Ashton Park School Review 2026: A busy Bristol 11 to 18 with clear expectations and a broad offer

Set on the edge of Ashton Court Estate, this is a large, mixed 11 to 18 secondary serving South Bristol, with the scale to offer breadth and the structures to keep day to day routines clear. Richard Uffendell has been headteacher since September 2022, bringing a leadership team that is explicit about expectations, curriculum sequencing, and student support.

The latest Ofsted inspection (8 and 9 November 2022, published 16 January 2023) judged the school Good across all areas, including sixth form provision.

Academically, GCSE outcomes sit in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile), while the sixth form outcomes fall within the lower-performing band nationally. That split matters for families deciding whether to stay on post 16. The school remains popular locally, with admissions data indicating oversubscription, and the published 2026 entry timeline gives families clear national deadline dates for Year 7 applications.

A large school can feel impersonal if routines are vague. Here, the tone is more purposeful than relaxed, shaped by a clearly articulated set of expectations and a consistent message around behaviour and readiness to learn. The school’s stated values, Respect, Determination, Community, show up across multiple strands of school life, including how leaders frame belonging and inclusion.

The school’s work towards becoming a School of Sanctuary is a good indicator of culture in practice rather than slogan. It sets out a concrete focus on supporting pupils with English as an additional language, linking with community partners, and developing student leadership via a Young Interpreters Scheme to help new arrivals settle. For parents, that reads as a school that expects pupils to look out for each other, not just comply with rules.

The inspection report gives a grounded sense of day-to-day experience. Pupils are described as happy to attend, lessons as purposeful, and disruption as limited. Bullying is characterised as rare and dealt with quickly when it occurs. Sixth form leadership opportunities are also highlighted, including students acting as reading coaches for Year 7 pupils, which signals a school that uses older students to strengthen the wider community, not separate from it.

The key story at GCSE is “steady, broadly typical for England, with evidence of above-average progress”. Attainment 8 is 50.2, and Progress 8 is +0.31, which indicates students make above-average progress from their starting points. EBacc average point score is 4.22.

Ranked 1,744th in England and 23rd in Bristol for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data), performance sits in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).

At A-level, the outcomes are much weaker relative to England averages. A* is 2.27%, A is 3.41%, and A*-B is 20.45%, compared with an England average of 47.2% at A*-B.

Ranked 2,394th in England and 33rd in Bristol for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data), the sixth form sits within the lower-performing band nationally.

What this means for families is that the school looks strongest as an 11 to 16: clear routines, a broad Key Stage 3, and progress that is better than many comparables. If post-16 outcomes are the deciding factor, it is sensible to look closely at subject-level fit, teaching capacity, and the sixth form support and enrichment offer, then compare options using FindMySchool’s Local Hub comparison tools.

Curriculum intent is unusually transparent. Key Stage 3 runs for three years, with discrete subject teaching and a timetable that signals priorities. In Years 7 to 9, mathematics and English receive 7 to 8 hours per fortnight, science 7, and languages 4, alongside humanities, the arts, technology subjects (food, materials, textiles), and personal development.

The school’s approach tries to balance mixed prior attainment teaching with targeted stretch: it describes an accelerated group in science and maths that is reviewed regularly. For families, the implication is that higher-attaining pupils can access pace and challenge without the social downsides that sometimes come with heavy early setting.

Where the school is still developing, the inspection report points to the “memory” side of learning. Teaching does not always ensure pupils remember enough of what they have learned to build securely over time. That is a curriculum delivery issue rather than a curriculum design issue, and it matters most in subjects where cumulative knowledge is critical.

Where Students Go Next

Because the school does not publish a detailed Russell Group or destination breakdown on its own website, the fairest picture comes from the dataset’s destination measures and Oxbridge figures.

In the 2023/24 leaver cohort (81 students), 20% progressed to university, 9% to apprenticeships, 46% to employment, and 2% to further education.

Oxbridge outcomes are understandably small at a comprehensive school serving a broad intake: two applications are recorded in the period, with one acceptance (Cambridge).

For families, the important point is not the raw Oxbridge count but the presence of a credible high-attainer pathway alongside mainstream progression. The sixth form’s enrichment menu is the best evidence of that, with explicit provision for Oxbridge and competitive course preparation, Extended Project Qualification support, and access programmes such as Access to Bristol and Bristol Scholars.

