Redmaids' High School

Founded in 1634 from the bequest of John Whitson, a Bristol mayor and merchant, Redmaids' High School can claim a lineage older than almost any girls' school in England. Nearly four centuries on, it has become the academic pace-setter for girls in the city: an independent, selective day school for ages 6 to 19, ranked first in Bristol at both GCSE and A-level. The school sits on a green 12-acre campus in Westbury-on-Trym, takes around 794 pupils across its junior and senior phases, and joined the Girls' Day School Trust in 2025. The result is a school with deep local roots, strong results, and the research and bursary muscle of one of the country's largest girls' education networks behind it.

The school's identity is bound up in its history, and that history is unusually vivid. John Whitson left his estate to clothe and educate forty poor women and children who were to be, in his own phrase, "apparelled in red", a cloth he manufactured himself. That single instruction gave the school its name and its enduring red thread. The four senior houses (Maryflowre, Seabreake, Discoverer and Speedwell) are named after ships connected to Whitson's trading life, so even the inter-house hockey and music competitions carry a thread back to the founder.

The modern school was formed in 2016 from the merger of two long-established Bristol institutions: the Red Maids' School of 1634 and Redland High School, opened in 1882. Redland brought its own inheritance, including a daisy emblem and the line So Hateth She Derknesse, drawn from Chaucer. That union joined two distinct traditions of girls' education under one name and one site. Joining the GDST in 2025 added a third layer: access to a national network of girls' schools, a large alumnae community, and a substantial research base on how girls learn best.

That heritage is renewed each year on Founders' Commemoration Day, when the whole school walks through Bristol city centre, accompanied by a rolling road closure, from Welsh Back to the cathedral for a service honouring John Whitson and the founders of Redland High. Few schools mark their origins so publicly, and the procession is a reminder that this is an institution woven into the civic fabric of the city. That sense of consequence shows in its alumnae too: the anatomist and broadcaster Alice Roberts, the pioneering paediatrician Beryl Corner, who helped establish neonatal care in the South West, and the travel writer Sara Wheeler all passed through its predecessor schools.

Day-to-day, the atmosphere is purposeful and warm rather than pressured. The culture is secure and supportive, and the school has built a kind community in which bullying is rare and dealt with promptly. The campus has a countryside feel, with playing fields, mature grounds and a self-contained sixth form centre that gives the eldest students their own space without cutting them off from the wider school. It reads as a school confident in what it is: academic, but neither austere nor hot-housed.

Redmaids' High is the strongest performer in Bristol at both major exam stages, and the figures bear that out across the senior school.

At GCSE, more than half of all grades reach the very top: 53.6% are awarded at grade 9 or 8, a further 19.3% at grade 7, so 72.9% of all results land in the 9 to 7 band. That is the kind of profile associated with selective independents, and it translates into a clear England standing. The school holds an England rank of 131 for GCSE and is the top-ranked school in Bristol, placing it well above the England average and within the top 10% of schools in England. These are proprietary FindMySchool rankings built from official data. Because GCSE performance in England is best read through rank and standing rather than a single headline average, the picture here is unambiguous: high attainment, sustained, at the top of its city.

A-level results are stronger still. Almost a third of entries, 32.2%, are graded A*, with another 40.2% at grade A, so 72.4% of all A-level grades reach A* or A. Add grade B and 90.5% of results fall in the A*-B band. Set against an England average of 23.6% at A*-A and 47.2% at A*-B, the gap is wide and consistent. The sixth form holds an England rank of 56 and, like the senior school, ranks first in Bristol, a proprietary FindMySchool ranking built from official data that places it well above the England average and among the top performers in the country.

Read across the two stages, the consistency is the headline. A combined GCSE-and-A-level England rank of 83 captures a school that does not spike at one point and dip at another but holds a high level from Year 7 through to Year 13. The junior school does not sit national league tables in the same way, since selective preps do not enter the Key Stage 2 assessments that drive primary rankings, but younger pupils make good progress in English and maths through the early years. That early momentum is the foundation the senior results rely on, and it is part of why the school can let able girls move quickly without late cramming.

The teaching model is built on subject expertise and pace. Teachers have secure subject knowledge and deliver well-structured, engaging lessons that blend collaborative tasks with independent work, and the curriculum is broad and carefully sequenced so that learning builds across subjects and year groups. That continuity is the quiet engine behind the exam profile: girls are taught progressively from the junior years upward rather than crammed late, and the breadth of subjects on offer keeps the experience rounded rather than narrowly exam-focused.

Support is tailored rather than one-size-fits-all. Pupils with special educational needs or disabilities receive personalised provision with progress monitored closely, and the curriculum is designed to meet a range of needs while keeping ambition high. The selective intake means classes can move quickly, but structured sequencing and the willingness to stretch able pupils early give the teaching its character: demanding without being frantic. The one published area to develop is practical rather than academic, concerning the accessibility of the partnership projects programme, a refinement to an existing strength rather than a weakness in the classroom.

