Critchill Special School is a special academy in Frome, Somerset, for children and young people aged 4 to 19. It supports autism, moderate learning, severe learning and 1 other need.
- Ages 4–19
- 96 pupils
School details
- Type
- Special academy
- Ages
- 4 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 96 (places for 85)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Emma West (Headteacher)
- Part of
- Midsomer Norton Schools Partnership
- Opened
- 1 June 2019
- Free school meals
- 42.9% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Somerset
- School reference (URN)
- 147126
Needs it supports
4 needs: autism, moderate learning and 2 more
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
Cognition and learning
- 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)
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 Somerset 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
Graded by area, November 2024; school remains Good (Improving) - S5 Next (June 2023)
Inspected in November 2024. Inspections from September 2024 to November 2025 graded each area but gave no overall grade.
- Quality of educationOutstanding
- Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
- Personal developmentOutstanding
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
- Early yearsOutstanding
- Sixth formOutstanding
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: School remains Good (Improving) - S5 Next (ungraded inspection, June 2023).
Contact and getting there
Nunney Road, Frome, BA11 4LB
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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
- Wessex Lodge School Independent · Ages 5–18 0.4 miles
- Fromefield Manor School Independent · Ages 11–19 · Ofsted: Good 1.1 miles
- North Hill House Independent · Ages 6–19 · Ofsted report card (2026) 1.1 miles
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 Critchill Special School
How do I get a place at Critchill Special 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 Critchill Special School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does Critchill Special School support?
Autism, 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 Critchill Special School take?
Aged 4 to 19, boys and girls.
What is Critchill Special School’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Good by Ofsted in November 2024 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 Critchill Special School?
Nunney Road, Frome, BA11 4LB, 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.