Private Schools in Bristol

[MessyFlipflop]

Hi, we are moving from Sydney to Bristol with our two boys aged 9 & 11. From what I can tell it seems good comprehensive schools are really over subscribed. We liked the look of Catherdral Choir School and Redland Green - do you think for a mid year (year 7) entry its out of the question? Is Churchill just as hard to get into?

We are also looking at private schools now. Both boys are academic and sporty and very into nature and outdoors but not very street wise (having grown up by the beach!). Do you have any advice or experience with any of the following - Sidcot, Bristol Grammar and Clifton High?

We don't know where we are going to live yet, only that DH will be working around Whiteladies Road probably...

BCCS and RGS are about the most oversubscribed schools in Bristol, and will definitely be full for year 7; any places that come up will have long lists of people waiting to grab them. I'm not sure about BCCS, but at RGS the priority is mainly distance, so your best chance would be to buy/rent a place as close to the school as possible (but you'd pay a premium for that). No idea about Churchill.

Realistically, in terms of Bristol, private school is your safer bet.

I wouldn't recommend Clifton High for sporty boys - it is still very much a majority girls school (was all girls until a few years back) and doesn't have a great reputation for boys' sport.

Sidcot is smaller, quite sporty but doesn't have a very strong academic reputation. It is also quite a commute from Bristol, or Bristol/Whiteladies Road would be a big commute from that direction.

I would say BGS would be a much better bet for location, sports and the academic side of things, unless you actively want to live in a more rural location and go for Sidcot or Churchill (plenty of children come in to BGS from that area too, but the traffic can be very bad).

I presume you have also looked at QEH (very strong academically, plenty of opportunity for sport, currently all boys but taking 6th form girls from next year), and Clifton College (mixed, very sporty, but old-style public school so mainly boarding at secondary level and much higher fees)?

I like BGS a lot, but suspect it will be full for the year groups you need. Do call or email them to ask though.

As well as QEH, there is Colston's School which is the other side of the city. Less academic than BGS and QEH but strong for sports.

Churchill is out of the city in North Somerset. Children don't tend to commute there from Bristol they tend to be local. So may suit if you want to live out the city and commute in.

Thank you so much for your feedback - very interesting about Clifton High - had no idea that its not very sporty so that's very useful, thank you!

Colston's Collegiate is very very very sporty! Several alumni have gone on to have professional sporting careers, mostly in rugby although the other sports are given lots of time as well. They also have lovely playing fields and they did have a deal with UWE (university west of England) which enabled them to use their pitches ect on occasion, but they have very good sporting facilities in their own right. That information is about a decade out of date though!

I went up there until I was 14, I was in a bit of a bad year and didn't enjoy the last few years but was always aware that the actual school was very good.

Another thing with colston's is that the primary is literally just over the road from the secondary... Might be useful if you have a boy in each?

The primary school also shares the playing fields ect so again has very good facilities.