Selworthy Special School, Taunton
Selworthy Special School is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 19 in Taunton, part of The Oak Partnership Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2023 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2013)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Selworthy Special School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Selworthy Special School are The Sky Academy (0.3 miles); Park House School (0.4 miles, Good); Silver Bridge School (1.5 miles, Good); and Cambian Somerset School (2.3 miles, Good).
The Sky AcademyPark House SchoolSilver Bridge SchoolCambian Somerset School
The trust
Selworthy Special School is one of 6 schools run by The Oak Partnership Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 17 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 18% to a further education college.
Who goes there
40.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 16.2% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Selworthy Special School has an education, health and care plan (204 of 204 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Selworthy Special School provides for pupils with autism, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Taunton Rail Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.
30 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Feversham Way (n-bound), 100 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 175 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, Selworthy Special School issued 4 suspensions, 1.9 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE multi-academy trust performance data; 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 · 3 years agoThis judgement is from November 2013, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its November 2013 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
40.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Autism, MLD, SLD +1
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Selworthy Special School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Selworthy Special School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Selworthy Special 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
- 9
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 7 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
1 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
121%
Over capacity
204 pupils
168 places
36 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Taunton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Taunton
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(2)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
204
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Selworthy Special School provides for pupils with autism, 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
204
Total Pupils
149
Boys
55
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
36
Teachers
5.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£45,133
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
14.0%
Overall absence
34.6%
Persistent absence
179
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
Selworthy Special School
Showing 10 of 13 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Selworthy Special School
What are GCSE results like at Selworthy Special School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Selworthy Special School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 0.1. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Selworthy Special School's Ofsted rating?
Selworthy Special School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2013, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Selworthy Special School?
No fixed boundary. When Selworthy Special School is oversubscribed, Somerset allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Selworthy Special School?
Selworthy Special School has around 204 pupils on roll. 41% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Selworthy Special School have specialist SEN provision?
Selworthy Special School provides for pupils with autism, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Selworthy Special School?
14% of sessions were missed at Selworthy Special School in 2024/25. 34.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Selworthy Special School?
Apply through Somerset's coordinated admissions process, naming Selworthy Special 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.
How many road collisions happen near Selworthy Special School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 7 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 1 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 Selworthy Special School?
Selworthy Special School is at Selworthy Road, Taunton, Somerset, TA2 8HD.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)