Soundwell Academy, Kingswood
Soundwell Academy is a special school for pupils aged 5 to 18 in Kingswood, part of Midsomer Norton Schools Partnership. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2023.
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Soundwell Academy in detail
Soundwell Academy in its own words
In its own words: "Soundwell is a specialist Academy that opened in 2020 for young people with additional needs principally in the areas of Social Emotional Mental Health (SEMH), Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD), Speech Language and Communication (SLCN), and Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC). All pupils at Soundwell will have an Education and Care Plan."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Soundwell Academy are New Horizons Learning Centre (0.6 miles, Good); Briarwood School (0.8 miles, Good); Elmtree Grove School Ltd (1 mile); and Warmley Park School (1.6 miles, Good).
New Horizons Learning CentreBriarwood SchoolElmtree Grove School LtdWarmley Park School
The trust
Soundwell Academy is one of 44 schools run by Midsomer Norton Schools Partnership, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 14 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 43% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 29% to a further education college.
Who goes there
61.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 7.1% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (75%) and Mixed (17%).
Almost every pupil at Soundwell Academy has an education, health and care plan (141 of 141 in 2026). The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Oldland (Avon Valley Railway), about 2.5 miles away in a straight line.
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Soundwell Campus (ne-bound), 70 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Soundwell Academy issued 2 suspensions, 1.4 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its June 2023 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
61.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from Soundwell Academy
Bike Mechanics
9 Sep 2026
IT Room
9 Sep 2026
Bike Mechanics
9 Sep 2026
Christmas 2024 Dance Show!
11 Dec 2024
GCSE Results Day 2024!
22 Aug 2024
Soundwell STEM DAY 2023!
19 May 2023
From Soundwell Academy's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Soundwell Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Soundwell Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Soundwell Academy 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
- 17
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 17 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 14 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
School Occupancy
104%
Over capacity
141 pupils
136 places
5 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Kingswood
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Kingswood
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
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
141
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
141
Total Pupils
109
Boys
32
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
25
Teachers
5.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£55,880
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
22.3%
Overall absence
52.4%
Persistent absence
143
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
Soundwell Academy
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Soundwell Academy
What are GCSE results like at Soundwell Academy?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Soundwell Academy achieved an Attainment 8 score of 4.5. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Soundwell Academy's Ofsted rating?
Soundwell Academy was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2023.
What is the catchment area for Soundwell Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Soundwell Academy is oversubscribed, Bristol, City of allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Soundwell Academy?
Soundwell Academy has around 141 pupils on roll. 62% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Soundwell Academy?
22.3% of sessions were missed at Soundwell Academy in 2024/25. 52.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Soundwell Academy?
Apply through Bristol, City of's coordinated admissions process, naming Soundwell Academy 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 Soundwell Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 17 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 14 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 Soundwell Academy?
Soundwell Academy is at St Stephens Road, Kingswood, BS16 4RL.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)