E-Act Montpelier High School

About E-Act Montpelier High School

E-Act Montpelier High School is a girls' secondary school in Bristol, City of, with a current roll of 851 pupils against a capacity of 925, meaning it is not yet full. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 30.7%, which is notably high and signals a significant level of socio-economic disadvantage within the student body. Despite this, the school is clearly in demand: for the 2025/26 admissions cycle, it received 296 total applications for 150 places, an oversubscription ratio of 1.97. Of those, 117 were first-preference applications, and all 117 received offers. This suggests that while the school is popular among local families, particularly those who list it as their top choice, it is not so oversubscribed that securing a place is out of reach for a determined applicant. The school operates a non-selective, non-religious admissions policy, and its intake reflects a broad cross-section of the local community.

Academically, the picture is more challenging. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022, the school was rated Inadequate overall, with behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management also judged Inadequate. Quality of education and sixth-form provision were both rated Requires improvement. This is a sharp decline from its previous inspection in 2010, when the school was rated Outstanding across all areas. The school's Progress 8 score is not provided in the data, but the local authority average for Progress 8 is 0, which is in line with the national average. Without a specific school score, it is difficult to gauge how Montpelier's pupils perform relative to peers, but the Ofsted rating suggests significant challenges in driving academic progress. The sixth form, while officially present, also requires improvement, which may affect post-16 options for current students.

The school offers a wide range of facilities, including a swimming pool, gymnasium, astro turf, playing fields, and a theatre, alongside a strong sports programme featuring netball, gymnastics, and swimming. Clubs such as Young Enterprise, Model UN, and Science Club provide enrichment beyond the curriculum. SEND provisions cover specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, as well as social, emotional and mental health needs, and other difficulties or disabilities. Given its current Ofsted rating, this school may suit families who are committed to working with leadership to drive improvement, or those who value the breadth of facilities and the all-girls environment over current academic outcomes. It is not a boarding school, and the oversubscription data suggests that a first-preference application gives a realistic chance of admission.

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