Gordano School is proud to announce the publication of the latest edition of Gordano Extra, celebrating the extraordinary breadth and quality of extra-curricular opportunities available to its students.

Gordano Extra shines a spotlight on the unrivalled range of clubs, activities, and experiences designed to inspire students to dream big, build resilience, grow socially, and find happiness beyond the classroom. The opportunities on offer reflect Gordano School’s commitment to helping each individual realise their potential, discover their passions, and achieve personal success.

Gordano Extra is currently advertising 45 clubs available to students during term 1 and 2, including 3D Printing, Chess, Cipher, STEM, Dance, Duke of Edinburgh, LGBTQ+, Craft, Flying Start, Games, Karate, Pottery, Photography, Sport and so much more.

While Gordano has long been recognised as a high-performing school with an exceptional record of academic excellence at both GCSE and A Level, what truly sets it apart is the richness of experience on offer.

Opportunities beyond the classroom include:

• The Duke of Edinburgh Award: Gordano is proud to be the regional leader, with the highest number of new starters in the South-West for two consecutive years. Through outdoor adventure and service, students develop confidence, resilience and independence.
• Creative Arts: From large-scale school productions to the vibrant Creative Arts Festival, students enjoy countless opportunities to perform, exhibit and showcase their talents.
• Sports and Competitions: A thriving sports programme, national Maths challenges, Debate Society and more allow students to compete, collaborate and grow as problem-solvers.
• Activities Week: This year for Activities Week, over 1,000 students took part in over 40 off-site trips across three-year groups. Over half of its students attended a residential trip and a host of on-site activities designed to engage, challenge and inspire were also enjoyed.
• Trips Programme. Gordano School is proud to offer the most extensive annual school trips programme in the region, giving students a wealth of opportunities to broaden their horizons. From European cultural exchanges and outdoor challenges across the UK to subject-led expeditions and performing arts tours, learning at Gordano stretches far beyond the classroom walls.

Upcoming enrichment trips students are looking forward to are : sixth form trip to new York for 30 Business and Economics students in February half term 2026 and a ski trip to Italy for 60 Year 10 and 12 students over the Easter holidays in 2026.

           

           

           

                

At its heart, Gordano is far more than a place to study—it’s a place to belong, explore, and become. With a culture that nurtures the whole child, the school delivers excellence in teaching, a breadth of opportunity rarely matched, and a community that celebrates every individual.

Headteacher Louise Blundell said:

“We are immensely proud of the opportunities Gordano Extra reflects. The diversity and quality of our extra-curricular provision show that Gordano is not only about achieving excellent results, but about helping every student thrive as a whole person. These experiences prepare our young people for happy, successful futures.”

With its unparalleled offer, Gordano School continues to set the standard for excellence, ensuring that every student has the chance to discover their strengths, embrace new challenges, and flourish both within and beyond the classroom.

 

Gordano School is delighted to announce that it has received another generous grant from the Rosemary Bugden Charitable Trust. This vital funding will enable the school to continue running its choir, string, brass, and woodwind groups, as well as provide one-to-one peripatetic lessons for all Pupil Premium students studying GCSE Music.

The grant reflects the Trust’s long-standing commitment to making classical music education accessible to all.

Alongside its wide range of music groups and opportunities, Gordano School is also celebrated for its outstanding musical events, giving students the chance to showcase their talents and grow in confidence. Highlights include seasonal concerts, large-scale productions, the annual Creative Arts Festival, an international tour to the Netherlands, and open mic nights within the local community. The school’s vibrant music scene has even caught the attention of BBC Radio Bristol, which recently featured Gordano following a generous donation of instruments from a local family—some of which once shared the stage with legends like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Jimi Hendrix.

John Sharpe, Trustee of the Society, commented:
“The Rosemary Bugden Charitable Trust was founded in 1987 by the philanthropist Rosemary Bugden with the primary purpose of promoting the growth of classical music education. The Trustees, who are based in Bristol, currently operate a scheme to provide funds for music students in local state schools, whose parents would otherwise be unable to afford their tuition fees. The Trustees are pleased to have been able to assist with musical education at Gordano School.”

