Petherton Park School, Somerset
Petherton Park School is a special school for pupils aged 7 to 16 in Somerset. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2025)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Petherton Park School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Petherton Park School are Polden Bower School (2.3 miles, Good); Inaura School (4.1 miles, Good, selective); Cambian Somerset School (4.6 miles, Good); and Selworthy Special School (5 miles, Good).
Polden Bower SchoolInaura SchoolCambian Somerset SchoolSelworthy Special School
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Petherton Park School has an education, health and care plan (16 of 16 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Bridgwater Rail Station, about 3 miles away in a straight line.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Stores (sw-bound), 220 metres away.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport)
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Safeguarding: effective
Independent school standards
Met all the independent school standards.
- Part 1: quality of educationMet
- Part 2: pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural developmentMet
- Part 3: welfare, health and safetyMet
- Part 4: suitability of staff and proprietorsMet
- Part 5: premises and accommodationMet
- Part 6: information for parentsMet
- Part 7: handling of complaintsMet
- Part 8: leadership and managementMet
Source: Ofsted, non-association independent schools inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's July 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Petherton Park excels at helping pupils who have struggled elsewhere rediscover the joy of learning in a nurturing environment. The school combines strong academic teaching in English, mathematics and science with therapeutic activities like equine therapy and farming, creating exceptional behaviour and personal growth. Parents are overwhelmingly positive, praising the school for going 'above and beyond' to help their children become happy and eager learners.
Key Strengths
- Exemplary behaviour and outstanding personal development - pupils show exceptional respect, kindness and tolerance towards each other
- Strong therapeutic approach combining academic subjects with equine therapy, horticulture and farming that positively impacts behaviour and learning
- Significantly raised reading culture with a new library and tailored support helping pupils catch up quickly
- Purposeful careers guidance and work placements preparing pupils well for their next steps
- Warm, trusting relationships between staff and pupils creating a caring community
Areas for Improvement
- Inconsistent progress checks in some subjects means teachers do not always identify quickly when pupils are ready to move forward in their learning
- Some pupils' knowledge does not develop as well as it could in certain subjects due to pacing issues
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with pupils knowing who to share worries with and feeling safe at school.
Extracurricular Activities
Carp fishing, aerial hoops and silks, climbing, theatre visits, school ranger roles, digital officer responsibilities
Petherton Park School is a therapeutic independent school where pupils with social, emotional and mental health difficulties thrive through warm relationships with staff and a curriculum that combines academic learning with therapeutic support. The school has made significant improvements since its last inspection and is rated Good overall.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Petherton Park School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 3
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 3 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Somerset is 3 (the median across 307 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
80%
Available places
16 pupils
20 places
4 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Somerset
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Somerset
Across Somerset council
Places available
4,902
Applications
4,659
Got 1st preference
92.1%
Got preferred school
97.7%
All secondary applications across Somerset council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(11)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
16
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Petherton Park School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
16
Total Pupils
11
Boys
5
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about Petherton Park School
What is Petherton Park School's Ofsted rating?
Petherton Park School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2025.
Does Petherton Park School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in July 2025, Petherton Park School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Petherton Park School?
Petherton Park School has around 16 pupils on roll.
Does Petherton Park School have specialist SEN provision?
Petherton Park School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Petherton Park School?
Petherton Park School is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near Petherton Park School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 3 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Somerset is 3 (the median across 307 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Petherton Park School?
Petherton Park School is at Brook Farm, Newton Road, Somerset, Somerset, TA6 6NA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)