy Cross RC Primary School is a Good primary school where pupils are proud to attend and feel safe. Leaders have high expectations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs, and have created an ambitious curriculum from early years through Year 6.
At a Glance
56.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 68% to 77% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 61% to 73% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 61% to 68% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
24.3
Avg class size
24.0
Infant (KS1)
24.5
KS2
7
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Holy Cross RC Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Holy Cross RC Primary School.
- Shine @ Southville Infants250m away · Not yet graded
- Shine @ Southville650m away · Not yet graded
- Mad Science Camp - Compass Point Primary660m away · Not yet graded
- Future Stars Coaching at St Mary Redcliffe Primary School750m away · Not yet graded
- Shine @ Cathedral Primary900m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
Holy Cross RC Primary School is a voluntary aided school, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Bristol, City of's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Train Stations
Ferry Terminals
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Holy Cross RC Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Holy Cross RC Primary School is in Bristol, City of; for families living there:
- Bristol, City of's school travel policy: Home to school travel policy
- How to apply: Apply online for home school travel support
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 88
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 23
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 88 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 23 serious and 64 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
15 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
Your chances of a place at Holy Cross RC Primary School
Will you get a place at Holy Cross RC Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Holy Cross RC Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Holy Cross RC Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Holy Cross RC Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Bristol, City of, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Holy Cross RC Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Bristol, City of got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
87%
Available places
183 pupils
210 places
27 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 Bristol, City of council
Places available
5,210
Applications
4,287
Got 1st preference
92.0%
Got preferred school
99.1%
All primary applications across Bristol, City of council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
37
SEN Support
12
EHC Plans
28.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
170
Total Pupils
81
Boys
89
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
5
Teachers
34.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,713
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,369
Per pupil
£1249k
Total funding
£120k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.6%
Overall absence
22.0%
Persistent absence
218
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
Questions parents ask about Holy Cross RC Primary School
What are SATs results like at Holy Cross RC Primary School?
Of the pupils at Holy Cross RC Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 77% reached the expected standard in reading and 73% did so in maths.
What is Holy Cross RC Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Holy Cross RC Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2023.
What is the catchment area for Holy Cross RC Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Holy Cross RC Primary School is oversubscribed, Bristol, City of allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Holy Cross RC Primary School?
Holy Cross RC Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 87% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at Holy Cross RC Primary School?
Classes at Holy Cross RC Primary School average 24.3 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Holy Cross RC Primary School?
Holy Cross RC Primary School has around 170 pupils on roll. 57% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Holy Cross RC Primary School?
6.6% of sessions were missed at Holy Cross RC Primary School in 2024/25. 22% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Holy Cross RC Primary School?
Apply through Bristol, City of's coordinated admissions process, naming Holy Cross RC Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does Holy Cross RC Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 5 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of Holy Cross RC Primary School: Shine @ Southville Infants (250m away, registered, not yet graded), Shine @ Southville (650m away, registered, not yet graded) and Mad Science Camp - Compass Point Primary (660m 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 Holy Cross RC Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 88 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 23 serious and 64 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 15 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 Holy Cross RC Primary School?
Holy Cross RC Primary School is at Dean Lane, Bedminster, Bristol, BS3 1DB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)