00:00As Bristol heads into the 2025-26 school year, concern is mounting over the performance of its primary schools.
00:09According to newly published Department for Education data, EAC Merchants Academy stands at the bottom of the list in the city.
00:17Just 26% of its pupils reach the expected standard in reading, writing and maths this year.
00:24And its latest offset rating is inadequate.
00:27Close behind, Hembury Court Primary Academy and Compass Point Primary School both saw 30% of pupils meeting the expected threshold.
00:37The former is rated, requires improvement, while the latter holds a good rating.
00:42Nova Primary School fared only marginally better at 33%, also rated good.
00:48These figures place these schools well below the city average, spotlighting persistent challenges as the new academic year begins.
00:58But many people's experiences of Bristol Primary Schools is actually very positive.
01:03Let's chat to locals to find out the positive aspects for Bristol Primary Schools in their experience.
01:08Tell me a little bit about your experience with school. Do you look back on it fondly?
01:12Not necessarily, no. I endured school. But as you grow older, the more you remember things.
01:21And as time passes, one tends to reminisce more than one did.
01:26Because I've been in higher education most of my life, I'm aware that the demography is changing and there are fewer children.
01:38And there are some schools where there are spaces.
01:41And other schools, which are very popular, have long waiting lists.
01:45So, you can't simply transfer from one school to another. It doesn't work.
01:52So, I'm not close enough to the experience to have a strong view.
01:58Beyond the bottom-ranked schools, Bristol as a whole is under pressure.
02:03Overall, just 56% of all primary pupils in the city met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths,
02:11marked lower than the 61% national average.
02:15Across key Stage 2 sats, average-scaled scores in Bristol stood at 105 in reading and 104 in mathematics,
02:25compared with roughly the same levels nationally.
02:29Indicating that while raw scores are comparable, the proportional reaching benchmark remains significantly lower.
02:37Generally, do you think Bristol schools, I don't know how much you know about Bristol schools?
02:41They're adequate.
02:42Yeah, there are some which are obviously very good.
02:44Unfortunately, those are ones where you have to go and pay to attend.
02:48Widening the lens further, the city's performance continues to decline.
02:53Recent reports place Bristol's primary schools in the bottom 10% nationally.
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