E-ACT Venturers' Academy

  • Special
  • Free school
  • Ages 4 to 19
Ofsted: Requires improvement

Withywood Road, Withywood, Bristol, BS13 9AXOpen in maps

E-ACT Venturers' Academy is a special school in Bristol for ages 4 to 19. It is one of the 168 schools in Bristol. Its latest Ofsted rating is Requires improvement, from an inspection in May 2024.

Ofsted inspection

Inspected 14 May 2024, report published 18 June 2024

Overall effectiveness
Requires improvement
Quality of education
Requires improvement
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Requires improvement
Early years provision
Requires improvement
Sixth form provision
Good
Safeguarding
Met

Read the full Ofsted report

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 14 May 2024

Pupils benefit from positive relationships at this caring school. Staff help pupils to communicate and interact with increasing success. However, the overall quality of education is not yet good. The school is aware that, until recently, expectations of what pupils could achieve were too low. Although curriculum planning has improved and reading is now a priority, these elements are implemented inconsistently, and expectations of pupils remain variable. As a result, pupils do not achieve as well as they should. The school is usually calm and purposeful. However, due to their needs, pupils can present with challenging behaviours. Staff know each pupil and their individual needs very well. They use this to establish positive and trusted relationships. Every pupil has an individual plan to help them manage their own behaviour. Staff use this effectively. As a result, pupils' behaviour typically improves considerably over time. Bullying is exceptionally rare, if it ever happens. Pupils are happy and feel safe. They know that staff care for them. Pupils develop character and self-confidence. They learn about themselves, ways to keep healthy and how to access their community successfully. This means they are well prepared for the transition to adulthood.

What the school should improve

  • The implementation of the curriculum is too variable in quality, including in the early years. This means that pupils do not learn the new curriculum as well as they should. The school should look to secure greater consistency in the quality of the implementation of the curriculum so that pupils achieve more.
  • The school has not successfully secured the confidence of some members of the community. Several staff and parents share concerns about the regularity and amount of staff change and how the school communicates with them. The school should improve how it engages and communicates with all members of the community so that there is greater clarity about the changes being implemented and why.
  • The school's strategies for improving attendance are new. This means there is little sign of this improving to return to pre-pandemic levels. The school should embed and refine its strategies to ensure that more pupils attend well.

Read the full Ofsted report

Exam results

SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25

18 pupils took the tests

Expected standard in reading, writing and maths0%

0%, 62 percentage points below the England average of 62%.

Higher standard in reading, writing and maths0%

0%, 8 percentage points below the England average of 8%.

Reading, average scaled score80

80, 26 below the England average of 106.

Maths, average scaled score81

81, 24 below the England average of 105.

Grammar, punctuation and spelling, average scaled score83

83, 22 below the England average of 105.

GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25

16 pupils in the year group

Attainment 8 score0.9

0.9, 45.2 below the England average of 46.1.

Grade 5 or above in English and maths0%

0%, 45.4 percentage points below the England average of 45.4%.

Grade 4 or above in English and maths0%

0%, 64.8 percentage points below the England average of 64.8%.

Pupils entering the EBacc0%

0%, 40.5 percentage points below the England average of 40.5%.

EBacc average point score0.00

0.00, 4.09 below the England average of 4.09.

Pupil numbers and mix

240 pupils on roll, with places for 242

Eligible for free school meals57.9%

57.9%, 31.4 percentage points above the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language24.2%

24.2%, 2.6 percentage points above the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support0%

0%, 14.8 percentage points below the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan100%

100%, 94 percentage points above the England average of 6%.

Schools near E-ACT Venturers' Academy

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
Manor Wood School0.1 milesNo Ofsted inspectionNot published
Belgrave School0.4 milesNo Ofsted inspectionAttainment 8: 34.2
New Fosseway School1 mileOfsted: Good0% met the expected standard
Knowle DGE Academy2 milesOfsted: GoodAttainment 8: 1.0
Avonside School4 milesNo Ofsted inspectionNot published

School details

School type
Free schools special
Sector
Free school
Trust
E-ACT
Age range
4 to 19
Gender
Mixed
Headteacher
Co Headteacher Emily Bott - Secondary Helen McDicken - Primary
Phone
01173010805
Website
venturersacademy.org
Address
Withywood Road, Withywood, Bristol, BS13 9AX
Local authority
Bristol
URN
142780

School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.