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 71 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 56.3 for Bristol Free School and 44.7 for Orchard School Bristol.

  • GCSE Attainment 8 has risen at Bristol Free School (51.8 in 2021-22, 56.3 in 2024-25) and has held broadly level at Orchard School Bristol (43.9 in 2021-22, 44.7 in 2024-25).

Side-by-side comparison

Bristol Free School versus Orchard School Bristol compared on inspection, results, pupils and attendance.
Measure BristolBristol Free SchoolBristolOrchard School BristolEngland average
Overview
Our scoreB71/100Stronger figureD53/100
Local ranking1st of 23 in Bristol Stronger figure15th of 23 in Bristol
InspectionOfsted: StrongStronger figureOfsted: Good
School typeFree schools Academy sponsor led
PhaseSecondary Secondary
Age range11-19 11-16
GenderMixed Mixed
Pupils on roll1,292 947
Capacity1,090 1,080
LocationBristol, BS10 6NJ Bristol, BS7 0XZ
GCSE results
Attainment 856.3 Stronger figure44.7 46.0
Grade 5+ in English & maths66.3% Stronger figure48.6% 45.4%
Grade 4+ in English & maths83.2% Stronger figure65.0% 64.8%
Entering EBacc48.0% 53.7% Stronger figure40.5%
EBacc average point score5.18 Stronger figure4.10 4.09
Cohort202 177
A-level results
A-level entries135 Not reported
A-level average points39.5 Not reported35.0
A-level average gradeB Not reported
Best 3 A-levels points40.8 Not reported35.8
AAB+ incl. facilitating subjects29.5% Not reported17.5%
Pupils
Pupils in the census1,292 947
Free school meals (ever 6)14.5% 44.7%
English as an additional language7.4% 29.3%
SEN support16.6% 24.3%
SEN with an EHC plan2.7% 2.5%
Attendance
Overall absence6.5% Stronger figure10.4% 6.2%
Persistent absence13.0% Stronger figure26.7% 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