West Somerset
Address
Map
Bircham Road

Alcombe, Minehead
,
Somerset
,
TA24 6AY

England
Coordinates51°11′47″N 3°27′44″W / 51.1964°N 3.4621°W / 51.1964; -3.4621
Information
TypeAcademy
MottoHe who dares, wins.
Department for Education URN136791 Tables
OfstedReports
PrincipalNicola Doughty[1]
GenderMixed
Age13 to 19
Enrolment1,111
Capacity1,509
Houses4
Websitewww.westsomersetcollege.org

West Somerset College (is sometimes abbreviated to WSC and was previously known as West Somerset Community College prior to the college re-brand in September 2013[2]) is a fairly large secondary school in Minehead, Somerset, England. It provides education for pupils aged 13 to 16 (school years 9–11) in the main school and 16 to 18 (school years 12–13) in the sixth form (West Somerset uses a three-tier school system). WSC has had Technology College status for several years, meaning the college receives additional funding. In June 2011, the school became an Academy. The school has a partnership with a secondary school (Gymnasium) in Bünde, Germany.

The College was placed into special measures following an October 2014 Ofsted report judging the College to be 'inadequate.'[3] This status was lifted in May 2016 following 'significant improvements.'[4]

The College was subsequently placed third best in Somerset for progress in GCSE results in the DFE 2017 league table.[5]

Catchment Area

West Somerset College is the only secondary school serving the district of West Somerset.[6] The 660km2 catchment area includes two thirds of the Exmoor National Park and part of the Quantock Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty as well as the coastal towns of Minehead and Watchet.

The feeder schools for West Somerset College are:[7]

Facilities

The school is housed in a number of buildings of various ages. There are separate buildings for the Sixth Form block, common room for Sixth Form pupils, Skills and Enterprise Centre which was opened in 2008 and a large Farm Unit where pupils are taught agricultural skills. The Skills and Enterprise building allows pupils to study subjects like, Hair and Beauty, Hairdressing, Hospitality, Animal Care, Construction etc.

All classrooms have digital projectors and some classrooms have interactive whiteboards with laptops and/or PCs available for use by pupils.

References

  1. ^ "West Somerset College". Get Information about Schools. Gov.UK. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  2. ^ Green, Hannah (29 May 2013). "Focus on: West Somerset Community College". Retrieved 6 December 2015 – via Somerset County Gazette.
  3. ^ "School is put in special measures". BBC News. 11 November 2014. Archived from the original on 28 July 2018. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  4. ^ "West Somerset College out of special measures". Somerset County Gazette. Archived from the original on 13 April 2018. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  5. ^ "West Somerset College sees 'meteoric rise' in progress after 'special measures' three years ago". Somerset County Gazette. Archived from the original on 13 April 2018. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  6. ^ Quantick, Steve (2 December 2014). "Assistant-Principal-Background-Info-December-2014.pdf" (PDF). West Somerset College. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  7. ^ "Somerset Schools and Catchment Areas". School Catchment Map. Somerset County Council. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2015.

External links

Schools in Somerset1
Authority control databases
Categories