Bardwell School is a special academy in Bicester, Oxfordshire, for children and young people aged 2 to 19. It supports severe learning and PMLD.
- Ages 2–19
- 121 pupils
- Ofsted report card (2026)
School details
- Type
- Special academy
- Ages
- 2 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 121 (places for 95)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Joanne McGill (Headteacher)
- Part of
- The Gallery Trust
- Opened
- 1 June 2019
- Free school meals
- 44.4% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Oxfordshire
- School reference (URN)
- 146683
Needs it supports
2 needs: severe learning, PMLD
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Cognition and learning
- Severe learning difficulty Other schools for this in Oxfordshire (9)
- Profound and multiple learning difficulties Other schools for this in Oxfordshire (9)
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places at schools like this usually come through 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 questions
See whether the school feels right and whether it can meet your child’s needs. Our list of questions below can help.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often Oxfordshire council) that this is the school you want, 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. Free home-to-school transport is often part of the arrangement.
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
Report card, March 2026: Strong standard in every area
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.
- InclusionStrong standard
- Curriculum and teachingStrong standard
- AchievementStrong standard
- Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
- Personal development and wellbeingStrong standard
- Early yearsStrong standard
- Post-16Strong standard
- Leadership and governanceStrong standard
- SafeguardingMet
Since then: School remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next (ungraded inspection, November 2023).
Contact and getting there
Hendon Place, Sunderland Drive, Bicester, OX26 4RZ
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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
- Southwold Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.4 miles
- Gagle Brook Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Good 1.0 mile
- Whitelands Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 11–16 · Ofsted: Good 1.9 miles
All SEND schools in Oxfordshire
By need in Oxfordshire: Autism (20) · Speech and language (14) · SEMH (10) · Severe learning (10) · PMLD (10) · Moderate learning (9) · Hearing (7) · Physical (7) · Dyslexia and SpLD (6) · Vision (5) · Multi-sensory (4)
Questions about Bardwell School
How do I get a place at Bardwell School?
There’s no catchment area or application round. Places usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult Bardwell School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does Bardwell School support?
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 Bardwell School take?
Aged 2 to 19, boys and girls.
What is Bardwell School’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Good 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 Bardwell School?
Hendon Place, Sunderland Drive, Bicester, OX26 4RZ, in Oxfordshire.
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.