Bridgwater College Academy is a mainstream all-through school with resourced provision in Bridgwater, Somerset, for children and young people aged 3 to 16. Its specialist base has 24 places for specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia), visual impairment, hearing impairment and speech, language and communication.
- Ages 3–16
- 1,561 pupils
- Ofsted report card (2026)
School details
- Type
- Mainstream school with resourced provision
- Ages
- 3 to 16
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Specialist base
- Resourced provision, 24 places, 19 pupils
- Pupils
- 1,561
- Headteacher
- Headteacher Laura Campbell/ Sarah Evans (Head Teacher)
- Part of
- Bridgwater & Taunton College Trust
- Council
- Somerset
- School reference (URN)
- 138375
Needs its base supports
12 needs: dyslexia and SpLD, vision and 10 more
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
- Autism Other schools for this in Somerset (16)
- Speech, language and communication Other schools for this in Somerset (7)
Cognition and learning
- Specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia) Other schools for this in Somerset (3)
- Moderate learning difficulty Other schools for this in Somerset (13)
- Severe learning difficulty Other schools for this in Somerset (9)
- Profound and multiple learning difficulties Other schools for this in Somerset (6)
Social, emotional and mental health
- Social, emotional and mental health Other schools for this in Somerset (5)
Sensory and physical
- Hearing impairment Other schools for this in Somerset (3)
- Visual impairment Other schools for this in Somerset (3)
- Multi-sensory impairment Other schools for this in Somerset (2)
- Physical disability Other schools for this in Somerset (1)
It also lists other needs. Ask the school what these are.
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places in an SEN unit or resourced provision are usually for children with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. If your child doesn’t have one yet, you can ask the council for an assessment yourself.
- Visit and ask about the base
See the school and its specialist base, and ask how children split their time between the base and mainstream classes.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often Somerset council) that you want this school and its base, and ask them to consult it.
- Named in the plan
If the school is named in your child’s plan, it must admit your child. Places in the base itself are agreed between the council and the school, so ask how they decide.
Questions to ask when you visit
8 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them on the day.
Ofsted
Special measures. Report card, March 2026: Urgent improvement in 5 of 7 areas
Ofsted has placed this school in special measures.
Inspected in March 2026 under Ofsted’s new report cards, which grade each area separately, from Exceptional to Urgent improvement, instead of one overall grade.
- InclusionUrgent improvement
- Curriculum and teachingUrgent improvement
- AchievementUrgent improvement
- Attendance and behaviourUrgent improvement
- Personal development and wellbeingNeeds attention
- Early yearsNeeds attention
- Leadership and governanceUrgent improvement
- SafeguardingMet
Since then: School remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next (ungraded inspection, February 2020).
Contact and getting there
Parkway, Bridgwater, TA6 4QY
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
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The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- Polden Bower School Special school · Ages 4–19 · Ofsted: Good 0.7 miles
- Willowdown Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 · Ofsted report card (2026) 0.8 miles
- Northgate Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 · Ofsted report card (2026) 1.0 mile
By need in Somerset: Autism (17) · Moderate learning (14) · Severe learning (10) · Speech and language (8) · PMLD (7) · SEMH (6) · Dyslexia and SpLD (4) · Hearing (4) · Vision (4) · Multi-sensory (3) · Physical (2)
Questions about Bridgwater College Academy
How do I get a place in Bridgwater College Academy’s specialist base?
Places in an SEN unit or resourced provision usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult the school about its base. If the school is named in the plan it must admit your child; places in the base itself are agreed between the council and the school.
What needs does Bridgwater College Academy support?
Specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia), visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication, autism, social, emotional and mental health, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulty, severe learning difficulty and profound and multiple learning difficulties. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does Bridgwater College Academy take?
Aged 3 to 16, boys and girls.
What is Bridgwater College Academy’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Requires improvement by Ofsted in March 2026 at its last graded inspection. Newer inspections no longer give a single overall grade, so read the latest report for the full picture.
Where is Bridgwater College Academy?
Parkway, Bridgwater, TA6 4QY, in Somerset.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.