Bristol Free SchoolOrchard School Bristol
Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side in Bristol.
Summary of the comparison
Bristol Free School and Orchard School Bristol are secondary schools in Bristol.
Bristol Free School scores 72 out of 100 (grade B, strong) and Orchard School Bristol scores 53 out of 100 (grade D, below average). Bristol Free School is ahead on our composite score.
Bristol Free School was judged strong and Orchard School Bristol was judged Good.
On GCSE Attainment 8, the latest published figures are 59.3 for Bristol Free School and 41.5 for Orchard School Bristol.
GCSE Attainment 8 has risen at Bristol Free School (51.8 in 2021-22, 59.3 in 2025-26) and has fallen at Orchard School Bristol (43.9 in 2021-22, 41.5 in 2025-26).
Side-by-side comparison
| Measure | BristolBristol Free School | BristolOrchard School Bristol | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Our score | B72/100Stronger figure | D53/100 | |
| Local ranking | 1st of 24 in Bristol Stronger figure | 13th of 24 in Bristol | |
| Inspection | Ofsted: StrongStronger figure | Ofsted: Good | |
| School type | Free schools | Academy sponsor led | |
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary | |
| Age range | 11-19 | 11-16 | |
| Gender | Mixed | Mixed | |
| Pupils on roll | 1,304 | 942 | |
| Capacity | 1,090 | 1,080 | |
| Location | Bristol, BS10 6NJ | Bristol, BS7 0XZ | |
| GCSE results | |||
| Attainment 8 | 59.3 Stronger figure | 41.5 | 46.2 |
| Grade 5+ in English & maths | 69.5% Stronger figure | 36.3% | 46.3% |
| Grade 4+ in English & maths | 83.5% Stronger figure | 56.0% | 64.8% |
| Cohort | 200 | 168 | |
| A-level results | |||
| A-level entries | 135 | Not reported | |
| A-level average points | 39.5 | Not reported | 35.0 |
| A-level average grade | B | Not reported | |
| Best 3 A-levels points | 40.8 | Not reported | 35.8 |
| AAB+ incl. facilitating subjects | 29.5% | Not reported | 17.5% |
| Pupils | |||
| Pupils in the census | 1,292 | 947 | |
| Free school meals (ever 6) | 14.5% | 44.7% | |
| English as an additional language | 7.4% | 29.3% | |
| SEN support | 16.6% | 24.3% | |
| SEN with an EHC plan | 2.7% | 2.5% | |
| Attendance | |||
| Overall absence | 6.5% Stronger figure | 10.4% | 6.2% |
| Persistent absence | 13.0% Stronger figure | 26.7% | 15.8% |
marks the stronger figure on measures with a clear direction. Rows describing a school's intake, such as free school meals, English as an additional language and SEN, carry no marker: they describe who a school serves, not how well it serves them.
Historical trends
Each solid line is one school; the dashed line is the national average.
GCSE Attainment 8
GCSE Progress 8
Overall absence
Free school meal eligibility (ever 6)
Pupils on roll
Ethnicity over time
One panel per school: the largest groups across this comparison, one colour per group, on a shared scale.
Bristol Free School
Orchard School Bristol
Full profiles: Bristol Free School · Orchard School Bristol