Meet the Head

We welcome boys and girls between the ages of 3 - 16, of all faiths and none. We are an all ability school where care, discipline and respect are at the centre of all that we do. 

Choosing a school for your child may be one of the most important decisions your family has to make. Our website and school prospectus will help, but they do not capture the true ethos of what I believe to be a unique school.

I would therefore like to invite you to visit us at St. Ursula's, so that I can show you and your family around the school personally and answer your questions.

I look forward to welcoming you to St. Ursula's.

Lynette Carter
Headmistress

To arrange your visit, or to order a prospectus, just complete the website enquiry form.

Admissions Process

7+ Assessment
There are tests in Mathematics and in English; for the latter, the children undertake a reading test, a comprehension test and will be asked to write a story.  Members of staff ensure that the assessment is stress free! 

11+ Assessment
The assessment consists of 3 papers all based on national tests.  Papers are set in English, Mathematics and there is a non-verbal reasoning test.

The assessment takes place in the School's Old Chapel and lasts for approximately two and a half hours. 

Entry into Other Year Groups
Pupils can be admitted to the school throughout the year providing that there are appropriate vacancies in their year groups. 

For entry to year 8 and above, school assessments are set in English and mathematics; other subject areas may be assessed if appropriate.

Administration
In order to sit the entrance assessment, the registration form that accompanies the prospectus must be completed. 

Admissions Policy

St. Ursula's School is Bristol's only independent Catholic school.  Our school is all-ability, co-educational and caters for children aged 3 to 16 years.  The school is not narrowly selective and accepts children with special needs so long as these pupils, in the view of the Headmistress, can be offered an appropriate and relevant curriculum.

The school welcomes pupils from all faiths and none; all pupils are expected to attend assemblies and formal worshipping school functions such as Harvest Mass, Founder's Day Mass and the Carol Service.

The school is non-discriminatory in its admissions policy and is aware of its obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act 2001.  

Assistance

SCHOLARSHIPS

There are two main opportunities to achieve academic scholarships at St. Ursula's. These are at 7+ for entry to Year 3 and 11+ for entry to Year 7.  Scholarships are offered to candidates on the basis of academic performance only - no account is taken of parents' ability to pay.  Awards may be worth up to half the school fees.

7+ ASSESSMENT
All pupils seeking entry to the school at 7+ and who sit the assessment in January are considered automatically for a scholarship. 

11+ ASSESSMENT
All pupils seeking entry to the school at 11+ and who sit the assessment in January are considered automatically for a scholarship. 

In order to gain a scholarship, pupils must perform very well in all papers. Admissions Process provides more information on the entrance assessment. 

Fees

Fees for Academic Year 2007 -2008

Main School:

Little Bears Nursery:

Notes:

History

St. Ursula's School was formally known as St. Ursula's High School.  In 1896, The Sisters of Mercy established St. Ursula's as a convent school.

During the second world war, much of the school was destroyed, but it was re-built in 1948.  In 1972 the school underwent major changes when the convent was converted into classroooms and subject rooms. Also in 1972, the Board of Governors took responsibility for the strategic management and policies operated by the school, including its financial affairs and facilities.

In 1988, the Sisters of Mercy withdrew from independent education and an Educational Trust acquired St. Ursula's from the Order.  The first lay Head was appointed in 1991 and during Centenary Year in 1996, a major development programme was undertaken.  Whilst St. Ursula's remains a Roman Catholic school, it welcomes pupils of all faiths and none. 

Ethos

We educate 330 boys and girls of all faiths, from the age of three to sixteen years and take great pride in accommodating the needs of each individual. We have an excellent pastoral care system where rewards and sanctions reflect justice and forgiveness. At St. Ursula's you can feel a calm and respectful ethos, this is a school where we pay particular attention to the Christian values such as love and equality, where we promote positive attitudes and values concerning those of different race, faith, gender, age and ability.

We endeavour to make pupils of all abilities, partners in their own learning, enabling them to reach their maximum potential, nurturing their gifts and talents and preparing them for life in the 21^st century.

At St. Ursula's we are a family, we care for each other. This is a school where every individual feels valued and included.

At St. Ursula's every child is important.

We were delighted in January 06 to host the Bishop of Clifton.

Mission Statement

St Ursula's exists...

To provide Catholic, Christian education of the highest quality enabling pupils to live in the world with compassion, a sense of social justice and responsibility.

To nurture the talents of each boy and girl as fully as possible ensuring an all-round education.

To provide an environment for each pupil that is positive, supportive and disciplined within a warm, caring, family atmosphere.

To encourage pupils to be confident, considerate and accomplished independent-thinkers.

Facilities

Adjacent to The Downs, St. Ursula's is set in beautifully landscaped surroundings.  As well as offering unrivalled play areas for our children, our grounds are an oasis for wildlife, often observed by fascinated children.

