On Track Education Barnstaple, Barnstaple
On Track Education Barnstaple is a special school for pupils aged 7 to 18 in Barnstaple. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2025)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
On Track Education Barnstaple in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to On Track Education Barnstaple are The Lampard Community School (0.7 miles); and Pathfield School (2.2 miles, Good).
What parents say
15 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about On Track Education Barnstaple (as of September 2025): 100% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that pupils behave well (73%).
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at On Track Education Barnstaple has an education, health and care plan (52 of 52 in 2026).
On Track Education Barnstaple 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 Barnstaple Rail Station, about 1.8 miles away in a straight line.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Hawthorn Lay-by (e-bound), 270 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 55 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Devon (16), as is usual near a town centre.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; 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 · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Sixth Form
Safeguarding: effective
Independent school standards
Met all the independent school standards.
- Part 1: quality of educationMet
- Part 2: pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural developmentMet
- Part 3: welfare, health and safetyMet
- Part 4: suitability of staff and proprietorsMet
- Part 5: premises and accommodationMet
- Part 6: information for parentsMet
- Part 7: handling of complaintsMet
- Part 8: leadership and managementMet
Source: Ofsted, non-association independent schools inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's July 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
On Track Education excels at supporting pupils who have struggled in mainstream education by providing a personalized, caring environment where they can rebuild confidence and thrive. The school combines ambitious academics with rich enrichment activities like music, surfing, and farm visits that help pupils develop resilience and independence. Staff build strong, respectful relationships with every student, creating a calm school where pupils feel genuinely safe and valued.
Key Strengths
- Strong relationships between staff and pupils that help students feel safe, valued and supported
- Well-designed, ambitious curriculum tailored to individual pupil needs and interests
- Excellent personal development provision including music, surfing, and community visits
- Effective reading support with prompt assessment and phonics teaching matched to each pupil's stage
- High expectations for behaviour with calm, supportive routines
Areas for Improvement
- Not all staff have sufficient subject knowledge and expertise to deliver the curriculum as effectively as intended
- Overall attendance rates remain too low despite efforts to improve
- Limited opportunities for pupils to learn about communities beyond the local area and experience multicultural Britain
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with strong systems in place and a positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
School band, surfing, local farm visits, museum visits, public transport training, employer visits, college trips, work experience placements
On Track Education Barnstaple is a special school for pupils aged 7-18 with SEND that has been rated Good overall. The school is known for its strong ethos of respect, personalized learning approach, and commitment to helping pupils who have had disrupted educational experiences.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Approved
Section 41
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
15 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 2 nearby schools
Keep up with On Track Education Barnstaple
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 8
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 8 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 7 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
School Occupancy
87%
Available places
52 pupils
60 places
8 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Barnstaple
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Barnstaple
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)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
52
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
On Track Education Barnstaple 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: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
52
Total Pupils
37
Boys
15
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about On Track Education Barnstaple
What are GCSE results like at On Track Education Barnstaple?
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for On Track Education Barnstaple can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
What is On Track Education Barnstaple's Ofsted rating?
On Track Education Barnstaple was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2025.
Does On Track Education Barnstaple meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in July 2025, On Track Education Barnstaple met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to On Track Education Barnstaple?
On Track Education Barnstaple has around 52 pupils on roll.
Does On Track Education Barnstaple have specialist SEN provision?
On Track Education Barnstaple 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 On Track Education Barnstaple?
On Track Education Barnstaple is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near On Track Education Barnstaple?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 8 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 7 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 On Track Education Barnstaple?
On Track Education Barnstaple is at Narita House, Fishleigh Rd,, Barnstaple, Devon, EX31 3UD.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)