SchoolScoresWillow Vale School
Pupil referral unit · All-through, ages 5 to 16 · Mixed
Byron Road, Taunton, TA1 2JD
01823 349338 · School website · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 17 September 2014.
This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.
| Area | Grade |
|---|---|
| Quality of education | Outstanding |
| Outcomes for pupils | Outstanding |
| Leadership and management | Good |
Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 2 May 2024: Ofsted found the school was still Good.
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.
Results
No test or exam results have been published for this school yet.
Admissions
Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Somerset. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.
Pupils, staff and SEND
| Pupils | This school | Somerset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years | 49.1% | 22.8%* | 28.9% |
| With an education, health and care plan | 22.0% | 3.2%* | 3.1% |
| Receiving special educational needs support | 23.7% | 15.3%* | 13.4% |
| English as an additional language | 42.4% | 9.2%* | 19.2% |
| Pupils per teacher | 4.6 | 17.6 | 16.7 |
| Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) | 1.9 | 11.4 | 11.8 |
| Teachers who left during the year | 3.1% | 14.2%* | 14.2%* |
Comparisons are with secondary schools. Scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) figures. For absence and suspensions lower is better, so their scales run green to red; blue scales describe the school's pupils and staff and aren't good or bad. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.
Nearby secondary schools
- Richard Huish College 0.5 miles · Ofsted: Not yet inspected · B- average A level grade
- King's College Taunton 0.5 miles · Independent, inspected by ISI · 35% A*/A at A level
- Bishop Fox's School 0.6 miles · Ofsted: Good (2013), confirmed 2023 · 45% grade 5+ English and maths
- The Castle School 1.5 miles · Ofsted: Outstanding (2023) · 58% grade 5+ English and maths
- Queen's College 1.6 miles · Independent, inspected by ISI · 33% A*/A at A level
- Taunton School 1.7 miles · Independent, inspected by ISI · 41% A*/A at A level
- Taunton Preparatory School 1.7 miles · Independent, inspected by ISI
- Monkton Wood Academy 1.9 miles · Ofsted: Inadequate (2023, before conversion) · 35% grade 5+ English and maths
- Pyrland School 1.9 miles · Ofsted: No overall grade (2025, before conversion) · 26% grade 5+ English and maths
- King's College Prep 2.4 miles · Independent, inspected by ISI
Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.
Questions parents ask
What is Willow Vale School's Ofsted rating?
Willow Vale School was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 17 September 2014. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 2 May 2024, Ofsted found the school was still Good.
Sources
- School details: Get Information about Schools (DfE), 26 September 2026. URN 134758.
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, data to 31 August 2026.
Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.
Page updated 26 September 2026.