Derwen College, Oswestry
Derwen College is a special school for pupils aged 16 to 25 in Oswestry. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2026, ended in a report card: 2 strong standard and 3 expected standard. Before that it was rated Good at its last graded inspection, in November 2021.
- Ofsted report card
- 2 of 5 areas strong or better
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Derwen College in detail
What Ofsted's report card says
Ofsted's report card from its 3 March 2026 inspection grades Derwen College on 5 areas: 2 strong standard and 3 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.
Inclusion - Strong standard. "Leaders have developed a strong culture of inclusion."
Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders have a clear understanding of the college's strengths and areas for development."
Participation and development - Strong standard. "Learners' attendance is high."
Achievement - Expected standard. "Learners successfully achieve their individualised education, health and care plan outcomes."
Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have an accurate understanding of the quality of teaching and training that learners receive."
Safeguarding standards were met.
Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should improve the way in which they record learners' achievements so that the published data is accurate"; "Leaders should ensure learners receive detailed feedback, which enables them to understand what needs to be done to improve their work"; "Leaders should ensure all staff who work with learners with complex and challenging behaviours have the skills, resources and confidence they need for their roles".
Read the full report card on Ofsted's site (school website)
Source: Ofsted report card (Open Government Licence), quoted
Derwen College in its own words
In its own words: "With three sites based in Shropshire, students have many opportunities to experience real work settings. The largest campus in Gobowen, near Oswestry welcomes both residential and day students. Additionally, our satellite sites located at Ludlow and Telford welcome day students. Students at Derwen College have a choice of pathway areas, with subjects including:"
Coming up: an open day on Saturday 28 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Shropshire
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Who goes there
Derwen College has a SEN unit for autism, physical disability and severe learning difficulties. Derwen College is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Gobowen Rail Station, about 830 metres away (roughly a 10-minute walk).
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Agnes Hunt (adjacent), 220 metres away.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport)
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 7 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since November 2025)
Safeguarding standards met
- InclusionStrong standard
- Leadership and governanceExpected standard
- Participation and developmentStrong standard
- AchievementExpected standard
- Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
Safeguarding standards: met
By type of provision
| Provision | Curriculum, teaching and training | Achievement | Participation and development |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provision for learners and apprentices with high needs | Expected standard | Expected standard | Strong standard |
Source: Ofsted, further education and skills inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted's report card, in its own words
What Ofsted says the school should do next
- Leaders should improve the way in which they record learners' achievements so that the published data is accurate.
- Leaders should ensure learners receive detailed feedback, which enables them to understand what needs to be done to improve their work.
- Leaders should ensure all staff who work with learners with complex and challenging behaviours have the skills, resources and confidence they need for their roles.
From Ofsted's report card (inspection 3 March 2026). Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's March 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Derwen College excels at creating a highly inclusive and supportive environment where all learners feel safe and valued. The college provides outstanding work experience opportunities in real professional settings, helping learners develop confidence and practical skills for employment. Learners also enjoy a wide range of enrichment activities and are well-supported to build independence through tailored residential and community-based learning.
Key Strengths
- Strong culture of inclusion with staff expertly supporting learners to participate fully in all aspects of college life
- Learners benefit from high-quality work experience in professional environments including a hotel, restaurant, garden centre and retail outlets
- Comprehensive enrichment activities including Duke of Edinburgh awards, student union clubs, swimming pool, sports centre and accessible gym
- Well-trained staff with access to extensive professional development opportunities
- Learners successfully develop independence, confidence and resilience through carefully planned pathways
Areas for Improvement
- Data inaccuracies in reporting of learner achievement outcomes over the past 3 years
- Feedback to learners is sometimes mostly complimentary and does not sufficiently explain what they could improve
- Some staff have raised concerns about wellbeing and workload when supporting learners with complex and challenging needs
- Not all staff who work with learners with complex and challenging behaviours have adequate skills, resources and confidence
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed.
Extracurricular Activities
Duke of Edinburgh Award, student union clubs, swimming pool, sports centre, accessible gym, work experience placements in retail, hospitality and hotel settings
Derwen College is an independent specialist provider for young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities, focusing on employability, independent living and personal development. The college has been rated as meeting strong standards in inclusion and leadership, with an expected standard in provision for learners with high needs.
About
Derwen College is a specialist college situated in Gobowen near Oswestry in Shropshire in the United Kingdom.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
SEN unit: Autism, Physical, SLD
SEN Provision
Approved
Section 41
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 1 nearby school
Latest from Derwen College
Theo wins BBC Radio Make a Difference award
25 Sep 2026
Dolly Day celebrates the joy of reading
25 Sep 2026
Success at Excellence in Care awards
23 Sep 2026
Practice Plan team roll up their sleeves for volunteer day
17 Sep 2026
Student Jonathan is Student of the Year finalist
10 Sep 2026
Jess goes the extra mile for Derwen College Charity
10 Sep 2026
From Derwen College's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Derwen College
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Derwen College from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Derwen College is in Shropshire; for families living there:
Apply to Shropshire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 4
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 3 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Shropshire is 1 (the median across 187 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
Area Demand Pressure - Oswestry
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Oswestry
Across Shropshire council
Places available
3,213
Applications
2,845
Got 1st preference
91.0%
Got preferred school
98.7%
All secondary applications across Shropshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(13)
Further education and skills inspection (renewed framework)
Further education and skills inspection
Special educational needs provision
Derwen College has a SEN unit for autism, physical disability and severe learning difficulties.
Derwen College is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
Source: Get Information about Schools (GIAS), Department for Education.
Questions parents ask about Derwen College
What is Derwen College's Ofsted rating?
Derwen College's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2026, produced a report card, which grades each area but gives no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2021, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Derwen College?
No fixed boundary. When Derwen College is oversubscribed, Shropshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Does Derwen College have specialist SEN provision?
Derwen College has a SEN unit for autism, physical disability and severe learning difficulties. Derwen College is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
How do I apply to Derwen College?
Apply through Shropshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Derwen College on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Derwen College?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 3 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Shropshire is 1 (the median across 187 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Derwen College?
Derwen College is at Whittington Road, Gobowen, Oswestry, Shropshire, SY11 3JA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)