Winterbourne Academy
95%
Capacity
1,783
Pupils
2.4x
Demand
About Winterbourne Academy
Winterbourne Academy, a large mixed secondary school in South Gloucestershire, was rated Good in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022, a significant improvement from its previous Inadequate rating in 2017. The school’s Progress 8 score for the 2023/24 academic year sits at -0.16, which places it in the ‘Average’ banding nationally. While this figure is below the national average of 0, it is worth noting that it is above the local authority average for South Gloucestershire, which stands at -0.25. This means pupils at Winterbourne are making slightly more progress than the typical student in the area. The school ranks 9th out of 16 secondary schools in the local authority on this metric, placing it in the middle of the pack. Its Attainment 8 score of 47.9 and the fact that 50% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths (the basics 5 measure) provide a solid baseline for academic performance.
At Key Stage 5, the school’s sixth form, which is officially part of the academy, also performs well. The average A-Level grade per entry is a C+, with a points per entry score of 33.97. The best three A-Levels average out to a B- grade, and the value-added score of 0.01 indicates that students make progress in line with expectations given their prior attainment. The proportion of students achieving AAB or higher in at least two facilitating subjects is 14.1%. The sixth form provision was also rated Good by Ofsted, and the school has a dedicated Sixth Form Centre. With 125 pupils in the sixth form cohort, it offers a substantial post-16 option within the same site.
Winterbourne Academy is a popular choice, oversubscribed for the 2025/26 academic year with 693 applications for 293 places, a ratio of 2.37 applicants per place. The school offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, sports hall, and tennis courts, and runs clubs from Debate to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Its SEND provisions are extensive, covering areas from dyslexia to autistic spectrum disorder and physical disability, making it a potentially strong fit for families who need a well-resourced mainstream setting with broad support. With a free school meals rate of 12.7%, it serves a diverse intake. This is a school that has turned around its Ofsted rating and now offers a reliable, above-average local option for secondary and sixth-form education.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | High Street, Bristol, South Gloucestershire, BS36 1JL |
| Headteacher | Jennifer Cartwright |
| Local Authority | South Gloucestershire |
| Number of Pupils | 1,783 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 12.7% |
| School Capacity | 1,783 / 1,880 (95% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
10 May 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 5 Jul 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.16)
1908th of 3,141
Nationally
195th of 306
In South West
9th of 16
In South Gloucestershire
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
34.0
'22/23
30.8
'23/24
34.0
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2361%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 277 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)61%
- FE college23%
- Sixth form college5%
- Apprenticeship4%
- Employment3%
- Not sustained3%
97% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2346%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 130 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
19%
Russell Group
16%
Top-third HE
1%
Oxford / Cambridge
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)46%
- Employment27%
- Apprenticeship11%
- Not sustained9%
- Further education3%
- Other education1%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Mathematics40
- Business Studies:Single37
- Psychology37
- Biology28
- History22
- Chemistry20
- Physics20
- Sociology18
- Economics14
- Mathematics (Further)14
- Art and Design (Photography)12
- Classical Civilisation12
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
18Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed293
693
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
269 families put this school as their 1st choice (39% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:30 – 15:00
Source: winterbourneacademy.org.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British80.8%
- Mixed5.9%
- Asian5.1%
- White (other)4.5%
- Black0.3%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
4
Total schools
4
Oversubscribed
3
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About Winterbourne Academy
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
High Street, Bristol
South Gloucestershire, BS36 1JL
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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