St. Ursula's has many excellent facilities to offer its pupils and the wider community.

Sports 
Once inside the school gates you will find the wonderful on-site sports facilities that are on offer.  The sports hall complex and the superbly maintained on-site sports grounds allow the students to enjoy a broad range of sporting activities including football, hockey, basketball, netball, rugby, tennis, cricket, badminton and athletics.  There are acres of playing fields, rugby and football pitches and four tennis and netball courts.

The local community can hire any of the school's facilities. St. Ursula's has become the centre for county badminton. It plays host to numerous badminton clubs, drama groups and even Wedding Receptions and Balls.

Music
There is a strong musical tradition at St Ursula's.  The Music Department has contributed to the life of the school with an orchestra, a traditional choir and a gospel choir, as well as giving support to pupils, who want to explore for themselves their musical talents by forming their own bands.  The music department has a strong team of peripatetic staff to call upon, so every musical instrument is taught from oboe through to electric guitar.

Drama
The Drama Studio has been recently updated and there are many well-appreciated productions.  The open air Shakespeare plays in the school grounds have drawn a wide audience.

Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care is happening all the time at St. Ursula's.  We are a caring school, a school which values kindness and belonging.  St. Ursula's is a small community consisting of  330 pupils and 45 staff which means that every pupil is well-known.

The school is broken down into year groups and houses, so there is always support on hand for individuals.  In addition to promote pupil development, there is a whole school mentoring system, as well as a whole school prefect system. 

School structure
The senior teachers of  the lower, middle and upper schools have ultimate responsibility for children in their part of the school. 

Lower School - Nursery to Year 4
Senior Teacher - Mrs Alexia Bryant

Middle School - Years 5-8
Senior Teacher - Miss Lee Hewett

Upper School - Years 9-11
Senior Teacher - Mrs Tara Horton

House system
Pupils are placed in one of three Houses upon entry to the school.  The Houses are McAULEY, TORPY and WINGFIELD named after individuals who have played an important role in the history and development of the school.  Pupils may be placed in a particular house because of family history or affiliation.

Year 11 pupils act as House Captains and Vice House Captains of the Upper School;  Year 8 pupils for the Middle School and Year 4 pupils for the Lower School.  Year 11 pupils are short listed after applying for the role and chosen by House staff and pupils.  As well as organizing events and House teams, it is hoped they learn important social, personal, leadership and team building skills whilst holding office.

House events and competitions take place very term e.g. Rugby, Netball, Art, Music, Tennis, Design, Chess and Drama.  A new House competition takes place every term with the winning House perhaps being rewarded with a day out.  Houses also raise money for charity with various sponsored events.

Staff are also members of Houses and are expected to give support, enthusiasm and perhaps advice when needed during House meetings and competitions.  Rewards are fed into the system creating an atmosphere of good social interaction and group responsibility.

The House System is a vital part of the ethos of the school, encouraging friendly enjoyable competition in a range of activities in which everyone can contribute in some way.

Pupil Development

As well as offering strong support systems for our pupils through our excellent pastoral care.  St. Ursula's places a strong emphasis on pupil development.  With mentoring and prefect systems throughout the school, work related learning and a wide ranging extra curricular programme, our pupils are offered plenty of opportunities for their personal development.  These positive experiences grow self-esteem and encourage individuals' self confidence.  

Whole School Mentoring Policy
All pupils in the school receive an individual mentoring session on a termly basis with their Tutor/Classroom Teacher.  Up to three targets relating to the pupils' individual and personal views are established and recorded in the pupil's own student planner .  These targets are then reviewed jointly, every term, following the procedure above.  New targets are set when targets have been met.

Prefects
St. Ursula's runs a prefect system throughout the school, encouraging children of all ages to take responsibility.  Being a prefect is also a great opportunity for children to develop their leadership skills and to understand the principle of leading by example.  

Lower School Prefects are appointed for one year and have jurisdiction over pupils in Nursery, Reception and years 1-4.

Middle School Prefects are appointed for one year and have jurisdiction over pupils in Years 5 - 8.

Upper School Prefects are appointed for one Year and have jurisdiction over pupils in Years 9 - 11.

Parents` Information

Welcome to the parents' section. 

At St Ursula's we encourage parents to be actively involved in all aspects of their child's education.

As well as parents' evenings and other forms of regular progress reporting, we  send out a regular Bulletin, which provides information on forthcoming events and celebrates our successes.

Parents are invited to class assemblies in the Lower School and we have an open door policy to parents at the beginning and end of the school day. 

A selection of important school policies are available in this section of the website.  All school policies are available via the school office. 

The Friends of St Ursula's hold many social and fund raising events which benefit the whole school community. 

