Oasis Academy: Brightstowe Prospectus Academy: Brightstowe
The school has designed a well sequenced and ambitious curriculum. This sets out the learning it wants pupils to know lesson by lesson. Teachers provide structured routines for pupils to recall and revisit their learning.
It is my absolute privilege to serve as Principal of Oasis Academy Brightstowe. Every day, I am proud of the young people who walk our corridors, the staff who inspire them, and the community that stands alongside us. Brightstowe is not just a school – it is a family where every child is known, valued and supported to achieve their very best.
At the heart of our work are relationships. We believe that strong, trusting connections between students, staff and families create the foundations for both academic success and personal growth. Every pupil has a Champion – a trusted adult who knows them as an individual and encourages their aspirations. Together with parents and carers, we build a partnership that helps our students to flourish.
Academically, we set high expectations and are relentless in driving standards. Our curriculum is ambitious and designed to open doors – equipping students with the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to excel in examinations and in life. We are equally committed to nurturing character, resilience and curiosity, so that our young people leave Brightstowe as wellrounded citizens ready to make a positive impact on the world.
Our academy is rooted in the community we serve. We are proud to be part of Oasis, a movement dedicated to ensuring that every child belongs, achieves, and has real choice for their future. At Brightstowe, this commitment is lived out daily through our values of Respect, Responsibility, Resilience and Relationships.
I am immensely proud of what our students achieve – not just in their academic results, but in the way they grow as people. Brightstowe is a place of ambition, care and opportunity, and I warmly invite you to visit us and see for yourself what makes our academy so special.
Here, anything is possible.
Andráea Davies
Principal Oasis Academy Brightstowe
Life at our academy is never dull; every day is different and full of opportunity. School begins at 8:45am and ends at 3:15pm, with afternoon clubs running weekdays until 4:15pm.
We offer a breakfast club to all pupils from 8.00am, Monday to Thursday, to support with a healthy start to the day. Students can typically enjoy healthy cereals, a bagel, fresh fruits, juice and water.
Our lessons are timetabled with care to ensure that students are given a rich selection of subjects every day, and time to rest and socialise at breaks. We know that each of our young people will have their favourite subjects, the ones that they feel passionately about and thrive in. We also know that they will have interests that they will want to explore when it comes to their education. As such, we have a range of subjects on offer to students at GCSE, complemented by a rich extra-curricular offer.
Inclusion is at the heart of every school day. This means whatever your child’s needs, be those social, academic or biological, we are supportive of all. We have programmes in place for SEND, and bespoke sensory areas to break away into – during learning or play times. To find out more about our SEND Offer, please visit the website.
At Oasis Academy Brightstowe every child has the chance to access a variety of enriching experiences from the first term in year 7 through to the end of year 11. We are committed to ensuring that the highest quality academic curriculum is offered, underpinned by a competitive enrichment programme that includes our popular Interhouse events.
We have year-round enrichment programmes in Music, Art, Literature and Drama, Sport, STEM and Careers. More information about this is available on our website. Students are able to opt into these activities on a half termly basis.
All of our pupils enjoy the Oasis Entitlement, a guaranteed set of opportunities during their time at the academy:
• Reading strategies so that every student becomes a fluent reader
• Access to online learning
• Access to high quality mental health support
• Be a student leader or mentor
• Be part of a school production
• Be part of a school team
• Play a musical instrument
• Play an active part in a Hub project
• Attend a residential trip
• Visit the theatre, an art gallery or a museum
• Visit universities and places of work
Our academy lunches are tailored for all dietary needs and are balanced and nutritious. Pupils are able to choose what they would like from the daily menu and are encouraged to sit together and dine as a family. Children are also very welcome to bring in packed lunches, but we do ask that lunchboxes are clearly labelled and healthy.
You can find out more about our lunches and free school meals by visiting our academy website.
We take pride in each and every one of our pupils at the academy and know that they are equally proud to be wearing their academy badge on their uniforms.
Our academy works with the uniform providers SWI Schoolwear. Here you can buy everything you need, from black V neck jumpers to book bags. We also offer support in purchasing uniform items, such as payment plans and uniform ‘swap shops’.
