▁it ▁was ▁known ▁as ▁Br istol ▁C athedral ▁School . ▁It ▁is ▁situated ▁next ▁to ▁Br istol ▁C athedral , ▁in ▁the ▁centre ▁of ▁the ▁city . ▁The ▁ch or ister s ▁at ▁Br istol ▁C athedral ▁are ▁educated ▁at ▁the ▁school , ▁which ▁has ▁a ▁strong ▁musical ▁tradition . ▁The ▁school ▁is ▁a ▁day ▁school ▁and ▁has ▁no ▁board ers . ▁The ▁school ▁adm its ▁some ▁pup ils ▁each ▁year ▁based ▁on ▁musical ▁apt itude , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁adm itting ▁prob ation ary ▁ch or ister s . ▁That ▁is ▁the ▁school ' s ▁only ▁form ▁of ▁selection , ▁all ▁other ▁pup ils ▁are ▁chosen ▁at ▁random ▁via ▁a ▁lot tery ▁system . ▁ ▁History ▁F ounded ▁in ▁ 1 1 4 0 ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁what ▁was ▁then ▁Br istol ▁Ab bey , ▁Br istol ▁C athedral ▁School ▁was ▁ref ounded ▁by ▁Henry ▁VIII ▁in ▁ 1 5 4 2 ▁after ▁he ▁had ▁dissol ved ▁the ▁monaster y . ▁ ▁A ▁fee - pay ing ▁school ▁up ▁until ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War , ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁the ▁school ▁was ▁a ▁direct ▁grant ▁school . ▁When ▁direct ▁grant ▁schools ▁were ▁abol ished , ▁the ▁school ▁had ▁to ▁become ▁an ▁independent ▁school ▁once ▁more ▁to ▁maintain ▁its ▁policy ▁of ▁selection ▁by ▁academic ▁ability . ▁It ▁began ▁accepting ▁girls ▁into ▁the ▁sixth ▁form ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁and ▁became ▁fully ▁co - ed uc ational ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 .