For Year 7 entry, applications are coordinated through Bristol City Council, with the school’s determined admissions policy setting out the key national timeline for 2026 entry. The policy states that applications open from 1 September 2025 and close on the national secondary deadline of 31 October 2025, with offers released on 2 March 2026 and an offer acceptance deadline of 16 March 2026.

The policy also makes two points families sometimes miss. First, there is no automatic transfer into the school from any primary, and there is no automatic offer of a sibling place. Second, oversubscription is real: the published admissions data shows 450 applications for 217 offers, which is roughly 2.1 applications per place.

The school refers to an Area of Priority and explains that a map is published alongside the policy. If you are weighing a move, use FindMySchool’s Map Search to check your distance to the school against the criteria used locally, then sanity-check the current year’s policy, as boundaries and demand patterns can shift.

For sixth form entry (Ashton Sixth), applications for September 2026 are stated as open, with a published deadline of Wednesday 14 January 2026. As of 23 January 2026, that deadline has passed, and families should treat any application as late unless the sixth form advises otherwise.

The school is explicit that safeguarding is a shared responsibility across the community, and it references student Digital Leaders contributing online safety guidance.

The inspection report also confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective, supported by staff vigilance and timely referrals where needed.

Pastoral structures and inclusion priorities show up elsewhere too. Work towards School of Sanctuary status, including EAL support and structured peer support via Young Interpreters, is a practical form of belonging.

For students with SEND, the school operates a Specialist Resource Base for pupils with Education, Health and Care Plans for speech, language and communication needs. At Key Stage 4, this includes additional curriculum time for individual and group intervention and speech and language therapy, while still maintaining mainstream integration for several subjects.

The school offers clubs before school, at lunchtime, and after school, and the inspection report describes them as well attended across sport and creative areas.

The most specific detail comes from the sixth form enrichment programme, which is unusually concrete about what happens week to week. Wednesday enrichment examples include Debating club, Craft Club, Sports Leaders award, and sports teams such as football, basketball and badminton, alongside wellbeing and life skills. There is also a Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award pathway and a programme of trips, including a ski holiday, an Iceland trip, an expedition to Tanzania, and a residential surf trip in Devon.

For academically driven students, enrichment also includes competitive application preparation, CREST Gold Award opportunities, and structured volunteering, which can strengthen personal statements and apprenticeship applications.

Facilities help here, particularly for older students who need spaces that support independent work. Ashton Sixth describes a purpose-built facility for sixth formers, including computer suites, quiet study rooms, a photography darkroom, a sixth form café, and a common room with table football, plus access to an on-site sports centre with gym and dance studios.

The school states that the typical school week consists of 32.5 hours, and students should be in school for the first bell at 8.40.

On-site facilities are used beyond the core school day, including spaces such as a drama studio and dining areas available for hire outside school hours. Parking information published for events indicates around 75 spaces, plus overflow areas.

Wraparound care is not a standard feature at secondary level; families needing structured after-school supervision should check what is currently available via clubs or the linked sports centre provision.

• Post-16 outcomes lag behind 11 to 16 performance. A-level measures sit well below England averages, so families should look carefully at sixth form subject fit and support structures, then compare with local alternatives.

• SEND consistency in mainstream classrooms is an improvement area. The inspection report highlights that teachers do not always have the information needed to support pupils with SEND at the right time, although the Resource Base is described as well supported.

• Knowledge retention is a stated development priority. Teaching does not always help pupils recall prior learning strongly enough to build securely, which can affect cumulative subjects most.

• Admissions are competitive and the policy is specific. The determined timeline and oversubscription signal that families should plan early and work from the current policy for the relevant entry year.

Ashton Park School looks like a well-organised comprehensive with clear routines, a broad Key Stage 3, and a culture that takes belonging and inclusion seriously. GCSE outcomes are broadly in line with the middle of England schools, supported by above-average progress, while sixth form outcomes are weaker even though enrichment and facilities suggest a thoughtful post-16 offer.

Who it suits: families in South Bristol who want a large, mixed 11 to 18 with consistent expectations, strong community cues, and enough scale to offer breadth, and who are willing to evaluate sixth form options carefully rather than assuming staying on is automatically the best route.