Recommendation Bonus

Parents of current pupils who recommend a new pupil will be entitled to a 10% discount of the new pupil's first terms fee.

Pupils` Information

Curriculum

Use this section to find out more about the main parts of the school including the nursery and the curriculum offered at each level.  Subject details are provided by each department. 

Pupils follow the National Curriculum and are entered for all National Tests. The curriculum is designed to prepare pupils to achieve the intellectual flexibility required to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century.

"We look at the whole child - we aim high but the pupils are not under pressure"

Pupils can join the school at the Foundation Stage, attending our Little Bears Nursery.

‘Little Bears'. The Nursery is run by a qualified Early Years specialist, who not only provides daily Numeracy and Literacy Enrichment Sessions, but introduces the children to a foreign language. From the initial introduction to education in the Lower School, boys and girls proceed through the Middle School and enter the Upper School, where they are offered a full range of GCSE subjects.

Departments

Click on the subject areas below for further information.

Sports

Physical Education is a key part of school life at St. Ursula's.  As well as developing physical skills, we recognise its importance in promoting healthy living and team work, as well as providing fun and fulfilment. 

St Ursula's is proud of its reputation for offering all pupils the chance to try a wide variety of sporting and physical activities.  The school has excellent facilities and competes in many team sports.

Regular fixtures in Netball, Girls Football, Rugby, Football, Cricket, Tennis, Rounders and are an important feature of the school calendar. See Sports Fixtures for more information.  We are very proud of our school teams and those individuals who compete at club and representative level.

Over a school year we offer a wide range of sports clubs including Association Football, Netball, Rugby, Hockey, Basketball, Volleyball, Dance, Gymnastics, Health-Related Fitness, Cross-Country Running, Tennis, Rounders, Athletics and Badminton.  See Lower School Clubs and Middle/Upper School Clubs for more information.

In addition, the PE Department organises extra activities including trips such as "Army Day" and whole school events such as "Dance Day."  Furthermore there is an annual outdoor activities trip to France every year. 

The PE Curriculum 

The Physical Education Department offers a wide range of practical and examined physical education, adhering to the National Curriculum guidelines.  PE is compulsory for all students from Reception to Year 11. 

Reception to Year 9

All pupils have 2 lessons per week. In addition, pupils in years 3 - 6 inclusive, have a weekly swimming lesson.

The emphasis is on developing the vital components of health and skill related fitness via a balanced and varied programme of practical activities.  

Years 10 - 11

Those students who do not opt for the GCSE course continue to have one lesson of PE each week.

GCSE PE

Students who opt to take Physical Education at GCSE level follow the AQA examining board curriculum. GCSE students receive four lessons each week. The course requires students to pursue four practical options of their choice.

Staff

Beyond the Curriculum

A successful education is not just about the study of subject areas and the sitting of examinations.  These, of course, are vital, but young people must be prepared in other ways for adulthood, for further successful studies and the world of work.

At St. Ursula's we help our students to acquire good communication skills, the ability to work with others, to think independently and to take responsibility for themselves and others.  Such skills build gradually into a sense of self worth; they are practised in the classroom but also acquired through participating in a broad range of activities.  Pupils contribute greatly to the ethos of the school via such activities as:

There is a full programme of clubs and activities on offer for pupils in all parts of the school.  Follow the links to view for the Lower School and Middle and Upper School.

Little Bears Nursery

Set within our beautiful school grounds, Little Bears has superb facilities and is exceptionally well resourced.  The nursery was refurbished in 2005 and benefits from its own enclosed garden and outside play area.

The emphasis at Little Bears is to provide a secure and relaxed environment, acting as a bridge between home and school.  There is a broad early-years curriculum with activities carefully planned around the six key areas of learning, as set out in the "Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage,"  as well as other activities, including French.

Little Bears offers a stimulating environment, designed to give children positive learning experiences that are fun and fulfilling.  The experienced nursery team at Little Bears is led by a fully qualified teacher who specialises in early-years.  With excellent carer / child ratios the nursery staff can work closely with your child, enabling them to benefit fully from the many learning opportunities that are presented through planned and self-initiated play activities, therefore promoting high self esteem.

Children would usually join the nursery in the term of their third birthday, but may be considered slightly younger.  Part-time and flexible sessions are available with year round care offered at our school holiday club on site. 

Little Bears has been awarded the "Bristol Standard" by the Bristol Early Years and Childcare Partnership for the quality of its work.  The government's early-years grant and employers' child care vouchers are all accepted and sibling discount is available. 

Lower School

Nursery - Year 4

St. Ursula's Lower School focuses on building children's self-esteem and self-confidence in a warm, caring and stimulating environment.  This environment is ideal for nurturing our pupil's individual talents right from the start in the Foundation Stage at Little Bears Nursery and in Reception class, through the transitions into Key Stages 1 and 2.

