Oakwood Specialist College, Dawlish
Oakwood Specialist College is a special school for pupils aged 16 to 25 in Dawlish. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2025.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2025)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Oakwood Specialist College in detail
Oakwood Specialist College in its own words
In its own words: "Our Dawlish campus is situated in the coastal town of Dawlish near Exeter. It is a short walk from the town centre and the golden beach, with excellent transport links via bus or the Great western train line to Exeter, Plymouth and beyond. At Dawlish we provide learning programmes for around 80 learners."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Oakwood Specialist College are Orchard Manor School (0.9 miles, Good); Royal Deaf Education Trust (3.4 miles, Good); and Royal Deaf Education Trust (3.4 miles, Good).
Orchard Manor SchoolRoyal Deaf Education TrustRoyal Deaf Education Trust
Who goes there
Oakwood Specialist College provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties. Oakwood Specialist 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 Dawlish Rail Station, about 510 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Newlands (se-bound), 160 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 81 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Devon (16), as is usual near a town centre.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
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 March 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Oakwood Specialist College creates a joyful, highly supportive learning environment where students with specialist needs thrive and make excellent progress from their starting points. The college combines expert teaching with therapeutic support to help learners develop independence, confidence and crucial life skills. Staff work closely with families and external organisations to ensure every learner has well-planned next steps and ongoing support after they leave.
Key Strengths
- Highly individualised curriculum that prepares learners for life after college, with many exceeding their EHC plan expectations - including gaining paid employment or exhibiting professional art work
- Outstanding behaviour and personal development, with learners feeling safe and understanding healthy relationships and online safety
- Expert use of therapeutic interventions like zones of regulation and sensory diets to help learners manage emotions and self-regulate
- Excellent work experience and careers programme matched to learners' aspirations, with strong links to employers and local organisations
- Skilled teaching staff who expertly adapt lessons, use innovative techniques to develop communication skills, and foster learner independence
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff helping learners understand how to stay safe online and in their community.
Extracurricular Activities
Work experience placements (animals, construction), professional art exhibitions, sensory education activities
Oakwood Specialist College is an independent specialist college with three campuses in South West England, serving 129 learners with individualised courses tailored to their education, health and care plans. The college has been rated Outstanding across all areas, representing a significant improvement from its previous Good rating.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
SEMH, MLD, SLD
SEN Provision
Approved
Section 41
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 3 nearby schools
Social & online
Keep up with Oakwood Specialist College
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Oakwood Specialist College from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Oakwood Specialist 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
- 11
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 11 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 2 serious and 8 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot.
7 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 - Dawlish
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Dawlish
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(11)
Special educational needs provision
Oakwood Specialist College provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
Oakwood Specialist 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 Oakwood Specialist College
What is Oakwood Specialist College's Ofsted rating?
Oakwood Specialist College was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2025.
What is the catchment area for Oakwood Specialist College?
No fixed boundary. When Oakwood Specialist College is oversubscribed, Devon allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Does Oakwood Specialist College have specialist SEN provision?
Oakwood Specialist College provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties. Oakwood Specialist 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 Oakwood Specialist College?
Apply through Devon's coordinated admissions process, naming Oakwood Specialist 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 Oakwood Specialist College?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 11 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 2 serious and 8 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot. 7 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 Oakwood Specialist College?
Oakwood Specialist College is at 7/9 Oak Park Villas, Dawlish, Devon, EX7 0DE.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)