Polden Bower School
Other · Foundation special school · Ages 4–19 · Bridgwater, Somerset
Polden Bower School is an other school in Bridgwater, Somerset for ages 4–19 (foundation special school). Its latest Ofsted outcome is Good, from the inspection on 21 May 2024.
Key facts
- Address
- Bower Lane, Bridgwater, TA6 4GU
- Type
- Foundation special school
- Phase
- Other
- Ages
- 4–19
- Sector
- See recorded establishment type
- Council
- Somerset
- Pupils on roll
- 260 January 2026 school census
- Free school meals
- 43.5% of pupils eligible
- Pupils per teacher
- 6.2
Official record: Get Information about Schools · as at 15 September 2026
Ofsted
Good Inspected 21 May 2024
Strengths
- “Polden Bower is a community hub for its families.”
- “They benefit from caring and skilled staff who build positive, trusted relationships with them.”
- “The curriculum is designed carefully to meet the diverse needs of pupils.”
To improve
- “However, being new, their ideas are not yet realised fully, particularly in relation to the curriculum.”
- “This high turnover has led to a minority of staff and some parents harbouring concerns about the management of the school.”
- “Some parts of the curriculum are not as well planned and/or as well implemented.”
Safeguarding: Effective
Quoted from the Ofsted report published 24 June 2024 (read the report). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.
Exam results
| Measure | School | England |
|---|---|---|
| Key stage 2 · reading, writing and maths, expected standard (2024/25) | 0% | 62% |
| GCSE English and maths, grade 5 or above (2024/25) | 0% | 45% |
| Attainment 8 score (2024/25) | 0.5 | 46 |
Department for Education school performance data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
More with a 3-month pass
A one-off £9.99 pass, no subscription, unlocks for 3 months:
- Earlier years of exam results
- Where pupils go after they leave
- Crime, sold prices, broadband and transport around the school
A last distance offered describes one past year and is not a catchment or a promise of a place. Check with the council before you apply.
Nearby other schools
Straight-line distance, in Somerset.
- Bridgwater College Academy 1.3 mi No Ofsted grade
- Petherton Park School 2.3 mi No Ofsted grade
- Inaura School 4.9 mi No Ofsted grade
- Cambian Somerset School 6.9 mi No Ofsted grade
- King's College Prep 7.0 mi No Ofsted grade
- Selworthy Special School 7.1 mi School remains Good
- Park House School 7.3 mi No Ofsted grade
- The Sky Academy 7.3 mi No Ofsted grade