Life changing
Senior School
Starting Life’s Adventure
As a parent you probably have many aspirations for your child, but ultimately your hope may simply be for them to grow up to be happy and fulfilled. At Bristol Grammar School we share that ambition; our aim is for your child to leave BGS happy, confident and secure, equipped not just with qualifications but with the skills they need to make their way in the world.
The opportunities to gain these skills – such as teamwork, resilience, problem-solving, and communication – are embedded throughout our School. As a proudly co-educational school, we believe girls and boys learn best when they work alongside each other, learning to see each other as peers and collaborators just as they will be in the world beyond school.
From performing on stage in our impressive theatre, to teamwork on our sports fields at Failand, or on adventures outdoors and overseas, there are many ways for your child to find their place at BGS. They will learn they are capable of far more than they believed possible and develop the courage and determination to take on life’s challenges. This is the education we offer at BGS; the excellent exam results our students achieve are a consequence of all that we do here, inside the classroom and out.
I warmly invite you to come and spend some time with us, meet our students and staff, and discover for yourself just how much fun life at BGS can be. You can arrange a tour or taster day by contacting our Admissions Office. I very much look forward to welcoming you to our School.
Jaideep Barot, Headmaster
Belong A Place where you
What strikes many visitors to BGS is the happy ‘buzz’ throughout our School. This is a reflection of our vibrant and happy community. We want all our students to look forward to coming to school, to relish the challenges on offer and to take advantage of the many opportunities and experiences BGS can provide. At BGS, ensuring your son or daughter is happy and enjoys school life is at the heart of all we do.
To make sure every child has the care they need, the School has a wide range of support systems. Your child will join one of our six Houses, each a mini family within the wider BGS community. As well as their Head of House, your child will have a Form Tutor, who will typically remain with them throughout their time in the Senior School. These strong and lasting relationships mean your son
or daughter will always be known as an individual, and have someone familiar to turn to if they need a little extra support.
Peer Mentors, specially trained Sixthformers, are on hand to offer your child informal advice and guidance, and children who are facing bigger challenges can use the services of our School Counsellor. Growing up in the
No
one has to be something that they are not at this school. You can be whatever you want to be, take part in whatever you want to take part in. There is no given path at BGS, you can be anyone.”
Alex Year 9
without limits Learning
Some of the most important lessons your child will learn at BGS will take place outside of the classroom. Of course academic results are important – and our talented and dedicated teaching staff are skilled in helping every child to do their best – but these are nothing without the life skills that will enable your son or daughter to thrive beyond the school gates.
Our Outdoor Education programme – devised and led by an expert in this field – is essential to our aim of ensuring our students leave us as well-rounded individuals. From tackling the low ropes course at Failand to undertaking the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award or an adventurous expedition overseas, your child will have the chance to spend time in the great outdoors, building teamwork, leadership
and interpersonal skills. Opportunities to perform in music, drama and dance are plentiful. Plays and concerts, lunchtime recitals, dance showcases and more will allow your child to experience the joy of working with others to create and share a piece of work, and to gain confidence in expressing themselves in front of an audience.
You can apply ‘adventure’ to everything at BGS. From day one you just start picking up as many opportunities as you can.”
Holly Year 9
The joy of participation Sport is played and enjoyed at every level at BGS, valued for its physical and mental health benefits. Whether your child prefers elite competition or the friendly rivalry of inter-House fixtures, or individual sport to traditional team games, they’ll be well catered for here. Excellent facilities and coaches will encourage your child’s progress and we try to arrange fixtures for B, C and D teams as well as the A teams, giving everyone the chance to compete. Alongside team sports, we offer a wide variety of individual activities, such as fencing, dance, orienteering, climbing and squash, with our own squash courts and climbing wall on-site.
At BGS we’ll encourage your son or daughter to push their boundaries and try something new, to take risks in a safe and secure environment. And by sometimes getting things wrong, they’ll develop the resilience and perseverance required to learn how to get it right, gaining confidence which is as valuable inside the classroom as out.
A Journey of
Discovery
Although they share a sense of curiosity and an enthusiasm for learning, there is no such thing as a ‘typical’ BGS student; your child is unique with their own talents and interests and they will find their own place at BGS. There is a huge variety of lunchtime and after school clubs on offer – orienteering, chess, beekeeping, girls’ rugby, dance and Model United Nations to name just a few – and with a large staff and student body there is the knowledge and enthusiasm to cater to just about everyone’s tastes.
Choice and opportunity
Our size also means we can support a wide-ranging and engaging curriculum, with a rich choice of subjects – we offer 25 different GCSEs ranging from Greek and Latin to Dance and Food Technology, all taught by specialist teachers. Subject teachers and our dedicated Careers and Higher Education Advisors will help your child find the right path for them. A specialist Learning Support team and a thriving Scholars' Programme mean that your child will have everything they need to fulfil their potential, be that some extra help or the chance to stretch themselves further still.
Your child will also have the chance to take their learning beyond BGS: in a typical year we run over 200 trips to destinations near and far. These enrich teaching and learning and will also help your son or daughter develop a sense of independence, feel comfortable and confident in new surroundings, and broaden their cultural horizons.
21st century learning
At BGS our teaching spaces and resources are designed with learning in mind. Children learning to learn in the 21st century need the confidence and ability to embrace technology. With individual iPads, a state-of-theart theatre and recording studio, modern science labs and specialist design technology workshops, BGS is resourced to ensure your child gains relevant and up-to-date skills. Our Library is open until 6pm daily, providing a place for your child to do their homework, undertake some independent study or to simply enjoy one of the 25,000 books, journals and magazines it holds.
It’s not just about learning at BGS, it’s about the facilities like Failand. Whatever you’re into you can go for it.”
A World of Opportunities
Our students go on to a wide range of destinations and occupations when they leave BGS. For many, university will follow, while others prefer to experience a gap year or head straight into the world of work. Whichever route your child takes, they will have been supported in finding the right path for them by our dedicated Careers department.
While their destinations may vary, one thing many of our students have in common is that they leave BGS as confident, compassionate and ambitious young adults. We are proud of the interested and interesting young people we send out into the world.
The end of their school days doesn’t mean the end of their BGS days. On leaving, your child will be welcomed into the Old Bristolians, a thriving alumni association which offers social and networking events, allowing former students to stay in touch with BGS. Your son or daughter will also have the many memories and friendships made during their time at BGS that will last long after they leave school.
The legacy that the School has is awe-inspiring. You think that ‘one day I can do that or I can be like that’. It is possibly what helps you to push yourself forward. Seeing the success around you makes you want to be a part of it; it’s very consuming, it draws you in.”
Year 9
Come and discover the buzz for yourself