The key to building positive behaviours and habits is through a strong and well-deserved reward system. Here at Oasis Academy Brightstowe we believe that building our young people’s esteem and confidence through rewards is vital to creating a harmonious and motivational learning environment. Therefore, positive points are given in class and around the building. Students can spend their positive points in the ‘Bright Store’, accessed through the Class Charts student app on their iPad.
Relationships are at the heart of everything we do at Brightstowe.
Every child is allocated a Champion each year – a trusted adult who meets with them termly to get to know them as individuals, encourage them, and support them in working towards their aspirations.
We know that children thrive when home and school work in partnership. That’s why we place great value on your input and clear communication with families. Alongside parents’ evenings, we also host our Big Brightstowe Chats – dedicated opportunities for you to join us in exploring key aspects of your child’s development and to share your voice in shaping their success.
Our aim is simple yet ambitious: to provide an excellent education for every pupil.
We are relentless in driving up attainment and continually improving the quality of teaching and learning. At the same time, we are committed to nurturing the whole person and serving the whole community.
We know that education doesn’t happen in isolation – every experience and every relationship in a child’s life shapes how they see and understand the world. That’s why, to us, every person matters.
You can find out more about our commitment to equality and sustainability by reading our objectives on our website.
At Oasis Academy Brightstowe, our curriculum is broad, challenging and ambitious – designed to open minds, build skills and create a culture of excellence.
Ambition for All
We encourage every student to study a wide range of subjects, achieving great results while overcoming barriers to learning. Our curriculum is at the heart of what makes Brightstowe unique.
The Golden Threads
Every lesson, assembly and enrichment activity is shaped by three golden threads:
• Character – developing integrity, confidence and kindness
• Competence – building knowledge, skills and curiosity
• Community – understanding the world and making a positive difference
These are lived out daily through our four values: Respect, Responsibility, Resilience and Relationships
Learning with Purpose
Our lessons are designed with intention – using language, exploration and enrichment to ensure students leave Brightstowe with pride in their skills and excitement for the future.
We offer exceptional opportunities outside lessons – from clubs and trips to leadership and community projects – preparing students for life in modern Britain as confident, resilient and well-rounded citizens
I really appreciate my teachers-they are approachable, supportive, and genuinely care about me and my progress.
Chanelle, Year 11
Oasis Academy Brightstowe offers students the opportunity to engage with a rigorous and enriching curriculum, designed to foster a deep interest across a broad spectrum of subjects.
Every Year 7 student receives a 1:1 and small group support to ensure that their reading skills are at or above age-appropriate levels, enabling them to fully engage with all aspects of the curriculum.
• English
• Mathematics
• Science (Chemistry, Biology, Physics)
• History
• Geography
• Art & Photography
• Computer Science
• Drama
• Music
• Modern Foreign Languages
• Physical Education
• RE
• Design & Technology
• Personal Development
We are unique in that we do not have any ‘supply’ lessons at Brightstowe. In the instance of any staff absence, students will be timetabled to our newly refurbished ‘Discovery Centre’ where they will be set online learning, led and delivered by our Academy staff.
My first day was amazing. Every teacher was kind and very nice. They are everything that they stand for.
Y7 student on their first day
We foster a welcoming and supportive environment that empowers every individual to achieve their full potential, regardless of the challenges they may face.
As an academy:
• We are committed to supporting students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
• We identify students with SEND in line with the SEND Code of Practice and ensure that appropriate provision is in place to meet their individual needs.
• We have a dedicated Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) and invest in both whole academy and targeted staff training to build expertise and confidence.
• Inclusive teaching and support strategies are embedded across the academy, and we ensure all teachers understand responsibility as teachers of SEND.
• We carefully plan and support transitions at every key stage.
For more information about our SEND provision, please visit our website.
Relationships are at the heart of our ethos, and we work closely with our Primary Feeder schools to ensure a smooth and well-planned transition for each new cohort. This enables us to get to know our students early on, ensuring they begin their journey with us in a positive, supportive environment.
From the very beginning, the school created such a positive and supportive environment. This really helped my child settle into Year 7 and start their secondary journey with confidence.
Year 7 parent
With Oasis Horizons, every child who joins the Oasis Academy Brightstowe family will receive their very own iPad for the duration of their time with us. We want to give our children equality in their opportunity for learning, therefore the iPad will be theirs to use at school and at home.
