Cotham Gardens Primary School
About Cotham Gardens Primary School
Cotham Gardens Primary School in Bristol is a mixed, non-religious state primary for children aged 4 to 11, led by headteacher Emmeline Smith. It currently has 412 pupils on roll against a capacity of 630, meaning the school is operating well below its maximum, which is unusual for a popular urban primary. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 20.6%, a figure that is significantly above the national average and suggests the school serves a relatively disadvantaged catchment. Despite this spare capacity, the school is oversubscribed for the 2025/26 intake: it received 98 applications for 43 places, with 36 first-preference offers made, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.28. This demand is notable given the school's recent Ofsted rating, and suggests that local families are still keen to secure a place here, possibly due to its location or community reputation.
Key Details
The full report on this school
What 130 parents told Ofsted, the inspection in plain English, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.
- Ofsted inspection in plain EnglishStrengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
- Parent View survey resultsWhat parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
- Where Ofsted and parents disagreeGaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
- Admissions & catchmentAdmission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
- Nearby schools comparedBackup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
- Attendance & behaviour dataPersistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
10 Dec 2024From September 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade in inspections of state-funded schools.
Source: Ofsted, 29 Jan 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
Facilities
5Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
10Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
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