Best secondary schools in Bristol: A complete 2026 guide

Bristol has a strong, varied secondary school landscape. The city sits across two local authorities (Bristol and South Gloucestershire), has several well-known independents anchored around Clifton, and a wide range of comprehensives that have improved markedly over the last decade. Bristol is not a grammar school area, so the state sector is fully comprehensive, with admissions usually based on catchment and proximity.

This guide is for parents weighing up secondary options in the city, mixing independent and state schools. The aim is to give you a clear starting point, not a strict ranking. Visit in person, talk to current parents and check the most recent Ofsted reports before any decision.

We have based this list on schools with a long track record of strong results, positive Ofsted reputations and consistent demand from local families. We have mixed independent and state schools so that the list works whatever route you are considering.

We have not invented Ofsted ratings or specific exam results. Where we describe a school's strengths we have used qualitative language based on widely reported information. You should always check the most recent Ofsted report and the Department for Education's compare-school-performance service before making a decision.

Bristol's independent sector is concentrated around Clifton and the historic centre of the city. Most schools listed below run their own entry assessment, typically combining a written test in English and Maths with an interview. Fees vary, and most schools have a bursary scheme to support families on lower incomes.

Clifton College is a co-educational independent boarding and day school in Clifton, founded in 1862. It is one of the best-known public schools in the south-west.

The school is known for a wide curriculum at GCSE and A-Level, strong sport and a long-standing music programme. Boarding is a meaningful part of the offer alongside day places for local families.

Bristol Grammar School is a co-educational independent on Tyndall's Park, founded in 1532. Despite the name, it is a fee-paying independent rather than a state grammar.

The school is known for a strong academic record and a wide subject offer, and is widely chosen by families looking for a fee-paying option in the city centre.

Collegiate School is a co-educational independent in Stapleton, on the eastern edge of Bristol. It was previously known as Colston's School and was renamed in September 2022.

The school is known for its rugby and sporting tradition alongside its academic offer. Boarding and day places are available.

Queen Elizabeth's Hospital (QEH) is a historic boys' independent in Clifton, founded in 1586 and granted its royal charter in 1590. The school now admits girls in the sixth form.

The school is known for a strong rowing and music programme and a long tradition in the city. Day places are the main offer, with a smaller boarding community.

Clifton High School is a co-educational independent in Clifton, taking pupils through to sixth form. Historically a girls' school, it has been fully co-educational since 2009 (the sixth form admitted boys from 2008) and is a smaller independent than several of its neighbours.

The school is known for a personal, family-oriented culture and a wide subject offer. Entry is by assessment at the main entry points.

Badminton School is an independent girls' boarding and day school in Westbury-on-Trym. It takes pupils through to sixth form and has a substantial international boarding community.

The school is known for a strong academic record and a wide co-curricular offer. Day places are also available for local families.

Bristol is not a grammar school area. The state sector is fully comprehensive, and admissions are based on catchment, distance and other published criteria rather than selective testing at 11.

Families looking for selective state education usually consider grammars elsewhere in the South West, such as in Gloucestershire, where Pate's Grammar School in Cheltenham and others run the county 11+. Some families also look at the independent sector instead.

Bristol's state sector is fully comprehensive. There are no grammar schools, and admission is normally based on distance from the school, sibling links and other published criteria. The best-known state secondaries tend to be heavily oversubscribed, and property prices inside their catchment areas have been visibly affected as a result.

Cotham School is a co-educational state secondary in Cotham, in the centre of Bristol. It is among the more oversubscribed schools in the city.

The school is known for long-standing links with the University of Bristol and a strong sixth form. Admission is non-selective and primarily distance-based, with a small central catchment.

Redland Green is a co-educational state secondary in Redland, which opened in 2006 with the sixth form added in 2007. It serves a central catchment.

The school is known for a strong academic record built up since opening, despite being one of the newer schools in the city. Admission is non-selective and primarily distance-based.

St Mary Redcliffe and Temple is a co-educational Church of England state secondary in Redcliffe, with a Christian foundation and a wide intake from across the south of the city. It is consistently oversubscribed.

The school is known for solid academic results and a strong sixth form. Admission gives priority to children of practising Anglican families, with a published faith-based oversubscription policy.

Bristol Cathedral Choir School is a co-educational state academy in College Square, attached to Bristol Cathedral. It is among a small number of state schools in the country with a cathedral choral tradition.

The school is known for combining a regular GCSE and A-Level curriculum with a working choir programme. Admission for choristers is separate from the main intake.

Backwell School is a co-educational state academy in Backwell, just outside Bristol in North Somerset. It serves families on the south-western edge of the city.

The school is known for a wide sixth form offer and a long-standing local reputation. Admission is non-selective and primarily distance-based.

Blaise High School is a co-educational state secondary in Henbury, in the north of Bristol. It was previously known as Henbury School and was renamed in 2019.

The school is known for steady improvement and a structured behaviour culture. Admission is non-selective and primarily distance-based.

League tables capture a slice of what schools do, but they miss most of it. The right school for one child is often the wrong school for another, and the things that matter most rarely appear in headline data. Walk the route from your home to the school in school hours. Sit in on an open day and watch how staff and pupils interact when they think nobody is paying attention.

Think about practical factors too. A long commute eats into homework time, sleep and family life. A school that offers your child's specific GCSE and A-Level choices in Year 10 and 12 may matter more than overall reputation. And pastoral fit, especially around the move from primary, is often one of the biggest predictors of how a child settles in.

Bristol state school admissions are co-ordinated through the local authority, with applications due in late October for Year 7 entry the following September. Each school publishes its own oversubscription criteria, but distance from the school is normally the deciding factor once siblings and looked-after children have been placed. Some faith schools apply additional criteria around church attendance.

For families in the centre of Bristol, the catchments of the most oversubscribed schools are small and competitive. Property prices inside the catchments of schools like Cotham and Redland Green sit visibly above equivalent properties just outside the line. If you are moving for a specific school, check the current catchment line with the council before relying on previous years' maps.

Independent schools in Bristol use their own entry assessments, normally in January of Year 6 for Year 7 entry. Sixth form entry usually depends on predicted GCSE grades and an interview. Bursaries are available at most schools but vary in scale, so apply early and read each school's specific guidance.