Little Mead Primary Academy

About Little Mead Primary Academy

Little Mead Primary Academy sits in the Bristol, City of local authority, where it ranks 62nd out of 85 primary schools on the key stage 2 reading, writing and maths expected standard measure. That places it in the bottom half of schools locally, well behind the top-performing peers in the area: Summerhill Academy, Westbury Park School, and Ss Peter and Paul RC Primary School all score significantly higher on the same metric. The school is oversubscribed for 2025/26, with 80 applications for 55 places and 44 first-preference offers, suggesting it remains a popular choice for local families despite its middling ranking. The nearest outstanding-rated primary is Elmlea Junior School, 2.4 kilometres away, which gives some sense of the competitive landscape for parents weighing up their options in this part of Bristol.

Academically, the most recent data from the 2023/24 academic year shows a mixed picture. At key stage 2, 49% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is below the local authority average of 58%. The school’s ranking on this metric places it in the bottom 50% nationally, at the 80th percentile among all primary schools. In individual subjects, reading performed strongest with 78% at expected and 22% at a higher standard, while maths saw 64% at expected and 14% at higher. Writing was weaker, with 60% at expected and none reaching the higher standard. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2023 rated overall effectiveness as Requires Improvement, a significant drop from its previous Outstanding rating in 2016. The inspection found that quality of education, personal development, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management all require improvement, though early years provision was rated Good.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including an ICT suite, library, sports hall, playing fields and a chapel, plus a nursery for children from age three. Sports provision covers gymnastics, swimming, cross country, athletics, tennis, cricket and football, and there are clubs for chess, book club and coding. SEND support is extensive, with provisions for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, speech and language needs, hearing and multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, social and emotional mental health needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. With 28.1% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a relatively disadvantaged intake compared with the local average. This is a school that has seen a clear decline in its Ofsted rating but remains in demand locally, and it may suit families who value its inclusive SEND offer and wide extracurricular programme, particularly those who live close enough to secure a place in a competitive admissions round.

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