Gordano School wishes to celebrate and thank the Rosemary Bugden Charitable Trust for its generosity and vision. Their philanthropic support ensures that every student has the opportunity to develop their talents and passion for music.

We are seeking your views on our proposal to open a new SEND Resource Base to support secondary-aged young people from across the local area with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

When full, there would be places for 25 young people from Year 7 to Year 11. If approved, the Resource Base would open in September 2026. We are consulting on making this change to the school in accordance with the 2025 Department for Education Making significant changes to an academy guidance.

The decision to open the base will involve a number of partners: our governors and Trustees must give permission, North Somerset Council will need to agree capital and revenue investment to develop and maintain the base and the Department for Education will need to ratify the proposal.

Context
There is a growing population of young people with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) across the North Somerset Local Authority. Furthermore, there are limited places available within Special Schools and alternative provision to support young people with ASD. The creation of a Resource Base will provide a suitable setting for young people that do not require a Special School placement but are currently struggling in a mainstream setting. It is anticipated that this will reduce the number of young people that access costly resources beyond the local authority; therefore, there is both a moral and financial duty to support young people to access education near their home.

North Somerset Council has access to governmental funding that aims to reduce the number of expensive and ‘out of area’ places by developing specialist facilities within local communities. The resource base would be developed with some of this funding. This is an investment of new money into the educational infrastructure of the area and will not take money away from any existing school. Indeed, the reduction of expensive and inappropriate placements will increase the amount of funding coming into schools across North Somerset. The council has set out its SEND Priorities in their published School Place Planning Strategy (Appendix 2, page 170). Lighthouse Schools Partnership and Gordano School support those priorities and are playing their part in improving and increasing SEND provision in our area.

Gordano School is well placed to operate a Resource Base as there is already significant expertise and capacity in the SEND team. Our dialogue with the Local Authority also supports our view that in a town the size of Portishead there is likely to be demand for this specialist provision, so most pupils accessing the resource base would also be attending their local secondary school.

Places in a Resource Base are allocated by the local authority based on needs identified in Education and Health Care Plans (EHCPs). The 25 places would be additional to the school’s Planned Admission Number, so no local child or young person would be denied a place at Gordano as a consequence of the Resource Base.

The proposal
We wish to open a Resource Base for 25 pupils with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The aim of the Resource Base is to provide specialist support for young people with an Educational, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) stating ASD as their primary need. The proposal includes:

• A new specialist Resource Base building which will provide places for 25 pupils with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
• In all cases, the young people will have an Education Health Care Plan with the primary need of ASD named.
• Young people accessing the Resource Base will be able to access a proportion of mainstream lessons and benefit from specialist subject teaching and facilities.

 
What happens next?
The consultation will be for a period of five weeks, commencing on 8th September until Tuesday 14th October 2025. At the end of the consultation period, all comments/submissions will be considered by the school governors and Lighthouse Trustees, and a decision will be made as to whether to proceed with the next stage of the process as outlined in the Department for Education’s guidance.

How can I make my views known?
Your views are important to us, and we value your opinions. You can send your comments to the following:
Email: consultation@gordanoschool.org.uk
Letter: Clerk to Governors, Gordano School, St Mary’s Road, Portishead, Bristol, BS20 7QR

If you require clarification on any of the points raised, please contact us on 01275 841396 or by email to the address above.

Thank you for your interest; we look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Louise Blundell, Headteacher

Gary Lewis, Chief Executive

Gordano School is proud to announce the launch of The Compass, a brand-new specialist provision designed to support Year 7 students with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). Opening its doors in September 2025, The Compass represents a significant step forward in the school’s commitment to inclusive education.