Mrs Alexia Bryant is Senior Teacher of the Lower School and leads a team of creative and energetic teachers.  Pupils are divided into year groups and each class teacher is responsible for ensuring individuals' academic progress, making certain that each child achieves their full potential. Class teachers are also responsible for the well-being and pastoral care of their pupils.

Small class sizes mean that pupils have many opportunities to explore and discover for themselves, alongside the structured curriculum, so each child develops a real enthusiasm to learn. 

We are passionate about learning at St Ursula's and believe that high expectations for each and every pupil are a prerequisite. These expectations exist in the context of a demanding, challenging, thinking curriculum. It is a curriculum that is inclusive, that supports and challenges all learners using a range of stimuli whilst maintaining self-esteem and confidence.

We offer a wide range of subjects:

English, Mathematics, Science, Religious Education, Citizenship, French, Design & Technology, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), History, Geography, Art, Drama, Music, Physical Education, and Swimming (Years 3-6).

To supplement these subjects there are a wide range of extra-curricular activities on offer after school or at lunchtime.

Our Lower School is an extremely happy environment where respect for others, friendship and fun are paramount.  The whole school exudes a strong family atmosphere where the older pupils take responsibility for looking after the younger children.

This means that the move up to Middle School is always positive and stress-free.  With such an excellent start in the Lower School, we find that children are always looking forward to their next step and are hungry to learn.

Middle School

Years 5 - 8

Children enter the Middle School in Year 5 and stay until the end of Year 8. The Middle School crosses over Key Stages 2 and 3.

Miss Lee Hewett is the Senior Teacher for Middle School.  Her main role is to ensure that every individual child within her care is cared for, so that they have a smooth transition from the end of Key Stage 2 through to the start of Key Stage 3.

The time that the children spend in Middle School is vital, so that they are confident learners and well prepared for the build up to their GCSEs in the Upper School.

Miss. Hewett ensures regular meetings take place between form teachers, subject teachers and the Headmistress to ensure that all aspects of an individual child's academic progress, welfare and personal development are constantly monitored.

Every pupil is developed as an individual within the different subject areas, facilitating their own individual, optimum progression from key stage 2, and through the initial stages of Key Stage 3.  In the Middle School, every pupil has the opportunity to discover the concepts of a wide variety of subjects.

The subjects offered to every pupil at Key Stage 3 are:
English, Mathematics, Science, Religious Education, Design and Technology (Textiles, Graphics, Resistant Materials and Electronics) French, Drama, History, Geography, ICT, Music, Art, Citizenship, PE and Games.  Keen linguists also have the opportunity to study German from Y8.

Academic development is supplemented by an exciting extra-curricular programme which gives pupils opportunities to be involved with a broad range of activities and events throughout the school year, including musical performances and sporting events.  Pupils are also encouraged to get really involved with school life through the school council, prefect system and by joining one or more of the many clubs on offer to develop their personal interests and talents. 

The warm and caring atmosphere in the Middle School at St Ursula's makes it an exciting, yet homely place to be.

Upper School

Years 9-11
The Upper School covers Years 9-11.  The focus is on instilling the appropriate work ethos for GCSE studies and beyond.  Students are allocated to a tutor group under the leadership of the Senior Teacher for Upper School.  The team of tutors works together closely, addressing concerns promptly and encouraging all students to attain the very best that they can: both within the classroom and without.  Tutors work with pupils, subject teachers and parents to ensure that the very best pastoral and academic guidance is provided.

Year 9
Pupils study a range of subjects following the National Curriculum for Key Stage 3:  English, Mathematics, Science, Religious Education, Art, Citizenship, Design and Technology, Drama, French, Geography, History, ICT, Music, Physical Education.  Approximately half the year group study German as a second Modern Foreign Language.  Pupils sit SATs in Mathematics, English and Science in May of Year Nine.

Key Stage 4
In Years ten and eleven pupils study for between seven and nine GCSEs. All study Mathematics, English Language, Science and Religious Studies.  Most also take English Literature and a second Science GCSE.

Pupils choose three further GCSEs from a range of options.  The timetable is arranged to ensure that as many students as possible are able to pursue their favoured choices. 

In addition to compulsory and optional GCSEs, all students have Information and Communication Technology lessons and work towards the ECDL (European Computer Driving Licence).  Citizenship and Games lessons are also timetabled for all.

In Year ten all pupils undertake a week's work experience which is accredited by Connexions. 

Also in year ten, pupils can start working on the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme. There is a full extra-curricular programme, in which all Upper School pupils are encouraged strongly to be involved.  With a wide range of sporting, musical and theatrical events as well as a full weekly timetable of clubs, there is something for everyone.