Kingsweston School, Bristol
Kingsweston School is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 19 in Bristol. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2020. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in May 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2020)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Kingsweston School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Kingsweston School are North Star 240° (0.3 miles, Good); Grace Garden School (1.1 miles, Good); North Star 82° (1.5 miles); and Elmfield School for Deaf Children (1.9 miles, Good).
North Star 240°Grace Garden SchoolNorth Star 82°Elmfield School for Deaf Children
What parents say
20 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Kingsweston School (as of September 2025): 85% would recommend the school, 85% say their child is happy there and 0% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (85%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (0%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 18 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 11% to a further education college.
Who goes there
50.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 20.1% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Kingsweston School has an education, health and care plan (179 of 179 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Kingsweston School provides for pupils with autism and severe learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Sea Mills Rail Station, about 1.1 miles away in a straight line.
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Napier Miles Road (se-bound), 110 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 143 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Bristol, City of (417).
Suspensions and exclusions
Kingsweston School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; 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; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoThis judgement is from March 2020, 6 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Sixth Form
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's May 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Kingsweston School excels at caring for pupils and helping them feel safe and valued. Staff take time to understand each child's individual needs and preferred ways of communicating, with many pupils developing new communication skills over time. The school offers a practical, real-world curriculum combined with valuable therapies that prepare pupils not just academically but also for independence and future employment.
Key Strengths
- Pupils are nurtured and well cared for with clear routines that help them feel safe and secure
- Staff are patient and understand how to communicate with each individual pupil, leading many to develop communication skills
- The school prioritises real-life, practical learning experiences that are relevant to pupils' lives and futures
- A wide range of therapies including music, art and play therapy support pupils' wellbeing and emotional development
- Strong support for transition planning helps most pupils move to meaningful training or employment opportunities after leaving
Areas for Improvement
- Some staff have not received adequate training in new phonics teaching approaches, affecting how well they can deliver the new reading programme
- The school's system for assessing how well pupils are learning to read is still in early stages, meaning staff don't always have accurate information to plan next steps
- Further development needed to ensure all pupils make the progress they could in reading
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective and well managed, with staff knowing and understanding pupils' needs.
Extracurricular Activities
Music therapy, art therapy, play therapy, trips to Bristol Airport to learn about transport, work experience, careers advice
Kingsweston School is a special school catering for pupils with moderate or severe learning difficulties, including many with autism and communication needs. The school has maintained strong standards since its previous good rating, with caring staff, high expectations, and a focus on preparing pupils for independent futures.
About
Kingsweston School is a school for children with severe learning difficulties and Autism. It is located across 3 campuses in north west Bristol.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
50.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Autism, SLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
20 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)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Kingsweston School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Kingsweston School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Kingsweston 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
- 18
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 6
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 18 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 12 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt.
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
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.
Inspection History(9)
Ungraded inspection: Standards have been maintained.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
179
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Kingsweston School provides for pupils with autism and severe learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
179
Total Pupils
137
Boys
42
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
35
Teachers
5.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,419
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
10.2%
Overall absence
31.8%
Persistent absence
154
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Kingsweston School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Kingsweston School
What are GCSE results like at Kingsweston School?
In the 2025 results, pupils at Kingsweston School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 0.9. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Kingsweston School's Ofsted rating?
Kingsweston School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2020, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Kingsweston School?
No fixed boundary. When Kingsweston School is oversubscribed, Bristol, City of allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Kingsweston School?
Kingsweston School has around 179 pupils on roll. 51% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Kingsweston School have specialist SEN provision?
Kingsweston School provides for pupils with autism and severe learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Kingsweston School?
10.2% of sessions were missed at Kingsweston School in 2024/25. 31.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Kingsweston School?
Apply through Bristol, City of's coordinated admissions process, naming Kingsweston 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.
How many road collisions happen near Kingsweston School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 18 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 12 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt. 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 Kingsweston School?
Kingsweston School is at Napier Miles Road, Kingsweston, Bristol, BS11 0UT.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)