Westhaven School, Weston-super-Mare
Westhaven School is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 18 in Weston-super-Mare, part of W W Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2018. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in December 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2018)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Westhaven School in detail
Westhaven School in its own words
In its own words: "Built in the late 1960s, the original school building consists of the primary wing, main wing and administrative and therapy rooms. Later additions to the school site now house part of KS1, Middle School and Land Based Studies departments."
From the headteacher's welcome: "Westhaven School is a specialist school, with a unique environment set in the beautiful village of Uphill near Weston-super-Mare, for learners who experience barriers to learning. We support learners between 4 and 18 years of age and celebrate their achievements, efforts and accomplishments."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include drama, photography and Duke of Edinburgh.
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
The trust
Westhaven School is run by its own single-school academy trust.
What parents say
36 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Westhaven School (as of September 2025): 94% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 73% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (73%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 26 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 96% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 73% to a further education college.
Who goes there
45.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 4.2% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Westhaven School has an education, health and care plan (190 of 190 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Westhaven School provides for pupils with visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, physical disability and moderate learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Weston-super-Mare Rail Station, about 1.5 miles away in a straight line.
16 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Westhaven School (e-bound), 100 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Westhaven School issued 6 suspensions, 3.2 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from July 2018, 8 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Sixth Form
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's December 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Westhaven School excels at creating a caring, positive community where pupils feel happy and valued. The school is particularly skilled at identifying each child's needs and adapting teaching to help them succeed, with an exceptional focus on developing independence, communication and respect. Pupils benefit from a wide range of enrichment activities and careers guidance that prepares them well for life after school.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional personal development with a strong sense of community and wide range of clubs, trips and leadership opportunities
- Highly effective early reading curriculum with systematic approach to teaching phonics
- Strong behaviour support with clear routines and positive relationships helping pupils manage their own behaviour
- Excellent identification and adaptation of provision for pupils with SEND
- Well-established focus on reading, communication and interaction across all year groups
Areas for Improvement
- Some subjects not yet as established as others, particularly mathematics where questioning techniques need strengthening
- Curriculum developments in newer subjects need more time to embed so pupils' learning is consistent across all areas
- Pupils sometimes show less eagerness to learn in subjects where curriculum developments are newer
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
Clubs, trips, leadership opportunities, field trips, community events, careers advice and work experience
Westhaven School has transformed its provision for pupils with special educational needs, with staff increasingly ambitious in their expectations. The school's redesigned curriculum is well-planned and ambitious, with pupils learning the knowledge and skills they need and being well prepared for their next steps.
At a Glance
45.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Vision, Other, Hearing +4
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
36 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 1 nearby school
Latest from Westhaven School
Westhaven School Summer Fair
15 Jun 2026
Bake A Cake For The Summer Faire
15 Jun 2026
Haven Herald 1st edition
17 Jun 2025
Consultation to convert to Academy status and join Achieve Multi-Academy Trust
20 Jan 2025
Upper School Driving Lessons
25 Jun 2024
School Council Litter Picking
18 Jun 2024
From Westhaven School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Westhaven School
Before and after school care
Westhaven 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 North Somerset
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Westhaven School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Westhaven School is in North Somerset; for families living there:
Apply to North 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
- 4
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 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 North Somerset is 5 (the median across 85 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
115%
Over capacity
190 pupils
165 places
25 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Weston-super-Mare
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Weston-super-Mare
Across North Somerset council
Places available
2,656
Applications
2,256
Got 1st preference
95.3%
Got preferred school
99.1%
All secondary applications across North Somerset council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(10)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
190
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Westhaven School provides for pupils with visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, physical disability and moderate learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
190
Total Pupils
133
Boys
57
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
28
Teachers
6.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,961
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.3%
Overall absence
26.1%
Persistent absence
176
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 Westhaven School
What are GCSE results like at Westhaven School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Westhaven School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 4.5. 4% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Westhaven School's Ofsted rating?
Westhaven School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in December 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in July 2018, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Westhaven School?
No fixed boundary. When Westhaven School is oversubscribed, North Somerset allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Westhaven School?
Westhaven School has around 190 pupils on roll. 45% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Westhaven School have specialist SEN provision?
Westhaven School provides for pupils with visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, physical disability and moderate learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Westhaven School?
9.3% of sessions were missed at Westhaven School in 2024/25. 26.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Westhaven School?
Apply through North Somerset's coordinated admissions process, naming Westhaven 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 Westhaven School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Westhaven 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 Westhaven School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 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 North Somerset is 5 (the median across 85 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Westhaven School?
Westhaven School is at Ellesmere Road, Uphill, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, BS23 4UT.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)