Polden Bower School Catchment Area
Polden Bower School is a foundation special not applicable school in Bridgwater, Somerset , serving pupils aged 4-19, with 247 pupils, and a capacity of 200 places. The school is currently at or above capacity, making catchment area proximity important for admissions.
4-19
Age range
247
Pupils
200
Capacity
124%
Fill rate
Good
Ofsted 2024
Polden Bower School Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for Polden Bower School?
The catchment area for Polden Bower School is the geographic zone Somerset uses to prioritise admissions when this not applicable school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and siblings. Somerset publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
The catchment area for Polden Bower School is set by Somerset and reviewed annually. Children living within the catchment boundary receive priority consideration when applications exceed the number of available places.
Not getting a place? Learn how to appeal a school place →
Want the cut-off distance before you apply? Get an alert when Somerset publishes the 2027 Polden Bower School numbers →
The official admissions policy, including the catchment boundary map, is published by Somerset before each admissions cycle. Always verify your address with the council before submitting an application, as boundaries can change year to year.
Find Somerset catchment area documents →Polden Bower School: heavily oversubscribed at 124% capacity
Polden Bower School has a published admission number of 200 places. 247 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 124%. At 124% capacity, the school is heavily oversubscribed. Somerset allocates places using ranked criteria: looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment distance. Living within the catchment area is a strong but not guaranteed advantage, as the last distance offered shrinks each year as applications rise.
The fill-rate figure above reflects overall demand, but the school's intake also varies by community profile. 43.7% of pupils at Polden Bower School are eligible for free school meals, above the national average of around 24%. This reflects the school's role in a higher-deprivation area of Bridgwater.
To check whether your home address falls within the historical catchment boundary, use the postcode search tool on this site.
Somerset publishes its full admissions policy, including oversubscription criteria, the previous year's last-distance figures, and the appeals timetable, on the council's official admissions page. Somerset Council school admissions (official) →
Polden Bower School: School Information
- Full address
- Bower Lane, Bridgwater, TA6 4GU
- Local authority
- Somerset
- School type
- Foundation special school
- Phase of education
- Not applicable
- Age range
- 4-19 years
- Free school meals
- 43.7% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 123938
Other Not applicable Schools in Bridgwater
If Polden Bower School is oversubscribed, these not applicable schools in Bridgwater are the next closest alternatives.
Nearest not applicable schools by distance
These are the not applicable schools closest to Polden Bower School by straight-line distance, including ones across a town or council boundary. Distance is not the same as being in catchment: always check each school's own admissions policy for its actual boundary.
Need help understanding catchment areas?
Frequently Asked Questions: Polden Bower School
What is the catchment area for Polden Bower School? ▾
The catchment area for Polden Bower School is the geographic zone Somerset uses to prioritise admissions when this not applicable school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and siblings. Somerset publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Is Polden Bower School oversubscribed? ▾
Yes, Polden Bower School currently has 247 pupils enrolled against a capacity of 200 places. Catchment area proximity is an important admissions criterion when applying.
What is the admissions policy for Polden Bower School? ▾
Admission to Polden Bower School is managed by Somerset. When oversubscribed, places go to looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment area distance. Always verify the current policy with the council before applying.
What age range does Polden Bower School cover? ▾
Polden Bower School is a not applicable school in Bridgwater, Somerset, serving pupils aged 4-19. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.
What is the Ofsted rating for Polden Bower School? ▾
Polden Bower School was rated Good by Ofsted in 2024. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.