Bristol Cathedral Choir School

Bristol Cathedral Choir School stands in the Cabot area of Bristol, a city in south-west England. It began in 1140 as part of Bristol Abbey and became a school for cathedral choristers. The main building still shows parts from the 13th century and early 16th century. Newer buildings were added after it became an academy in 2008. The school has playing fields near Beggar Bush Lane in Failand. The school is worth the journey because it is the first choir school in the country to become a publicly funded academy. It admits pupils by musical aptitude and by lottery for others. Since 1987 it has been linked with St James’s School in Jinja, Uganda, with exchanges of teachers and gap-year students. The Cathedral Schools Trust now manages three secondary and six primary schools in Bristol. Many notable people, including cricketer James Averis and composer Russ Conway, were pupils here. Visitors find the main school building with its refectory and a 13th-century archway. The Abbey House and Deanery are also nearby. Weekly assemblies and school concerts take place in Bristol Cathedral. The newer Rectory, Parsonage and Cresswell Centre stand on the west side of College Square. The playing fields lie a short distance away in Failand.