Progression runs through three exit points: the end of Year 6 within the junior school, GCSE at Year 11, and A-level at Year 13. The destination that matters most to families researching the school is the post-18 picture, and it is a strong one.

In the most recent leavers' cohort, 68 students completed Year 13. Of these, 69% went straight on to university, with a further 6% moving into other further education and small numbers heading into apprenticeships and employment. Oxbridge features each year: in the most recent reported cycle, 12 applications produced three offers, all from Cambridge, all of which were accepted. That conversion rate is a useful corrective to the idea that any one school guarantees Oxbridge; strong candidates still face long odds, and the school's job is to prepare girls properly and back them through the process.

Beyond Oxbridge, the school's leavers consistently reach selective Russell Group universities, with recent destinations including Bristol, Exeter, Durham, Imperial College London, UCL, Edinburgh, Warwick, Leeds and Manchester. Competitive routes such as medicine feature among the cohort, supported by dedicated guidance for health-profession applicants. The careers and university support is structured rather than left to chance: sixth formers follow a timetabled life-skills programme and receive sustained help through the UCAS process, and GDST membership widens the alumnae network students can draw on for mentoring and work experience. For families weighing the long game, the pattern is reassuring: this is a school that reliably opens doors to leading universities.

Redmaids' High is academically selective, and entry is by assessment at each main stage. The principal entry points are into the junior school, into Year 7 of the senior school at age 11, and into Year 12 for the sixth form, with occasional places at other year groups subject to availability.

Senior entry at 11 is by entrance examination, and the same assessment route decides academic scholarship awards. Progression from the junior school into the senior school is not purely automatic: it sits within the selective framework, and the school recruits a substantial cohort externally at Year 7, so junior pupils join a wider intake rather than simply continuing as a closed group. At sixth form, the school sets clear academic requirements: a minimum of six GCSEs at grade 6 or above, with grade 7 required in maths, English and science where these are to be studied at A-level. The sixth form admits both the school's own Year 11 students who meet the threshold and external applicants, so Year 12 brings fresh faces alongside familiar ones.

Open events run through the year, typically with senior and sixth form events in the autumn and junior events at various points; because dates change annually, families should check the school's current calendar before planning a visit. A registration fee of £100 and a refundable acceptance deposit of £450 apply, in line with most independent schools. As an independent school, admission is direct to Redmaids' High rather than through the local authority, and there is no published catchment distance. Prospective families comparing this school against others nearby can use the FindMySchool local hub to view Bristol results side by side and shortlist the schools worth visiting.

Pastoral strength is one of the school's defining features rather than an afterthought. Pastoral care is embedded in how the school operates day to day, not bolted on as an afterthought. The most recent ISI inspection confirmed what the atmosphere suggests: wellbeing is taken seriously, safeguarding is part of school culture, and concerns are followed up promptly with external agencies brought in wherever necessary.

The everyday texture of that care shows in a kind, supportive community where instances of bullying are rare and met with a clear anti-bullying strategy. Personal development is taken seriously: pupils follow a comprehensive PSHE and relationships and sex education programme, enriched by carefully chosen visiting speakers offering a range of perspectives, and leaders have built a wide set of partnerships that help girls understand their place in the wider world and how they can contribute to it. The house system adds belonging and a sense of identity across year groups, while the sixth form centre gives older students a measure of independence within a watchful structure. For girls who flourish when they feel known and supported, the pastoral framework here is a genuine asset.

The co-curricular programme is broad and busy, with around 110 activities running each week. Four pillars stand out: music, sport, drama and outdoor adventure, each with named provision rather than vague promises.

Music is a serious operation. Nearly 20 ensembles rehearse weekly in the school's dedicated Music School, which houses a Mac suite among its facilities, ranging from a Chamber Choir and Symphony Orchestra to a Swing Band, an A Cappella group and a Musical Theatre Group, with a community choir on top. That density of music-making is what lets the school award Major and Minor Music Scholarships, some covering free tuition on up to two instruments, and it builds a culture in which performance is normal rather than exceptional. Aspiring scholars are expected to play to a high standard before they arrive, a sign of how seriously music is taken across the school.

Sport is similarly wide, and unusually well resourced for a city school. Beyond the on-site AstroTurf pitch, sports hall and dance studio at Westbury, the school uses The Lawns, a sports ground near Cribbs Causeway with grass pitches, tennis courts and a 3G all-weather surface, giving teams room to train and compete at scale. The programme runs well beyond core hockey and netball: athletics, badminton, basketball, cricket, fencing, gymnastics, swimming, tennis, cross-country and orienteering all feature, so girls can train seriously or simply try something new. The breadth means a sport for everyone and facilities that keep fixtures running through the year.

