West Somerset College
Academy converter in Minehead, Somerset.
School details
| Phase | Secondary |
|---|---|
| Type | Academy converter |
| Age range | 13 to 19 |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Admissions policy | Non-selective |
| Sixth form | Has a sixth form |
| Pupils on roll | 745 (school census 15-01-2026) |
| Capacity | 1509 |
| Free school meals | 26.20% |
| Trust or sponsor | BRIDGWATER & TAUNTON COLLEGE TRUST |
| Local authority | Somerset |
| Address | Bircham Road, Alcombe, Minehead, Somerset, TA24 6AY |
| Map | View on Google Maps |
| Website | http://www.westsomersetcollege.org/ |
| Telephone | 01643706061 |
| URN | 136791 |
Ofsted inspection
Latest full inspection: report card inspection under Ofsted's renewed framework (in use since November 2025), started 20 January 2026, published 23 March 2026. Report cards grade each area separately; there is no single overall grade.
| Safeguarding standards | Met |
|---|---|
| Inclusion | Expected standard |
| Curriculum and teaching | Needs attention |
| Achievement | Needs attention |
| Attendance and behaviour | Needs attention |
| Personal development and wellbeing | Expected standard |
| Post-16 provision | Needs attention |
| Leadership and governance | Needs attention |
Earlier graded inspection under the previous framework (Education Inspection Framework), started 16 May 2023, published 29 June 2023:
| Overall effectiveness | Requires improvement |
|---|---|
| Quality of education | Requires improvement |
| Behaviour and attitudes | Requires improvement |
| Personal development | Requires improvement |
| Leadership and management | Requires improvement |
| Sixth form provision | Requires improvement |
| Safeguarding effective | Yes |
Latest ungraded inspection: 4 March 2020, outcome: School remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next.
Read the Ofsted reports for this school
Ofsted stopped giving single-word overall effectiveness grades in September 2024 and introduced report cards from November 2025. Older grades are shown with their dates and may not reflect the school today.
Planning for university
Work out your UCAS Tariff points from predicted A level grades with our UCAS points calculator.
Nearby schools
- Minehead Middle School (secondary school, about 0.8 km)
- Danesfield Church of England Voluntary Controlled Community Middle School (secondary school, about 10.3 km)
- Kingsmead Academy (secondary school, about 20.5 km)
Browse: Secondary schools in Somerset
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. School data: Department for Education, Get Information about Schools (downloaded 11 October 2026). Inspection data: Ofsted, state-funded schools inspections and outcomes management information (as at 31 August 2026). Last updated 2026-10-11.