Willow Vale School, Taunton
Willow Vale School is a pru school for pupils aged 5 to 16 in Taunton. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in May 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2014)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Willow Vale School in detail
Where pupils go next
Of the 7 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 29% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 14% to a further education college and 14% to an apprenticeship.
Who goes there
61.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 26.7% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (58%), Mixed (8%) and other ethnic groups (8%).
In 2026, 22 pupils (36.7%) received SEN support and 12 (20%) had an education, health and care plan. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Taunton Rail Station, about 1.1 miles away in a straight line.
16 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Milton Close (se-bound), 190 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 469 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.
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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from September 2014, 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 September 2014 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
61.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Keep up with Willow Vale School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Willow Vale School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Willow Vale 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
- 14
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 4 serious and 9 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot.
5 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
60 pupils
75 places
15 spare places
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(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
22
SEN Support
12
EHC Plans
56.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
60
Total Pupils
35
Boys
25
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
14
Teachers
4.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,665
Mean salary
2026 data
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Willow Vale School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Willow Vale School
What is Willow Vale School's Ofsted rating?
Willow Vale School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in September 2014, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Willow Vale School?
No fixed boundary. When Willow Vale School is oversubscribed, Somerset allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Willow Vale School?
Willow Vale School has around 60 pupils on roll. 62% are eligible for free school meals.
How do I apply to Willow Vale School?
Apply through Somerset's coordinated admissions process, naming Willow Vale 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 Willow Vale School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 4 serious and 9 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot. 5 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 Willow Vale School?
Willow Vale School is at Byron Road, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 2JD.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)