Bristol - anyone know Bristol Free School?

[LittleBridge]

I’m moving to Bristol and considering secondary options for DS.

I hear good things about Bristol Free School but I don’t know it and I don’t know the area very well yet. Can anyone help with any insight? When I did a quick recce, the school looked okay but maybe not in the nicest location? Can anyone tell me what the school is actually like, and the intake?

Redland Green always gets good press, and obviously gets very good academic results, but the catchment is tiny!!! And the area so expensive.

I don't know the school personally, but I know it has a very odd catchment area. If you google the catchment map, you will see that the school is on the edge of its catchment and the catchment postcode is in a complete different area. So don't be put off by where it is and do not buy a house on location. I know people who are 200 yards from the school and not in catchment!

My children are at another school in the same trust and know someone whose children are at BFS. She speaks well of it. They are very well run schools. I've heard good things about the head at BFS.
The Wikipedia page about the school explains its history and why it has an odd catchment area.

Thanks Method and Brimmin.

Lots of people seem happy with BFS when I read on forums and Facebook. It’s hard to get a feel why though - ie if it’s just a good all round school or if there’s something specific about it that’s good. I haven’t heard anything bad about it at all, but equally I haven’t heard why it’s supposed to be good either.

I think a good school means there's a strong head, happy teachers, everyone is stretched to the right level academically, the pastoral side is supportive so the kids are generally happy, and there's a reasonable amount of extra-curricular stuff going on. If they have any virtual open evening stuff on their website you'll be as up to speed as many local parents because schools haven't been opening their doors to visits this year.