Lifeworks College, Totnes
Lifeworks College is a special school for pupils aged 16 to 25 in Totnes. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2024.
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Lifeworks College in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Lifeworks College are Bidwell Brook School (0.2 miles, Good); Redwood River School (0.4 miles); On Track Education West Yarner (0.7 miles, Good); and On Track Education Totnes (1.5 miles, Good).
Bidwell Brook SchoolRedwood River SchoolOn Track Education West YarnerOn Track Education Totnes
Who goes there
Lifeworks 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 tram or metro stop is Staverton (South Devon Railway), about 1.1 miles away in a straight line.
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Shinners Bridge (ne-bound), 130 metres away.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport)
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Safeguarding: effective
Source: Ofsted, further education and skills inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Lifeworks College excels at supporting young people with learning difficulties to prepare for adult life. Students receive excellent practical training through work placements in real jobs like cafes and kitchens, where they can apply the skills they learn in college. The college works closely with families, employers and careers specialists to help each young person plan achievable goals for employment.
Key Strengths
- Students develop very positive attitudes to learning and are highly motivated to gain new skills and move into employment
- Staff create welcoming, nurturing environments with strong relationships and know students' individual needs well
- Well-designed curriculum with practical work placements that helps students learn real workplace skills
- Excellent careers advice and guidance working with employers to help students make informed decisions about their future
- Strong leadership that has successfully improved the quality of teaching and most students now achieve their qualifications
Areas for Improvement
- Not all therapies identified in students' education, health and care plans are currently in place - particularly speech and language therapy
- Some teaching activities are too complex, which can make a few students passive in lessons rather than actively participating
- Need to ensure recent improvements lead to more students moving into employment opportunities that match their goals
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with students knowing whom to go to with concerns and how to stay safe online.
Extracurricular Activities
Student council, visiting the Houses of Parliament, work placements in cafes and commercial kitchens
Lifeworks College is an independent specialist college in Devon for students aged 16-24 with special educational needs and disabilities. The college has made significant improvements since its previous inspection and now provides good quality education with outstanding behaviour and personal development.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Approved
Section 41
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Lifeworks College
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Lifeworks College from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Lifeworks College 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
- 0
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.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 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
Area Demand Pressure - Totnes
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Totnes
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(5)
Special educational needs provision
Lifeworks 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 Lifeworks College
What is Lifeworks College's Ofsted rating?
Lifeworks College was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2024.
What is the catchment area for Lifeworks College?
No fixed boundary. When Lifeworks College is oversubscribed, Devon allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Does Lifeworks College have specialist SEN provision?
Lifeworks 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 Lifeworks College?
Apply through Devon's coordinated admissions process, naming Lifeworks 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 Lifeworks College?
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. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 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 Lifeworks College?
Lifeworks College is at Lescaze, Shinners Bridge, Totnes, Devon, TQ9 6JD.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)