Polden Bower School, Bridgwater
Polden Bower School is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 19 in Bridgwater. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2024.
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Polden Bower School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Polden Bower School are Petherton Park School (2.3 miles, Good); and Inaura School (4.9 miles, Good, selective).
Where pupils go next
Of the 21 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 48% to a further education college.
Who goes there
43.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 8.5% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Polden Bower School has an education, health and care plan (260 of 260 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Polden Bower School provides for pupils with visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, multi-sensory impairment, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Bridgwater Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Rhode Lane (ne-bound), 180 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 546 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Somerset (22), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Polden Bower School issued 6 suspensions, 2.4 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Sixth Form
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its May 2024 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Leadership & management, Early years, Sixth form.
At a Glance
43.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Vision, Other, Hearing +6
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 2 nearby schools
Keep up with Polden Bower School
Before and after school care
Polden Bower School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Somerset
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Polden Bower School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Polden Bower School is in Somerset; for families living there:
Apply to Somerset for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 20
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 7
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 20 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 15 slight.
7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
3 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
130%
Over capacity
260 pupils
200 places
60 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Bridgwater
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Bridgwater
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(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
260
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Polden Bower School provides for pupils with visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, multi-sensory impairment, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
260
Total Pupils
168
Boys
92
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
48
Teachers
5.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,305
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
10.5%
Overall absence
27.3%
Persistent absence
216
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about Polden Bower School
What are GCSE results like at Polden Bower School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Polden Bower School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 0.2. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Polden Bower School's Ofsted rating?
Polden Bower School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2024.
What is the catchment area for Polden Bower School?
No fixed boundary. When Polden Bower School is oversubscribed, Somerset allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Polden Bower School?
Polden Bower School has around 260 pupils on roll. 44% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Polden Bower School have specialist SEN provision?
Polden Bower School provides for pupils with visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, multi-sensory impairment, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Polden Bower School?
10.5% of sessions were missed at Polden Bower School in 2024/25. 27.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Polden Bower School?
Apply through Somerset's coordinated admissions process, naming Polden Bower School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
Does Polden Bower School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Polden Bower School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school.
How many road collisions happen near Polden Bower School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 20 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 15 slight. 7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 3 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 Polden Bower School?
Polden Bower School is at Bower Lane, Bridgwater, TA6 4GU.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)