What do parents in south Bristol do about secondary schools?

[Campaspe]

Just interested, as DD is some years off yet, but it does concern me that the schools around here don't have good reputations, and struggle to deliver good results. I want to be hear this isn't the case: anyone send a child to a school in south Bristol that they think is academically strong? What do all the parents of Knowle, Brislington, Totterdown etc do about schools if they aren't religious?

Cathedral school and Colton both have lottery admissions.
Lots go out the area by bus to North Somerset.
St Mary redcliffe if religious
Private school

Colton not Colton sorry

Oldfield Park in Bath has a large intake from Bristol

But there can't be enough lottery places to suit all the sharp elbowed parents in the places I listed, surely? Rather depressing that no one has come forward to defend these schools.

What do people think of BEC and Merchants Academy? If you have a bright child and a supportive home background, is that enough?

Bristol is a great university city and is relatively affluent. Why then are the schools so bad at secondary level?

Bristol is one of the worst performing education authorities in the country, at one point it was fourth from bottom out of all authorities. High number of children in private schools and high number travel out of authority.

I habent looked at up to date exam results or ofsted reports of the two schools you mention so can't comment. Merchants haven't heard good things about thoug but all anecdotal. Middle class parents unfortunately don't use those schools as far Asa I can see

Bec failed ofsted so is being taken over by an academy

It just puzzles me. Knowle, Totterdown and Brislington are areas on the up, so there must be loads of parents who want to go elsewhere. I'm just nosy about they achieve it.

I thank God I'm on the south glos border and mine will be in a south glos school.

It's not just south Bristol all Bristol schools apart from St Marys and Colston girls are shit. Really really shit.

I have heard one local parent be complimentary about BEC saying that it was actually good and pointing out (correctly) that just because a school has poor results on average doesn't mean that a bright kid with a good attitude can't do well there.

But this one good opinion is the only one I've heard it has to be said.

It's pretty shocking isn't it?

I'm in north Bristol but the story isn't much better. My kids started in Fairfield, had to pull them out of there after an incident which meant I had no confidence in their ability to keep kids safe.

One then went to oldfield (bath) but wasn't suited to the all girls (as it was then) environment. Long story but she eventually ended up with the hospital education service which is a PRU. She's now at st Brendan's post 16 and loving it.

The other is at Cotham following an appeal and doing quite well so far. GCSEs next year.

This is depressing. I can't afford to move. I'm not religious. We are quite an academic family, and I think DD will thrive in a studious school if she continues on her current trajectory. It seems I really have no option other than to apply for a school outside the boundaries and keep my fingers crossed. Not happy, and I still don't understand WHY the schools are so shit.

Need to consider transport options for out of area schools too in terms of how to get these and back every day. I would find religion if I was you

I know someone who taught in one of the out-of-area schools the Bristol middle classes ship their children out to and she said that it was only this influx which made the school any good!

If this is true, in theory if we all send our DC to our local school, intakes will be more balanced and so will outcomes. For example, Redland Green's results are pretty much an outcome of its intake (v high % of high attainers at y7). Fairfield's headline results are far worse, but its (much lower % of) high attainers more or less equal Redland Green in terms of performance.

Other thing to consider is as boom years feed up from primary, a lot more schools will become over subscribed so people may no longer be able to access schools some distance away. This might change schools who currently lose out to more popular neighbours.

Lots of South Bristol children at St Katherines in Pill and Backwell School. There used to be more at Gordano but now Portishead has grown there are really only enough places for the children in the town.

My friends children have gone to John Cabot Academy and St Mary Redcliffe and have done really well. One of my friends sons went to Ashton Park School, got all A's in GCSEs and A Levels and is now at Cardiff Uni.

I'm planning to move to a village 10 miles South of Bristol (Butcombe). Which is the best school for my daughter who likes English, science and sport - Churchill, Chew Valley or Backwell?

Can anyone give me the heads up on Nailsea School? Tossing up between Clevedon, Nailsea and Backwell.

Nailsea was the school of choice for my son along with many others. He went to hillcrest, then Nailsea (on the train) then 6th form at st Mary redcliffe. It was good, he learned independence getting to and from school and Nailsea was a great school.