Upper Horfield Primary School, Bristol

Ofsted's report card from its 20 January 2026 inspection grades Upper Horfield Primary School on 7 areas: 4 expected standard and 3 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders are unwavering in their drive to improve attendance for all pupils."

Early years - Expected standard. "Staff in the early years prioritise building secure relationships with children and their parents and carers."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "The school has an established culture of inclusion."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Pupils benefit from the school's wider offer."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Across the school, some pupils have gaps in their letter formation, spelling and handwriting skills."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "Leaders recognise that further work is needed to secure the consistency and effectiveness of the curriculum."

Leadership and governance - Needs attention. "There are important aspects of the school's work that require further development to ensure that all pupils are supported to build secure knowledge and skills across the curriculum."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "• Leaders should ensure that pupils receive the support they need to improve their handwriting and transcription skills so that they can write fluently and accurately. • Leaders should ensure that teachers routinely check what pupils know and remember across all subjects and use this to inform future teaching. • Leaders should ensure that learning is suitably adapted so that all groups of pupils receive the support they need to access and progress through the curriculum well. • Leaders, including governors, should ensure they gather information systematically to evaluate the impact of any planned changes and bring about improvement more swiftly".

Coming up: an open day on Wednesday 11 November 2026 at 2pm, an open evening on Thursday 26 November 2026 at 5pm, an open day on Thursday 3 December 2026 at 2pm and an open day on Wednesday 6 January 2027 at 2pm. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2025, 79% of Year 6 pupils at Upper Horfield Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 89% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 72% in Bristol, City of; and 77% and 75% across England.

Results were similar in 2024 (84% in reading, 88% in maths).

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 17 families put Upper Horfield Primary School as their first choice and 40 named it as one of their preferences, for 18 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Upper Horfield Primary School are Shield Road Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 52% reading, 59% maths); Charborough Road Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 61% reading, 61% maths); Filton Avenue Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 76% reading, 71% maths); and St Teresa's Catholic Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 77% reading, 83% maths).

Upper Horfield Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.

24 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Upper Horfield Primary School (as of April 2026): 92% would recommend the school, 92% say their child is happy there and 33% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (92%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (33%).

36.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 59.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (30%), Asian (24%) and Mixed (15%).

In 2026, 33 pupils (17.8%) received SEN support and 5 (2.7%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.

Upper Horfield Primary School had 13 teachers in 2026, one for every 14 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest railway station is Filton Abbey Wood Rail Station, about 1080 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).

7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Keats Court (drt), 100 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Upper Horfield Primary School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

Upper Horfield Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.

The secondary schools closest to Upper Horfield Primary School are Orchard School Bristol (0.2 miles), Trinity Academy (0.9 miles) and Abbeywood Community School (1.4 miles).