Frenchay Church of England Primary School Review 2026: Strong KS2 Outcomes, Modern Passivhaus Building

A village primary with an unusually modern footprint, Frenchay combines a Church of England ethos with a practical, contemporary learning setup. The school moved into a purpose-built, passivhaus-standard building in October 2022, a detail that matters day-to-day because it tends to mean bright classrooms, efficient space, and a site designed around how pupils learn now, not how schools worked decades ago.

Leadership is currently held by Mrs N Dawson (head teacher). The latest Ofsted inspection (8 October 2024) graded all key areas as Good, including early years provision.

On outcomes, the school’s Key Stage 2 picture is clearly above England averages. In 2024, 70.67% reached the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 26.67% achieved the higher standard in reading, writing and mathematics, compared with an England average of 8%. This aligns with the school’s positioning as a strong performer locally and comfortably above the England average overall.

Frenchay’s Christian identity is present in the everyday rhythm rather than confined to assemblies. The school vision, Believe, Belong, Become, sits alongside a clear emphasis on belonging and community, with collective worship described as central to daily life in the most recent SIAMS inspection (23 April 2024). That inspection also highlights the school’s use of spirituality and reflection as part of how pupils make sense of learning and relationships.

In practice, this tends to show up through pupil leadership and service. Ofsted notes that pupils hold responsibility roles such as house captains, school councillors and eco-leaders, and that pupils see these roles as part of their contribution to the school. The house structure itself is locally rooted, with houses named Campbell, Rowling, Fry, and Brunel, chosen through the school council.

The physical environment is now a blend of heritage and new-build identity. Historically, the school was founded in 1829 and moved to its present site in 1842, with the older building described as Grade II listed. Today’s learning spaces are anchored by the October 2022 move into a passivhaus-standard building, with specific features such as a library atrium, small group rooms, a small food technology room, and outdoor learning space referenced on the school site.

Frenchay’s published Key Stage 2 results point to consistently strong attainment, with a notable strength in the combined core measure.

• Combined reading, writing and mathematics (2024): 70.67% reached the expected standard, above the England average of 62%.

• Higher standard (2024): 26.67% reached the higher standard in reading, writing and mathematics, above the England average of 8%.

• Scaled scores show a similarly positive picture: Reading 109, Mathematics 106, and GPS 109 (grammar, punctuation and spelling).

In the FindMySchool rankings based on official data, Frenchay is ranked 2,107th in England and 23rd in Bristol for primary outcomes, placing it comfortably within the top 25% of schools in England. This is the sort of profile that usually indicates secure foundations in curriculum sequencing, reading, and mathematical fluency, rather than one-off peaks.

Parents comparing local options can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page to view these results side-by-side using the Comparison Tool, especially useful in areas where several primaries feed into overlapping secondary patterns.

Reading is treated as a priority from the earliest stage. Ofsted describes an effective phonics programme starting early in Reception, with staff training supporting consistent delivery, and targeted help when pupils have gaps in knowledge. The implication for families is straightforward: pupils who find reading harder are more likely to be identified early, and supported with a structured approach rather than left to drift.

Curriculum design is described as carefully sequenced in most subjects, with a clear example in science progression across year groups, but with an identified improvement area where, in some subjects, knowledge expectations are not defined sharply enough. This is useful intelligence for parents: the overall standard is secure, but curriculum refinement remains an active piece of school improvement, particularly around ensuring prior knowledge is checked and retained consistently.

The school’s wider curriculum also leans into purposeful questions and local context. SIAMS points to enquiry-driven themes (for example, questions about local identity and global responsibility) as part of how learning is made relevant and motivating.

As a Church of England primary in South Gloucestershire, pupils usually move on to a range of local secondary schools across the wider Frenchay and north-east Bristol area, depending on the family’s address, admissions criteria, and preferences. The school’s own new intake information references a formal catchment map and directs families to local authority guidance, which is a practical cue that transition routes are shaped strongly by where you live.

For families planning longer-term, the best approach is to treat Year 6 transition as a two-track process: (1) understanding likely local secondary allocations via the local authority, and (2) making sure your child is socially and academically ready for the step up. The school’s emphasis on pupil leadership (houses, eco leadership, council roles) supports that readiness by building confidence, responsibility, and routines that transfer well into Year 7 expectations.