Over the summer break, Miss Caswell and Mrs Hall have worked tirelessly to prepare the space—building and moving furniture, cleaning, and transforming the area into a calm and supportive environment for our new Year 7 pupils. Their dedication has ensured that The Compass is ready to welcome its first cohort.

A Purpose-Built SEND Provision

The Compass is a carefully designed base within Gordano School, offering a nurturing, structured environment for a maximum of twelve pupils per class. It includes:

• A main classroom for core learning
• A sensory room to support emotional regulation
• An intervention room for personalised support

 

           

Students will benefit from high-quality teaching adapted to meet individual needs, delivered by specialist teaching assistants and subject experts. While most learning will take place within The Compass, pupils will join the wider school for practical subjects, promoting integration and a sense of belonging.

A Focus on Individualised Support

To maximise support, students in The Compass will not follow a modern foreign languages curriculum. Instead, this time is allocated for specialist interventions tailored to each child’s specific learning profile—boosting both progress and confidence.

A Day in The Compass

Each day starts with students joining their assigned tutor groups in the main school, helping them stay connected with the wider school community. They then move to The Compass for a nurturing start to their academic day. Supported transitions between base lessons and mainstream practical lessons ensure that pupils are always guided and encouraged.

At break and lunch, students can access the Student Support area, offering a quiet space for building friendships, playing games, or seeking additional help.

Supporting Progress and Long-Term Success

The Compass will operate within a robust framework of ongoing support and evaluation. Progress will be regularly reviewed using the assess, plan, do, review cycle, with annual review meetings involving parents, pupils, and staff. These reviews will guide decisions about whether continued placement in The Compass is appropriate for each pupil beyond Year 7.

National Recognition for Inclusion

Gordano School has been awarded an ‘Area of Excellence’ in Inclusion by Challenge Partners—an accolade that reflects its deep-rooted commitment to supporting students with SEND. The launch of The Compass strengthens this dedication, offering a new level of specialist care within a mainstream setting.

Find Out More

Families seeking more information about The Compass are encouraged to contact the SEND team at:
📧 SEND@gordanoschool.org.uk
You can also visit the SEND webpage 

As we welcome the first students to The Compass this September, Gordano School reaffirms its mission to provide outstanding, inclusive education for every learner.

As we celebrate our Sixth Form students on their fantastic results, here we share some student spotlights as they take their next steps into higher education, apprenticeships and employment:

 

Student: Haiyi W - 4 A*s

Destination: Queen Mary University in London

Course: Flying Start Accountancy degree

 

Student: Ellie S - 4 A*s

Destination: Bristol University

Course: Vet Medicine

 

Student: Biba H

Destination: Bristol University

Course: Physics

 

Student: Sophie G - double distinction stars and a distinction

Destination: Dental Nursing Apprenticeship

 

Student: Isobel S - double distinction stars and a distinction

Destination: Plymouth Marjon

Course: PE Secondary Education

Student: Flo B - 2A*s and an A

Destination: Exeter University

Course: Psychology

Student: Joe R - 3 A* and an A

Destination: Oxford University

Course: Chemistry

 

Student: Max A - 3 A* and an A

Destination: Durham University

Course: Maths and Computer Science

 

Student: Sam L - 2A*s and an A

Destination: Bath

Course: Economics after a year abroad. He wishes to grow his own business in the future.

Student: Bailey W - 3 A* and an A

Destination: Manchester University

Course: Maths and Physics

 

Student: Harry L

Destination: Loughborough University

Course: Sports Science

 

Student: Isaac L

Destination: Loughborough

Course: Fashion Design after a gap year to do an art foundation course

Student: Jay H

Destination: Bristol University

Course: BIMM Music 

 

Student: Ben B

Destination: Exeter University

Student: Stanley - 2xA* and 2xA 

Students: Alan F, Connor H, Stan G, Halima H-W and Natalie G – all gained 2A*s and an A

Student: Austen C - double distinction in business and a distinction in sport

 

We're incredibly proud of their academic excellence, resilience, ambition, and hard work.