Filled with educational apps, the iPad is used in lessons for exploration of learning, class quizzes and teamwork projects. They are a fantastic teaching tool for our staff to keep on top of new resources, pupil understanding and preparing our young ones for a future working with digital technologies.
The iPad have strict e-safety measures in place to keep every child safe online, both at the academy and at home, alongside lock and tracking features should the device go missing.
We’re sure you’ll have lots of questions about this, so feel free to visit our website to find out more.
Our academy is part of a global group of charities called Oasis, working world-wide to help communities create a place where everyone is included and reaching their potential.
We know that great schools are only truly sustainable within happy and healthy communities. Therefore, Oasis develops ‘Hubs’ across the country, which provide wide-ranging, holistic and integrated services for the whole family and wider community.
We are part of the North Bristol Hub, which delivers youth and family services within our community. You can find out more on our website.
Do you want to be part of something special?
Apply for a place at OA Brightstowe today. For information about the application process, over subscription criteria, tie break procedures, waiting list, appeals and more, please see our Admissions Arrangements on our website.
If you have any questions in the meantime, we’d be more than happy to answer them.
You can contact us via T: 0117 316 7330 E: hello@oasisbrightstowe.org
A message from our CEO
I would like to extend a very warm welcome to you, and I am delighted that you and your family are interested in becoming part of our
Oasis family
I truly understand just how important the choice is when considering which school your child will attend, so thank you for taking the time to find out more about this Oasis Academy.
Oasis Community Learning (part of the Oasis Charitable Trust) is a family of academies across the UK and was established with the vision to create ‘Exceptional Education at the Heart of the Community’.
At Oasis, we create an environment where every student belongs and is able to explore their purpose, equipped with the knowledge and skills to have real choice and opportunity to flourish in their lives. We believe that every child should have the opportunity to develop their character, as well as deep knowledge and understanding that will shape their lives. Our curriculum is designed to make this possible.
We believe the key to flourishing within Oasis is the quality of our relationships including our sense of connection and belonging. In all our schools, we take a relational approach and believe that every child should be seen, known and understood so that they can thrive in all aspects of school life and beyond.
We have high aspirations and expectations for every child. We work hard to help each child learn and develop the range of competences, skills and personal qualities that will create strong foundations for their life journey. We want every child at an Oasis Academy to be an active participant in their local community and wider society and have the ability to be confident in who they are and who they are becoming.
Our ethos is integral to delivering this and is the lens through which we assess all we do. We are committed to a model of inclusion, equality, healthy relationships, hope, and perseverance, throughout the aspects of life and culture of each academy community.
As the CEO, I care deeply for all of our students and believe that everyone deserves an exceptional education. We are committed to the local communities we serve, and I look forward to welcoming you and your family into Oasis.
Best wishes,
John Barneby FRSA
Chief Executive of OCL
When I started Oasis back in 1985, I had no idea it would grow into the wonderful farreaching organisation that it has become today. Through our education work, we are the one of the country’s largest providers of Academy schools, educating around 31,000 children and young people. Through our supported housing projects, we create homes for vulnerable young people. Our local neighbourhood teams provide youth and community work – from city farms and social supermarkets to churches and children’s centres – and much more besides.
And we do this in communities as diverse as Gateshead in the North East to Bristol in the South West. So, the question is … why?
Not only do we believe your child should receive the very best formal education, but also that there is more to a healthy life and future than simply the knowledge they hold. Every one of us is a product of the community in which we live. That is why Oasis is passionate that every community served by one of our Academies should be a happy, healthy place where every person is included and valued, and has opportunity to thrive and achieve their full, God-given
potential. That is why Oasis’ vision not only aims to deliver outstanding education, but also to help build great local neighbourhoods.
We are motivated by our Christ-centred ethos which means that we believe every person – those of all faiths or none – are equally valuable and have a part to contribute in helping this vision become a reality. Helping a young person realise who they are meant to be is about more than simply the qualifications they get or the job they want; it’s about how they see themselves and those around them. That’s why Oasis’ goal is to help create great communities where every young person achieves their best, respects themselves, values those around them, and contributes to the good of all.
We look forward to welcoming you and your child to an Oasis Academy to experience this for yourself.
Penpole Lane
Shirehampton
Bristol BS11 0EB
e: hello@oasisbrightstowe.org
t: 0117 316 7330