Reception places are coordinated through the local authority, and the school advises families to apply via their council’s admissions system (for example, Bristol families apply through Bristol, and South Gloucestershire families through South Gloucestershire).

Demand is clearly real. For the most recent intake data provided, there were 104 applications for 50 offers, which equates to 2.08 applications per place, and the school is marked as oversubscribed on that measure. That level of pressure typically means that small differences in admissions priority categories can matter, so it is worth reading the local authority’s policy carefully and mapping your position early.

For 2026 entry, South Gloucestershire states that applications received after 15 January 2026 are treated as late, and the national offer day is 16 April 2026. Families who sit close to council boundaries often benefit from checking both councils’ guidance, since the application route depends on where you live, not just which school you prefer.

Open events are typically run in late autumn and early January. For the most recent cycle, the school listed tours in late November and December 2025, and early January 2026, with booking required. Parents should use the FindMySchoolMap Search tool to sanity-check practical commute and to support realistic shortlisting alongside admissions priorities.

Pastoral systems are described as calm and predictable. Ofsted reports that pupils feel safe, behaviour around the school is orderly, and pupils follow routines well, including in communal spaces like the dining hall and playground. That matters for younger pupils, because a settled environment tends to free up cognitive bandwidth for learning, especially for children who are anxious or slow to adapt to change.

Online safety is treated as a whole-school responsibility, with explicit guidance for parents and an expectation that concerns are handled through the school rather than played out online. This aligns with a safeguarding culture that emphasises clear boundaries, consistent routines, and adult visibility.

Support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities is described as thorough in identification and planning, with an improvement point around checking how well all pupils are learning in practice, particularly where participation in activities or questioning is uneven. For parents of pupils needing support, the implication is to ask clear, practical questions at visits about how progress is checked lesson-to-lesson, and how interventions are adapted when a child is not engaging fully.

This is not a school where enrichment is left vague. The extracurricular and co-curricular offer includes both creative and technical strands, with named activities that help parents picture what afternoons and lunchtimes actually look like.

Music and performance: Instrumental opportunities listed for Years 3 to 6 include brass, guitar, violin, and flute, clarinet or fife, alongside Choir Club. The practical implication is that pupils who want to try a musical pathway can often do so without needing external clubs as the only route, and choir provides a lower-barrier entry point for pupils who prefer group participation.

Sport and physical activity: After-school options include Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 football and netball for Years 3 to 6, with regular fixtures against other schools noted. The school also states that it uses its PE and Sport Premium funding to support a sports coach working with each class as part of the PE curriculum.

STEM and practical making: A standout feature is the explicit emphasis on robotics. The school lists a STEM Robotics activity for Years 3 to 6, and the SIAMS report describes participation in a national robotics competition with regular success. For pupils who learn best through building, testing, and iterating, this can be a genuine hook, and for parents it is a signal that computing and design thinking are treated as more than occasional add-ons.

The day is clearly structured. Gates open at 8.30am, learning begins at 8.50am, and the school day ends at 3.30pm. The school also publishes session timings for Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1, and for Key Stage 2, including morning and afternoon blocks.

Before and after-school care is available through an external provider referenced on the school site. Detailed hours and pricing are not set out in the core school-day information, so families should confirm the current wraparound timetable and availability directly with the provider via the school’s published links.

On travel, the school promotes walking and cycling as part of an active travel approach, which is useful context for families who want a walkable run or who prefer cycling to avoid congestion.

• Oversubscription is a real constraint. With 104 applications for 50 offers in the most recent data, competition for places is the limiting factor for many families, regardless of school fit.

• Faith identity is integrated, not optional. Daily worship and a clear Church of England vision shape school life; families who want a fully secular experience may prefer a different setting.

• Curriculum consistency is mostly strong, with a clear development area. External review highlights that sequencing is secure in many subjects, but not uniformly defined across the whole curriculum, which can affect knowledge retention.

• Wraparound care is available, but confirm logistics early. Provision exists, but the most important details for working families (hours, capacity, waiting lists) need checking directly.

Frenchay Church of England Primary School suits families who want a values-led primary with clearly above-average Key Stage 2 outcomes, strong reading foundations, and a modern, well-specified building designed for contemporary teaching. The strongest fit is for pupils who like structure, calm routines, and a school culture that expects responsibility through roles like houses, eco leadership and council work. The main challenge is getting a place in an oversubscribed context.