Best secondary schools in South Gloucestershire
14 of 15 secondary schools ranked by Progress 8 · all South Gloucestershire schools · primary schools
Ranked on Progress 8, 2023/24 — the most recent year each school has published. Official data, not our opinion — but the ranking is only as good as the measure, and a single number never describes a school.
- 5 of 15 rated Good or Outstanding
- 1 oversubscribed on first preference
- 2 Good or better and undersubscribed — the overlooked ones
- Median Progress 8: -0.07 (best 0.44)
| # | School | Progress 8 | Ofsted | Places | Catchment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Cabot Academy Bristol | 0.44 | Not judged declining | undersubscribed 0.69 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 2 | The Castle School Bristol | 0.33 | — | about even 0.92 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 3 | Brimsham Green School Bristol | 0.27 | Good | about even 1.04 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 4 | Downend School Bristol | 0.1 | Good | oversubscribed 1.21 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 5 | Sir Bernard Lovell Academy Bristol | 0.08 | — | about even 1.08 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 6 | Abbeywood Community School Bristol | 0.04 | Not judged | about even 1.09 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 7 | Yate Academy Yate | 0.03 | — | about even 0.92 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 8 | Winterbourne Academy Bristol | -0.16 | — | about even 0.87 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 9 | Marlwood School Bristol hidden gem | -0.22 | Good improving | about even 0.96 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 10 | Hanham Woods Academy Bristol hidden gem | -0.26 | Good improving | undersubscribed 0.78 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 11 | Mangotsfield School Bristol | -0.3 | — | about even 0.85 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 12 | Chipping Sodbury School Bristol | -0.44 | Good | about even 1.03 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 13 | Digitech Studio School Bristol | -0.65 | — | — | approximate |
| 14 | Patchway Community School Almondsbury | -0.73 | Not judged | undersubscribed 0.82 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
Also in South Gloucestershire
1 further secondary school with no published Progress 8 for the latest year — usually too small a cohort to report, newly opened, or a special school. Listed because leaving them out would make this a misleading picture of South Gloucestershire, not a fairer one.
Applying in South Gloucestershire
Knowing which school is best is only half of it — these are the deadlines that decide whether you can apply at all.
- Secondary application deadline 31 October 2026 · 2027 entry Secondary Common Application Form (CAF) deadline for September 2027 entry (Year 7). National statutory deadline 31 October 2026; apply via your home local authority. Selective/grammar registration, if any, is a separate earlier deadline.
- Primary (Reception) application deadline 15 January 2027 · 2027 entry Primary (Reception) application deadline for September 2027 entry. National statutory deadline 15 January 2027; apply via your home local authority.
- Secondary National Offer Day 1 March 2027 · 2027 entry Secondary National Offer Day for September 2027 entry — state school Year 7 place offers (1 March).
- Primary National Offer Day 16 April 2027 · 2027 entry Primary National Offer Day for September 2027 entry — Reception place offers (16 April).
- Secondary application deadline 31 October 2027 · 2028 entry Secondary Common Application Form (CAF) deadline for September 2028 entry (Year 7). National statutory deadline 31 October 2027; apply via your home local authority. Selective/grammar registration, if any, is a separate earlier deadline.
- Primary (Reception) application deadline 15 January 2028 · 2028 entry Primary (Reception) application deadline for September 2028 entry. National statutory deadline 15 January 2028; apply via your home local authority.
Rankings compare published results. They do not tell you which school your child will get into — that depends on where you live, sibling and faith priority, and how many people apply this year. Ask below, or check the South Gloucestershire admission criteria.
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