St Werburgh's Primary School

About St Werburgh's Primary School

Parents considering St Werburgh's Primary School will be encouraged by the strong vote of confidence from local families. The school is significantly oversubscribed, receiving 142 applications for 60 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.37. Of those applicants, 66 put the school as their first preference, and 58 first-preference offers were made. This level of demand suggests a school that local parents actively want their children to attend. While the school does not have a published Parent View recommendation percentage, the sheer volume of applications — more than double the places available — is a practical signal of its reputation in the community. The school is at full capacity with 392 pupils, and 34.7 per cent of children are eligible for free school meals, reflecting a genuinely mixed intake. Helen Faulkner is the headteacher, and the school has no religious character.

Academically, St Werburgh's performs solidly within the Bristol local authority. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 65 per cent of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is above the local authority average of 58 per cent. This places the school 29th out of 85 primary schools in Bristol, putting it in the top half locally. In individual subjects, 80 per cent met the expected standard in maths, 74 per cent in reading and 78 per cent in writing. The average scaled scores were 105 in both reading and maths, exactly in line with the national average. A smaller proportion reached the higher standard — 6 per cent across all three subjects — which is something to note for families aiming for the top grades. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2024 rated it Good overall, with Outstanding marks for personal development and for behaviour and attitudes. Its previous inspection in 2014 also rated it Good.

The school offers a wide range of facilities including a sports hall, gymnasium, playing fields, art studios, music rooms, an ICT suite and a sensory room. Sports on offer include football, netball, athletics, tennis, dance, rounders and cross country, while clubs include Eco Club, Coding and Book Club. For families with children who have additional needs, the SEND provision is notably broad, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, speech and language needs, autistic spectrum disorder, visual impairment and social, emotional and mental health support. The school is a good fit for families who want a well-subscribed, community-focused primary in central Bristol with strong behaviour standards and a broad curriculum, but who are realistic about it being a solidly Good rather than Outstanding school overall. The nearest Outstanding-rated primary is Bishop Road, 1.8 km away.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About St Werburgh's Primary School

Helpful Guides for Parents