Linwood School
Community special school in Bournemouth (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole).
Location
iSchool location from Get Information about Schools. Nearby schools are coloured by phase. Open Map+ for a full-screen map with neighbourhood deprivation (England only).About
Welcome to our website and thank you for visiting. We hope this provides you with plenty of information about our fantastic school. If you want to experience the magic of our school, book a visit; we would be incredibly pleased to show you around.
Linwood School is a large special school that welcomes students from a wide geographical area, supporting a comprehensive range of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. We have several campuses and you can find out about each campus using the 'Our School Campuses' tab on the main menu.
For us, every child and young person truly matters, and we understand that every moment of every day counts in improving life experiences and outcomes of our students.
Our bespoke curriculum and assessment pathways ensure that learning is person-centred and focus on upholding our school values of respect and harmony, inclusivity, support, responsibility, excellence, trust, and positivity. We celebrate diversity and value the contribution that every student makes.
In the school’s own words, from the school website.
Enrichment
2 activitiesiFound on the school website by WhatSchool. Not verified by Governance Register; the school website is the authority.- Linwood Radio
Awards
2 awardsiFound on the school website by WhatSchool. Not verified by Governance Register; the school website is the authority.- Duke of EdinburghPersonal development
- Teaching School HubRecognised award
Key facts
- URN
- 113961
- Type
- Community special school
- Phase
- Not applicable
- Ages
- 2 to 19
- Gender
- Mixed
- Sixth form
- Has a sixth form
- Nursery
- Has Nursery Classes
- Local authority
- Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
- Constituency
- Bournemouth West
- Setting
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Governing body (12 current, 5 former)
Special schools governing body.
Leadership
| Name | Role | How appointed | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mrs Susan Lay | Chair of Governors | Appointed by GB/board | since 2024 · until 2028 |
Full governing body
| Name | Role | How appointed | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mr Abu Asraf Matin | Governor | Elected by parents | since 2026 · until 2030 |
| Mrs Sophie Vye | Governor | Elected by school staff | since 2026 · until 2030 |
| Mrs Jessica Brolan | Governor | Elected by parents | since 2026 · until 2030 |
| Dr Ruijie Wang | Governor | Appointed by GB/board | since 2025 · until 2029 |
| Mrs Sonia Colton | Governor | Appointed by LA | since 2025 · until 2029 |
| Mrs Hayley Upton | Governance Professional - Local Authority Maintained SchoolGovernance professional | since 2025 | |
| Mrs Gemma Talbot | Governor | Ex-officio by virtue of office as headteacher/principal | since 2024 |
| Mrs Susan Lay | Governor | Appointed by GB/board | since 2024 · until 2028 |
| Mr James Winsor | Governor | Appointed by GB/board | since 2024 · until 2028 |
| Mrs Cathy Naude | Governor | Elected by parents | since 2024 · until 2028 |
| Mr Jeremy Payne | Governor | Elected by parents | since 2024 · until 2028 |
| Miss Olivia Glass Former | Governor | Appointed by GB/board | since 2025 · term ended 2026 |
| Mr Matthew Boulding Former | Governor | Elected by parents | since 2024 · term ended 2026 |
| Mrs Tabitha Sherlock Former | Governor | Appointed by GB/board | since 2023 · term ended 2026 |
| Dr Festus Adedoyin Former | Governor | Appointed by GB/board | since 2023 · term ended 2026 |
| Mrs Lorna Booth Former | Governor | Elected by parents | since 2022 · term ended 2025 |
Source: Department for Education, Get Information about Schools (governance records, as at 25 October 2026). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Names are shown as published; there are no addresses or contact details. Current and former are worked out from term end dates when the page loads. Object or ask for removal · Report an issue with this record