Best Private Schools Bristol

As a parent, we only want the best for our children. Let’s face it; we will not be there to support them forever. The best that we could do for them is to leave them equipped for the challenges that await them in the future.

One such important weapon they could wield to face whatever life throws at them is a quality education. Thus, choosing which private school could best unlock your child’s potential is an important decision you have to make as a parent.

State schools versus private schools

You might ask, why do we need to consider private schools when as far as you know, state-managed education institutions are equally competitive? Sorry to burst your bubble, but there has been a growing gap in student performance produced by state-run and private schools.

According to this article from ShoutOutUK.org, there was a widening grading gap in GCSE and A-level marks between state-run students and private school students. Seventy percent of independent school pupils were awarded the top grades of A and A* for A-Level in comparison to 39 percent for those at state schools. Back in 2019, the grade gap between private and state schools stood at 24 percent for grades A and A* at A-Level. By 2021, it has risen to 31 percent. You can read the full article here.

The decline in the performance in public schools may be temporary—or permanent, who knows? The point is that, for now, private schools are a more practical and reliable choice for your children’s education.

Now, how do you choose the best private school for your kid’s education?

According to this article, you can look into a school’s academic profile, student development, school culture, and organizational environment to evaluate a school’s credentials since they provide a basic concept of the things that a school should be doing well and continuously improving.

Academic profile

Academic profile refers to the school’s educational program. This includes the school’s philosophy of education, its curriculum, the scope and sequence of the curricular program, the instructional and assessment strategies employed by the faculty, the readiness of students to be successful in college, and the integration of technology with student learning.

Student Development

Student Development refers to the programs the school has outside of its academic activities. This includes the extracurricular activities available for student participation, the athletic opportunities and programs the school provides, the philosophies that govern those programs, the ratio of the school’s focus between academics and extracurricular programs, and the diversity of the student body.

School culture

School culture, on the other hand, refers to the environment in which learning takes place. What’s important here is to choose a school whose culture directs, allows, or supports your child’s individual educational needs.

Environment

Lastly, organizational environment. This broad aspect includes the relationship between the school and its students’ parents, the safety and security of the campus, continuous improvement plans, and mission and vision, among others.

So after checking the current crop of private schools in Bristol with the above criteria, we identified at least three private schools that you can consider as a partner in the education of your child.

1. Bristol Grammar School is a co-ed school accepting students aged between 4-18 years. The school currently has 1,340 students. The school ranks 170th in the GCSE and 185th in A-level.
2. Badminton School in Westbury Road is also another school to consider for your daughters. The school currently accepts girls between 3-18 years. The school is currently providing instruction to 469 students. In the recent GCSE, the school ranked an amazing 75th in the UK and 96th in the A-level rankings.
3. If you have sons, Queen Elizabeth’s Hospital in Berkeley Place, Clifton, Bristol is a great choice to consider for their educational needs. Home to 729 students, the school accepts students between the age of 7-18. Queen Elizabeth’s Hospital ranked 158th and 87th in the GCSE and A-level rankings, respectively.

Final Words

Choosing the “best” school for your children is not the easiest decision to make, but it doesn’t have to be that complicated, either. Aside from looking at their performance, it might help to visit the schools yourself and see what they offer. Bring your kids if you have to. If they feel comfortable with the school, then that’s probably the only important thing to consider.