St Matthias Academy, Bristol
St Matthias Academy is an all-through school for pupils aged 5 to 16 in Bristol, part of Midsomer Norton Schools Partnership. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2022. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in September 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2022)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Matthias Academy in detail
St Matthias Academy in its own words
In its own words: "St Matthias Academy is an alternative provision serving the Bristol and Bath & North East Somerset regions. Students are admitted to St Matthias Academy by one of three routes."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Getting a place at St Matthias Academy
Across Bristol, City of, 84% of families were offered their first-choice secondary school for 2026 entry, and 97% were offered one of the schools they named.
In 2026, families in Bristol, City of lodged 205 appeals against secondary school offers; 153 reached a hearing and 43 succeeded (28.1% of those heard).
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to St Matthias Academy are Bristol Metropolitan Academy (0.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.4); Bristol Brunel Academy (0.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 44.1); South Gloucestershire Hospital Home Teaching Service (1.3 miles); and Trinity Academy (1.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 50.4).
Bristol Metropolitan AcademyBristol Brunel AcademySouth Gloucestershire Hospital Home Teaching ServiceTrinity Academy
The trust
St Matthias Academy is one of 44 schools run by Midsomer Norton Schools Partnership, an academy trust.
Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 48.4 in 2024/25.
Where pupils go next
Of the 10 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 50% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 30% to a further education college and 20% into work.
Who goes there
66.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 11.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (67%), Asian (11%) and Black (11%).
In 2026, 9 pupils (100%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) 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.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Stapleton Road Rail Station, about 1.5 miles away in a straight line.
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Lodge Causeway (sw-bound), 100 metres away.
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to St Matthias Academy are Fishponds CofE Primary School (0.2 miles), Chester Park Infant School (0.4 miles), Chester Park Junior School (0.4 miles) and Avanti Gardens School (0.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
Fishponds CofE Primary SchoolChester Park Infant SchoolChester Park Junior SchoolAvanti Gardens School
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport)
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Many pupils come to St Matthias Academy with negative experiences of education. However, the school swiftly transforms their attitudes, enabling them to engage with learning successfully. Pupils are very positive about the personalised support they receive from staff, particularly when they feel anxious. They feel safe and well cared for.
Through the curriculum, pupils learn how to interact successfully with their peers and adults. Carefully structured routines enable pupils to learn without disruption. Pupils learn how to manage their emotional responses to situations around them and behave well. Pupils are kind, empathetic and respectful to others.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has high expectations and aspirations for pupils. Leaders' vision for the social, emotional and academic success of pupils is shared by all staff. On pupils' arrival at the school, staff check what pupils know and do not know. This enables the school to provide an appropriate curriculum that addresses gaps in pupils' knowledge. The school identifies pupils' SEND needs swiftly and ensures that the curriculum meets these needs. Through the curriculum, pupils build on their prior knowledge with confidence. Learning resources have been carefully structured to ensure that pupils learn progressively more complex concepts. However, at times, staff do not adapt their teaching of the curriculum to ensure that all pupils are able to apply their learning independently. For example, in mathematics, some pupils do not have fluent knowledge of core operations, which hinders them in solving more complex problems.
The school has prioritised literacy, particularly reading, in all subjects. Through well-planned reading activities, pupils learn to read with fluency and understanding. Pupils are immersed in a range of texts designed to generate a love of reading. For some pupils, an effective early reading programme is in place to support them to read. Oracy lies at the heart of learning at the school. Through discussion, pupils develop their understanding of subjects.
From Ofsted's September 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Requires Improvement at its March 2022 inspection - down from Good.
Areas Ofsted flagged
Quality of education (Requires Improvement), Behaviour & attitudes (Requires Improvement), Personal development (Requires Improvement), Leadership & management (Requires Improvement).
At a Glance
66.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby all-through schools
Social & online
Keep up with St Matthias Academy
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Matthias Academy.
- Premier Education At Fishponds C Of E Academy400m away · Not yet graded
- OCOSC Wrapround Care@Avanti Gardens School800m away · Not yet graded
- The Outdoors project Bristol Ltd @ Avanti Gardens800m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Matthias Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Matthias 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
- 67
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 13
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 67 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 13 serious and 54 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
16 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
10%
Available places
9 pupils
93 places
84 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
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(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
9
SEN Support
0
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
9
Total Pupils
7
Boys
2
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
18
Teachers
0.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,363
Mean salary
2026 data
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
St Matthias Academy
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about St Matthias Academy
What is St Matthias Academy's Ofsted rating?
St Matthias Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in September 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2022, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for St Matthias Academy?
No fixed boundary. When St Matthias Academy is oversubscribed, Bristol, City of allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to St Matthias Academy?
St Matthias Academy has around 9 pupils on roll. 67% are eligible for free school meals.
How do I apply to St Matthias Academy?
Apply through Bristol, City of's coordinated admissions process, naming St Matthias 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.
Does St Matthias Academy have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 3 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of St Matthias Academy: Premier Education At Fishponds C Of E Academy (400m away, registered, not yet graded), OCOSC Wrapround Care@Avanti Gardens School (800m away, registered, not yet graded) and The Outdoors project Bristol Ltd @ Avanti Gardens (800m 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 St Matthias Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 67 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 13 serious and 54 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 16 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 St Matthias Academy?
St Matthias Academy is at Alexandra Park, Fishponds, Bristol, BS16 2BG.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)