Cotham Gardens Primary School is a mainstream primary school in Bristol, Bristol, City of, for children aged 4 to 11. In January 2026, 51 of its 365 pupils (14%) were getting SEN support and 12 (3.3%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 4–11
- 365 pupils
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state primary schools across England and in Bristol, City of.
14% get SEN support
51 of 365 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
3.3% have an EHC plan
12 of 365 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
About the same as the England average.
Most common needs
- Social, emotional and mental health17
- Speech, language and communication17
- Moderate learning difficulty13
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia6
- Autism5
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
- Academy
- Ages
- 4 to 11
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 365 (places for 630)
- Headteacher
- Ms Emmeline Smith
- Part of
- Cotham Gardens Primary School LTD
- Free school meals
- 27.1% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Bristol, City of
- School reference (URN)
- 138708
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
Special measures. Graded by area, December 2024; school remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next (January 2023)
Ofsted has placed this school in special measures.
Inspected in December 2024. Inspections from September 2024 to November 2025 graded each area but gave no overall grade.
- Quality of educationInadequate
- Behaviour and attitudesRequires improvement
- Personal developmentRequires improvement
- Leadership and managementInadequate
- Early yearsRequires improvement
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: School remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next (ungraded inspection, January 2023).
Contact and getting there
18 Cotham Grove, Bristol, BS6 6AL
Loading the map…
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
- Boomsatsuma Create Agency Independent · Ages 16–25 0.6 miles
- Sefton Park Infant School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–7 · Ofsted: Good 0.9 miles
- Easton CofE Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 1.1 miles
- Claremont School Special school · Ages 2–19 · Ofsted: Good 1.4 miles
Other mainstream schools
- Cotham School Secondary · Ages 11–18 · SEN support 20.7%, EHC plans 1.1% 0.2 miles
- E-ACT Montpelier High School Secondary · Ages 11–18 · SEN support 11.6%, EHC plans 1.2% 0.3 miles
- Ss Peter and Paul RC Primary School Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 6.1%, EHC plans 1.4% 0.4 miles
All mainstream schools in Bristol, City of SEND schools in Bristol, City of
Questions about Cotham Gardens Primary School
How many pupils at Cotham Gardens Primary School have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 51 of the 365 pupils (14%) were getting SEN support and 12 (3.3%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state primary schools it is 15.4% and 4.1%.
What are the most common needs at Cotham Gardens 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 (17 pupils), speech, language and communication needs (17 pupils) and moderate learning difficulties (13 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at Cotham Gardens 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 Cotham Gardens 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 Cotham Gardens Primary School?
You can ask for Cotham Gardens 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 Cotham Gardens 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 Sefton Park Infant School, about 0.9 miles away.
Where is Cotham Gardens Primary School?
18 Cotham Grove, Bristol, BS6 6AL, 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.