Clifton College
Same Bristol, City of area with a comparable local commute
School profile
Verified 17 August 2026
Clifton High School is a private secondary-stage school in Bristol, City of, Bristol, City of, with a published age range of 3-19.
Private school Co-ed Ages 3-19 Sixth form No boarders
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 3-19
- ISI ?
- Standards met
- Boarding ?
- No boarders
Clifton High School
1
On this page
At a glance
Key facts
- Sector
- Private school
- Gender
- Mixed
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 3-19
- Boarding ?
- No boarders
- Route check
- Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
- ISI ?
- Standards met
Overview
Overview
Clifton High's Diamond Edge model gives Mathematics, English and Science single-sex teaching in Years 7 to 9 while keeping other subjects and co-curricular life co-educational. It is a distinctive classroom arrangement within a school whose history began in 1877 with John Percival and moved from girls' education to full co-education in 2008/09.
The senior curriculum spans humanities, technologies, arts, languages and sport alongside examination subjects. In Years 10 and 11, pupils choose nine GCSE subjects, building a broad programme after the structured early senior years. The model keeps subject choice and shared activities open while using smaller teaching groups for the core subjects.
Six strands organise the co-curricular programme: Adventure, Clubs and Societies, the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Outreach, Performing Arts and Sport. Senior pupils are expected to participate in at least three, making activity beyond lessons a defined part of life at the College Road school in Clifton Village.
Admissions are managed directly by the school. Open events and private tours give prospective families a way to visit the site, meet pupils and staff and see the school in operation. The admissions team handles questions about the relevant entry point and the route into a place.
Key points
Key points
- Assessment route
- Applications are made directly to the school. Check the school's own admissions pages for registration dates, entrance assessment stages, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
- Places and demand
- Published Year 7 place numbers and applicant-per-place data are not included in GIAS for this private-school seed profile.
- Catchment
- Private-school eligibility is not controlled by the local-authority grammar catchment model; check boarding, day-pupil, transport and any sibling or faith rules on the school site.
- Results
- 0% grade 5+ in English and maths and 29.6 Attainment 8
- Sixth form
- Sixth form available with 14.8% AAB or better.
GCSE benchmark
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Bristol, City of and England.
School Local authority England
- Attainment 8
- 29.6
- Grade 5+ English and maths
- 0%
- EBacc APS
- 1.92
- EBacc entry
- 0%
Attainment 8 trend
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Bristol, City of and England.
School Local authority England
School details
School details
- Sector
- Private school
- School type
- Other independent school
- Funding
- Independent fee-paying
- Application
- Apply direct to school
- Gender
- Mixed
- Age range
- 3-19
- Head of School
- Headteacher Will Phelan
- Pupil roll
- 803 pupils
- Sixth form
- Yes
Location and contact
Location and contact
Address
- Address
- College Road, Bristol, Bristol, City of
- Postcode
- BS8 3JD
- Area
- Bristol, City of
School leadership
- Head of School
- Headteacher Will Phelan
School contact
- School phone
- 01179730201
Admissions contact
- Admissions team
- Admissions
- Admissions email
- admissions@cliftonhigh.co.uk
- Admissions phone
- 01179730201
Admissions
Admissions
- Application route
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 3-19
- Gender
- Mixed
- Boarding
- No boarders
- Day fees
- £7,818 per term including VAT for Sixth Form and Senior School Years 7-13, 2026/27
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Entrance details
- Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Admissions note
- GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
Oversubscription and eligibility
Use the official admissions policy for the current priority order and eligibility rules.
Exam and test format
Exam and test format
Entrance route and assessment
Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Assessment route
- Apply direct to school
Application
Application
How to apply
- 1
Apply direct to the school
Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
Check school admissions
Results
Results
Attainment snapshot
- Attainment 8 ?
- 29.6 Attainment 8
- GCSE results
- 0% grade 4+ in English and maths
- Grade 5+ English and maths ?
- 0% grade 5+ in English and maths
- EBacc average point score ?
- 1.92 EBacc APS
- A-level results
- 14.8% AAB or better
- A-level average points
- 37.64 A-level points per entry
Inspection
Inspection
Standards met
Latest inspection: 28 April 2026
- Leadership, management and governance
- Standards met
- Quality of education, training and recreation
- Standards met
- Physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing
- Standards met
- Social and economic education and contribution to society
- Standards met
- Safeguarding
- Standards met
Quick summary
- Latest ISI report: Routine Inspections 2026 records an inspection beginning 28 April 2026. The report says the relevant standards were met.
Similar schools and comparisons
Similar schools and comparisons
Nearby schools families also consider
Local rivals appear first, followed by nearby alternatives where the journey and admissions route are still comparable.
Queen Elizabeth's Hospital
Same Bristol, City of area with a comparable local commute
Bristol Grammar School
Same Bristol, City of area with a comparable local commute
Collegiate School
Same Bristol, City of area with a comparable local commute
Nearby schools with similar results
Closest comparable alternatives with a similar academic profile, so parents can weigh local fit and results together.
The Acorn School
Nearby option with a similar Ofsted and sixth-form picture
St Michael Abbey School
Nearby option with a similar Ofsted and sixth-form picture
The Vine Christian School
Nearby option with a similar Ofsted and sixth-form picture
Shortlist comparisons
Explore this school in context
Private schools near Bristol, City of
Independent secondary-stage school profiles with direct-application, age range and boarding context.
Best Grammar Schools by A-level Results
Explore the best grammar schools by A-level results in the UK, ranked by the published share of students achieving AAB or better at A level.
Related pages and guides
Related pages and guides
Area and ranking pages
Private schools near Bristol, City of
Independent secondary-stage school profiles with direct-application, age range and boarding context.
Best Grammar Schools by A-level Results
Explore the best grammar schools by A-level results in the UK, ranked by the published share of students achieving AAB or better at A level.
Guides and related reading
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How does Clifton High School handle admissions?
Clifton High School handles applications directly. Check the school website for registration dates, entrance assessments, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
How do I apply to Clifton High School?
1. Apply direct to the school: Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
When are the key dates for Clifton High School?
Use the school admissions page to confirm registration, assessment, interview and offer dates.
What does the latest inspection picture look like for Clifton High School?
Clifton High School is currently rated Standards met following the latest published inspection dated 28 April 2026.