South West Regional Assessment Centre, Wimborne
South West Regional Assessment Centre is a special school for pupils aged 16 to 25 in Wimborne.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
South West Regional Assessment Centre in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to South West Regional Assessment Centre are Beaucroft Foundation School (1.8 miles, Good); The White House School (2.2 miles); Montacute School (2.3 miles, Good); and Longspee Academy (3.1 miles, Good).
Beaucroft Foundation SchoolThe White House SchoolMontacute SchoolLongspee Academy
Who goes there
South West Regional Assessment Centre is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of South West Regional Assessment Centre.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood South West Regional Assessment Centre stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 46 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (223).
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
No inspection data available
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Approved
Section 41
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with South West Regional Assessment Centre
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to South West Regional Assessment Centre from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. South West Regional Assessment Centre is in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole; for families living there:
- Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole's school travel policy: Home to school transport policy
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
The typical figure for schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is 24 (the median across 117 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
Area Demand Pressure - Wimborne
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Wimborne
Across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council
Places available
4,119
Applications
3,624
Got 1st preference
86.4%
Got preferred school
96.9%
All secondary applications across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council (2026/27), not just this school.
Special educational needs provision
South West Regional Assessment Centre is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
Source: Get Information about Schools (GIAS), Department for Education.
Questions parents ask about South West Regional Assessment Centre
What is the catchment area for South West Regional Assessment Centre?
No fixed boundary. When South West Regional Assessment Centre is oversubscribed, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Does South West Regional Assessment Centre have specialist SEN provision?
South West Regional Assessment Centre is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
How do I apply to South West Regional Assessment Centre?
Apply through Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole's coordinated admissions process, naming South West Regional Assessment Centre 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 South West Regional Assessment Centre?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is 24 (the median across 117 schools, same distance and years).
Where is South West Regional Assessment Centre?
South West Regional Assessment Centre is at Merley House, Merley House Lane, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 3AA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)