SecondaryState · Academy sponsor led

Sir Bernard Lovell Academy

North Street, Oldland Common, Bristol, BS30 8TS ·

Report card: areas need attention· 2026

At a glance

A state secondary academy for ages 11–18 in Bristol. Ofsted report card (January 2026): areas need attention. GCSE results are around the England average (Attainment 8: 44.5 vs 46.1, 2024/25). Oversubscribed: 255 families put it first for 236 places (September 2026 entry).

Ages: 11–18
Pupils: 1,268
Gender: Mixed
Sixth form: Yes
Admissions: Non-selective
Local authority: South Gloucestershire
Academy trust: FUTURA LEARNING PARTNERSHIP
Headteacher: Dr Robin Bassford
Opened: Apr 2015

School website 01174565900 Explore the area

Inspection

Ofsted report card (renewed framework)

Read reports

Inspected 13 Jan 2026Published 28 May 2026

SafeguardingMet
InclusionExpected standard
Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
AchievementExpected standard
Attendance and behaviourExpected standard
Personal development and well-beingExpected standard
Post-16 provisionNeeds attention
Leadership and governanceExpected standard

Report cards grade each area separately on a five-point scale, from Urgent improvement to Exceptional. There is no single overall grade, and results are not directly comparable with earlier grades such as “Good”.

Inspection reports describe the school on the day. Read the full report and visit the school before deciding.

Exam results

Department for Education performance tables

GCSE results, 2024/25 · 204 pupils

Attainment 8

44.5

England 46.1

Grade 5+ Eng & maths

43.1%

England 45.4%

Grade 4+ Eng & maths

66.2%

England 64.8%

Progress 8

+0.08

2023/24 · CI -0.13 to 0.28

This school

44.5

South Gloucestershire

42.9

England

46.1

Attainment 8 over time

Progress 8 isn't published for 2024/25 because those pupils had no KS2 test results (tests were cancelled in 2020). Exams were not held in 2019/20 or 2020/21.

Admissions

Demand for places and how places are allocated

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Year 7 entry, September 2026 (national offer day data)

Offers made

236

1st preferences

255

All applications

412

1st prefs per place

1.08

More first choices than places

221 of 255 first-preference applicants were offered a place (87%). 1 offers went to families living in another council area.

Oversubscribed with first preferences

Earlier years include data recorded for this school's predecessor.

Catchment area

We don't have an official catchment boundary for this school. Many schools don't have one, and few councils publish boundaries as open data. We don't estimate catchments. Check the school's admissions policy or the council's admissions booklet.

Last distance offered

Not published nationally. Many councils publish the furthest distance offered for each school in their annual allocation reports. Past distances vary year to year with demand and sibling numbers, so they are not a guarantee.

How places are allocated: you apply through your home council. When a school has more applicants than places, it applies its published oversubscription criteria in order. These usually start with looked-after children, then siblings, then catchment or distance; faith schools may prioritise church attendance. Children with an EHC plan naming the school are admitted first. Apply on GOV.UK

Pupils

School census 2024/25

Pupils

1,261

Capacity

1,409

90% full

Girls / boys

47/53

Mixed

Eligible for free school meals (last 6 years)18.2%
English as an additional language1.4%
SEN support15.2%
Education, Health and Care plan3.3%
The black tick shows the median for state-funded secondary schools in England.