Sir Bernard Lovell Academy, Bristol
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data. Admissions policy: Non-selective
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 8 months agoReport card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
Sir Bernard Lovell Academy creates a strong sense of belonging with excellent attendance and behaviour expectations. The pastoral support is highly effective, with comprehensive mental health services and a broad curriculum that helps pupils develop knowledge across many subjects. Pupils are proud of their school and feel safe with positive relationships with adults and peers.
Key Strengths
- Excellent attendance culture with highly effective support to reduce persistent absence, particularly for disadvantaged pupils
- Strong behaviour expectations consistently applied with rare bullying or discrimination
- Comprehensive pastoral support and mental health services helping pupils feel safe and part of the community
- Well-developed personal development curriculum covering online safety, careers, and life skills
- Ambitious broad curriculum with high-quality teaching in many areas, particularly in key stage 4
Areas for Improvement
- Post-16 students not achieving as well as they should - improvement work is recent and not yet showing impact
- Teaching does not consistently check what pupils know and adjust to address gaps and misconceptions
- Depth of knowledge and understanding not consistently secure across all areas of learning
- Support strategies for pupils with SEND not used consistently effectively across all curriculum areas
- Governors have not provided robust oversight of sixth form improvement actions
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met with an open and positive culture where all legal requirements are fulfilled, and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Chess club, debates, Duke of Edinburgh's award, whole-school drama productions, inter-house competitions (Atlas, Callisto, Europa and Titan houses), community activities, 50 things at Sir Bernard Lovell challenge, volunteering opportunities, careers events, trips and visits
Sir Bernard Lovell Academy is a welcoming and inclusive school with strong pastoral support and a broad curriculum. However, post-16 students are not achieving as well as they should in their qualifications.
At a Glance
18.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
22.8
Avg class size
55
Total classes
10 classes with more than 30 pupils
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
90%
Near capacity
1,268 pupils
1,409 capacity
141 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Bristol
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Bristol
Admissions Demand - South Gloucestershire
Places available
3,039
Applications
3,138
Got 1st preference
90.0%
Got preferred school
98.9%
Secondary admissions across South Gloucestershire (2025/26)
Inspection History(3)
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.
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.
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.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
8.87332%
Overall absence
20.2773%
Persistent absence
1,154
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Reviews
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Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Sir Bernard Lovell Academy
St Anne's Church of England Primary School
Redfield Edge Primary School
St Barnabas Church of England Primary School
Cherry Garden Primary School
Parkwall Primary School
Cadbury Heath Primary School
Barrs Court Primary School
Longwell Green Primary School
The Meadows Primary School
Courtney Primary School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Nearby Schools
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