Polden Bower School
| Type | Special School / Foundation special school |
| Age Range | 4-19 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | Bower Lane Bridgwater TA6 4GU |
| Phone | 01278496386 |
| Reference Number | 123938 |
Polden Bower School has been recognized as a good school that effectively meets the diverse needs of its pupils. It boasts outstanding behavior and attitudes among students, showcasing their love for school and strong attendance. The curriculum is well-structured to support early language acquisition, communication, and reading skills, which are crucial for the pupils' educational development. With a strong vision from new leadership, the school is adapting to recent changes, and there is a notable commitment to improving the educational standards across all areas.
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 247 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 64.37%
Girls: 35.63% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 43.7% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 8.9% |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | 4 | 15 |
| 2 | 12 | 3 | 15 |
| 3 | 12 | 6 | 18 |
| 4 | 11 | 5 | 16 |
| 5 | 10 | 10 | 20 |
| 6 | 9 | 4 | 13 |
| 7 | 16 | 7 | 23 |
| 8 | 21 | 8 | 29 |
| 9 | 11 | 11 | 22 |
| 10 | 16 | 6 | 22 |
| 11 | 10 | 7 | 17 |
| 12 | 4 | 5 | 9 |
| 13 | 3 | 4 | 7 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 85.4% |
| White, Other | 7.3% |
| Mixed, Other | 2% |
| Asian, Other | 1.6% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 0.8% |
| Unclassified | 0.8% |
| African | 0.8% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Good |
| > Quality of education | Good |
| > Behaviour & Attitude | Outstanding |
| > Personal Development | Outstanding |
| > Leadership & Management | Good |
| > Early Years Provision | Good |
| > Sixth Form Provision | Good |
| Last Report Date | 21 May 2024 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 21 May 2024 | School inspection: |
| 06 Apr 2022 | Monitoring visit |
| 14 Mar 2019 | Short inspection |
| 28 Apr 2015 | Full inspection: |
| 13 Jun 2013 | Full inspection: |
| 07 Oct 2009 | Full inspection: |
| 09 Oct 2006 | Full inspection: |
| 20 May 2002 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Caring and skilled staff who build positive relationships with pupils
- Outstanding behavior and attitudes among pupils
- Effectively designed curriculum that supports communication and reading skills
- Excellent transition process for children entering Reception
- Strong progress in reading and language acquisition
Areas for Improvement
- Inconsistency in curriculum ambition across all subjects
- Some planned improvements not yet fully established
Attainment 8 Score
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
- English
- Maths
- 3 subjects from qualifications that count towards the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), like sciences, language and history
- 3 more GCSE qualifications (including EBacc subjects) or technical awards from a list approved by the Department for Education
Each grade a pupil gets is assigned a point score from 9 (the highest) to 1 (the lowest). These scores are added up, with English and maths counted twice.
| School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|
| 0.5 |
GCSE Results
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 0% | ||
| 5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4 (or A-C) | 0% |
Attainment 8 Score
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
Sample
UnlockGCSE Results
Sample
UnlockHow many students meet the standards
| Reading, Writing & Maths | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils meeting the expected standard | 0% | ||
| Pupils meeting a higher standard | 0% |
Progress Scores
A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | -8.5 | ||
| Writing | -7.2 | ||
| Maths | -8.1 |
How many students meet the standards
Sample
UnlockProgress Scores
A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.
Sample
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Unlock for £9.99Destinations after GCSE's
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