Drama has a proper home in Redland Hall, the school's purpose-built auditorium and performance space, opened in 2017. The ambition stretches well beyond the school gates: students compete in the Bristol Speech and Drama Festival and have performed at the Tobacco Factory theatres and at the Edinburgh Fringe. Outdoor and adventurous activity rounds out the picture. Redmaids' High is the largest provider of Duke of Edinburgh training in Bristol, offering Bronze, Silver and Gold, and runs bouldering (entering the South West School Bouldering Competition), caving, climbing and kayaking. The school also frames enrichment as something to be funded directly: development grants of £250 are available to girls in Year 9 and again in the sixth form to pursue a particular passion, from a sailing entry to a language certificate. Beyond the four pillars, girls can edit a magazine, enter public-speaking competitions, produce film and radio, or set up a charity, so leadership and initiative are practised as much as performed. The effect is cumulative: a girl here can leave having performed, competed, led an expedition and chased a personal project, not just sat exams.

For the 2026/27 academic year, day fees are charged per term and are inclusive of VAT at 20%. Junior fees are £4,987 per term for Years 3 and 4 and £5,048 per term for Years 5 and 6, while senior and sixth form fees (Years 7 to 13) are £7,408 per term. A non-refundable registration fee of £100 applies on application, and a refundable acceptance deposit of £450 is held and repaid after a pupil's final term. School lunches and instrumental tuition are charged separately, and a junior breakfast club runs on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Financial support is a real route in, not a token gesture. The school runs a means-tested bursary programme offering up to 50% off fees, with two fully-funded places available each year, assessed on family income and capital. On top of that sit merit scholarships for academic ability, music, sport, art and drama, awarded for entry into Years 7, 9, 10 and 12 to both internal and external candidates. Major Music Scholarships can reach up to 50% off tuition and may include free instrumental lessons; sixth form scholarships typically carry a fee reduction of up to 10%. The development grants of £250 in Year 9 and the sixth form sit alongside this aid. Membership of the GDST adds further financial reach behind the support, part of the school's stated aim of widening access for able girls across Bristol regardless of background. Bursaries here are means-tested and based on family income, while scholarships recognise merit; families often hold both.

The sixth form is the academic high point of the school and the source of its strongest results. Students take three, sometimes four, linear A-levels, almost all alongside at least one Elective, an additional qualification drawn from a wide menu that includes extra GCSEs, AS Levels and bespoke certificates such as TEFL and food hygiene. Most also take the Extended Project Qualification, a research-led project worth half an A-level and valued by universities, which asks students to lead their own study and builds the independent-research habits that degree courses demand.

The provision is housed in a light, self-contained Sixth Form Centre on campus, with its own common room and cafe, modern classrooms, a careers library and dedicated study areas, giving students a working environment that mirrors university life. Entry requires a minimum of six GCSEs at grade 6 or above, rising to grade 7 in maths, English and science where those subjects are continued to A-level. The sixth form admits both internal students who meet the threshold and external applicants, so the intake refreshes at 16, and a Year 11 taster experience lets prospective students sample A-level teaching before they commit. With A-level results of 72.4% at A* or A and 90.5% at A*-B, an England rank of 56, and a track record of Oxbridge and Russell Group progression, this is a sixth form that competes at a high level while keeping the breadth that makes it more than an exam route.

The school operates a standard independent-school day across its Westbury-on-Trym campus, with the junior and senior phases on linked sites and a separate sixth form centre. A junior breakfast club runs on a pay-as-you-go basis, giving working families some flexibility at the start of the day, and the school's sport makes use of a second site at The Lawns near Cribbs Causeway. The 12-acre green campus sits in north-west Bristol, well placed for families across the city and the surrounding area, and the school draws pupils from a wide catchment rather than a single neighbourhood. Families weighing the commute can use the FindMySchool map to gauge travel from home before committing to open days.

Selective entry is the main hurdle. Admission is by examination at every main stage, and the school is the most academically competitive girls' school in Bristol. Strong candidates do well, but families should prepare for a genuine assessment process rather than assume a place.

Fees are at the higher end locally. At £7,408 per term for the senior school in 2026/27, and now quoted inclusive of VAT, the cost is significant, even allowing for one of the more generous bursary and scholarship programmes in the city. Families relying on financial support should apply early and read the bursary criteria carefully.

Single-sex, academic and ambitious. This is a selective girls' school with a strong results focus. That suits many families very well, but parents seeking a co-educational or non-selective setting, or one with a lighter academic gear, should weigh whether the fit is right.

One inspection follow-up. The most recent ISI report asked leaders to review the accessibility of the partnership projects programme so that all pupils can take part fully. It is a refinement rather than a concern, but worth asking about at an open day.

Redmaids' High School pairs a remarkable 400-year heritage with results that lead its city, sitting first in Bristol at both GCSE and A-level and within the top 10% of schools in England. The teaching is rigorous and well sequenced, the pastoral care is a genuine strength, and the co-curricular programme (nearly 20 music ensembles, the largest Duke of Edinburgh provision in Bristol, drama that reaches the Edinburgh Fringe) gives the academic ambition room to breathe. Membership of the GDST adds research depth and broader financial support behind a bursary scheme that already widens access.

It is best suited to academically able girls who will thrive in a selective, all-girls environment and whose families value strong university outcomes alongside real breadth beyond the classroom. The main caveat is access: entry is competitive and fees are high, so the school rewards families who prepare for the assessment and plan early for financial support.