St Bonaventure's Catholic Primary School

About St Bonaventure's Catholic Primary School

Parents considering St Bonaventure’s Catholic Primary School will find a school that is clearly popular with local families. In the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received 117 applications for just 58 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.02, meaning more than two families applied for every spot. Of those, 57 applicants listed it as their first preference, and 57 first-preference offers were made, suggesting that nearly everyone who wanted it most got in. While the school does not publish a parent-view recommendation percentage, the sheer demand indicates strong local confidence. The school is a state-funded Roman Catholic primary for mixed-gender pupils aged 4 to 11, with a current roll of 403 children against a capacity of 420, so it is running close to full. Headteacher Sarah Ballantine leads a school where 7.7 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, a figure below the national average, reflecting a relatively advantaged intake.

Academically, St Bonaventure’s holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained across both its most recent inspections. The most recent graded inspection took place in June 2013, where it received a 2 (Good) for overall effectiveness, leadership and management, and early years provision. An ungraded inspection in June 2023 confirmed the school remains Good, with no change in rating. The school’s previous inspection, in October 2008, also rated it Good overall. For parents focused on Key Stage 2 outcomes, the local authority average for primary schools in Bristol is 58 per cent of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. St Bonaventure’s does not publish its own KS2 results in the data, but its consistent Good rating and strong oversubscription suggest it performs reliably within that bracket. The school does not have a sixth form, so all pupils move on to secondary schools at 11.

The school offers a solid range of facilities, including playing fields, a library, an ICT suite, music rooms, a sensory room, an outdoor playground and a chapel. Sports provision covers football, athletics, cricket and tennis, while clubs include drama, art club and film club. For families with children who have additional needs, the school lists a broad set of SEND provisions, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disability, autistic spectrum disorder and other difficulties. This makes it a practical choice for families who want a mainstream Catholic primary with inclusive support. Its nearest Outstanding-rated school is Bishop Road Primary School, just 0.3 km away, so parents in the area have a strong local alternative if oversubscription proves a problem. St Bonaventure’s suits families who value a faith-based, well-subscribed community school with a broad range of on-site facilities and inclusive SEND support.

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