Ellen Tinkham School, Exeter
Ellen Tinkham School is a special school for pupils aged 3 to 19 in Exeter, part of SENtient Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in April 2023.
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Ellen Tinkham School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Ellen Tinkham School are Vranch House School (1 mile, Outstanding); Southbrook School (2 miles, Good); Magdalen Court School (2.1 miles, Requires improvement); and Infocus College (2.2 miles, Good).
Vranch House SchoolSouthbrook SchoolMagdalen Court SchoolInfocus College
The trust
Ellen Tinkham School is one of 6 schools run by SENtient Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 19 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 95% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 16% to a further education college.
Who goes there
51.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 6.7% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Ellen Tinkham School has an education, health and care plan (240 of 240 in 2026). The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Ellen Tinkham School provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Pinhoe Rail Station, about 760 metres away (roughly a 9-minute walk).
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Technology Centre (n-bound), 150 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 133 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Devon (16), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Ellen Tinkham School issued 2 suspensions, 0.8 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Sixth Form
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its April 2023 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Early years.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Leadership & management, Sixth form.
At a Glance
51.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SLD, PMLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Social & online
Keep up with Ellen Tinkham School
Before and after school care
Ellen Tinkham School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Devon
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Ellen Tinkham School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Ellen Tinkham School is in Devon; for families living there:
- Devon's school travel policy: Free school transport
- How to apply: Apply for free school transport
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 7
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 5 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
3 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 Devon is 3 (the median across 426 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
School Occupancy
109%
Over capacity
240 pupils
220 places
20 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Exeter
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Exeter
Across Devon council
Places available
7,788
Applications
7,251
Got 1st preference
93.3%
Got preferred school
98.4%
All secondary applications across Devon council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(8)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Outstanding, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
240
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Ellen Tinkham School provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
240
Total Pupils
166
Boys
74
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
36
Teachers
6.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,897
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
8.4%
Overall absence
25.3%
Persistent absence
198
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Ellen Tinkham School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Ellen Tinkham School
What are SATs results like at Ellen Tinkham School?
Of the pupils at Ellen Tinkham School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Ellen Tinkham School's Ofsted rating?
Ellen Tinkham School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in April 2023. At its previous graded inspection in 2011 it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Ellen Tinkham School?
No fixed boundary. When Ellen Tinkham School is oversubscribed, Devon allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Ellen Tinkham School?
Ellen Tinkham School has around 240 pupils on roll. 51% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Ellen Tinkham School have specialist SEN provision?
Ellen Tinkham School provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Ellen Tinkham School?
8.4% of sessions were missed at Ellen Tinkham School in 2024/25. 25.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Ellen Tinkham School?
Apply through Devon's coordinated admissions process, naming Ellen Tinkham School 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.
Does Ellen Tinkham School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ellen Tinkham School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school.
How many road collisions happen near Ellen Tinkham School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 5 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 3 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 Devon is 3 (the median across 426 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Ellen Tinkham School?
Ellen Tinkham School is at Hollow Lane, Pinhoe, Exeter, Devon, EX1 3RW.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)