Notton House Academy, Chippenham

Ofsted's report card from its 21 April 2026 inspection grades Notton House Academy on 6 areas: 1 strong standard and 5 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "The extensive personal development and wellbeing programme is a strength of the school."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Leaders check pupils' starting points thoroughly when they join the school."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Pupils often join the school with significant barriers to attendance."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders provide a broad and balanced curriculum that prepares pupils for their next steps and adulthood."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "The school's inclusion strategy has a palpable impact on pupils' readiness to re-engage in learning and attend school."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders ensure their decisions are always in the best interests of pupils."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should identify the key curriculum content that pupils need to secure in all subjects, so that they can build their knowledge over time"; "Leaders should ensure that the use of assessment identifies exactly what pupils have learned and any gaps in knowledge so that these can be addressed and pupils can excel from their starting points".

In its own words: "The Midsomer Norton Schools' Partnership was founded in 2009 following the hard federation between Norton Hill and Somervale Secondary Schools. Since this point the Trust has grown to include other secondary schools and a large number of primary schools, which are all located in the Southwest of England: Bath and North East Somerset, Somerset and North Somerset."

The nearest other special schools to Notton House Academy are Melksham House School (4 miles); and Silverwood School (5.8 miles, Good).

Notton House Academy is one of 44 schools run by Midsomer Norton Schools Partnership, an academy trust.

Of the 10 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 80% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 40% to a further education college.

54.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 5.5% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.

Almost every pupil at Notton House Academy has an education, health and care plan (55 of 55 in 2026). The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.

Notton House Academy provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.

The nearest railway station is Chippenham Rail Station, about 2.4 miles away in a straight line.

4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Notton House School (n-bound), 40 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 5 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and burglary. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Bristol, City of (417).

In 2024/25, Notton House Academy issued 24 suspensions, 45.3 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.