Air Balloon Hill Primary School is a mainstream primary school in Bristol, Bristol, City of, for children aged 4 to 11. In January 2026, 130 of its 788 pupils (16.5%) were getting SEN support and 25 (3.2%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 4–11
- 788 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state primary schools across England and in Bristol, City of.
16.5% get SEN support
130 of 788 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
3.2% have an EHC plan
25 of 788 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Lower than the England average.
Most common needs
- Social, emotional and mental health55
- Speech, language and communication35
- Autism29
- Moderate learning difficulty25
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream primary school
- Run as
- Council-run school
- Ages
- 4 to 11
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 788 (places for 840)
- Headteacher
- Mr Timothy Browse
- Free school meals
- 26.4% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Bristol, City of
- School reference (URN)
- 135867
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask Bristol, City of council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Rated Good, April 2018; school remains Good (November 2023)
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in April 2018. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementGood
- Early yearsGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: School remains Good (ungraded inspection, November 2023).
Contact and getting there
Hillside Road, St George, Bristol, BS5 7PB
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- Hanham Woods Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted: Good 1.1 miles
- Briarwood School Special school · Ages 3–19 1.3 miles
- Broomhill Infant & Nursery School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–7 · Ofsted: Good 1.4 miles
- Soundwell Academy Special school · Ages 5–18 · Ofsted: Good 1.4 miles
Other mainstream schools
- Summerhill Infant School Primary · Ages 5–7 · SEN support 19.2%, EHC plans 0% 0.5 miles
- Two Mile Hill Primary School Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 15.5%, EHC plans 5.3% 0.5 miles
- Summerhill Academy Primary · Ages 7–11 · SEN support 17.9%, EHC plans 3.1% 0.6 miles
All mainstream schools in Bristol, City of SEND schools in Bristol, City of
Questions about Air Balloon Hill Primary School
How many pupils at Air Balloon Hill Primary School have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 130 of the 788 pupils (16.5%) were getting SEN support and 25 (3.2%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state primary schools it is 15.4% and 4.1%.
What are the most common needs at Air Balloon Hill Primary School?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (55 pupils), speech, language and communication needs (35 pupils) and autism (29 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at Air Balloon Hill Primary School?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at Air Balloon Hill Primary School?
Through Bristol, City of council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to Air Balloon Hill Primary School?
You can ask for Air Balloon Hill Primary School to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does Air Balloon Hill Primary School have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is Hanham Woods Academy, about 1.1 miles away.
Where is Air Balloon Hill Primary School?
Hillside Road, St George, Bristol, BS5 7PB, in Bristol, City of.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.