On Track Education West Yarner, Totnes
On Track Education West Yarner is a special school for pupils aged 7 to 16 in Totnes. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2025)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
On Track Education West Yarner in detail
On Track Education West Yarner in its own words
Coming up: an open evening on Wednesday 3 February 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to On Track Education West Yarner are Lifeworks College (0.7 miles, Good); Bidwell Brook School (0.7 miles, Good); Redwood River School (0.9 miles); and On Track Education Totnes (2.1 miles, Good).
Lifeworks CollegeBidwell Brook SchoolRedwood River SchoolOn Track Education Totnes
What parents say
16 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about On Track Education West Yarner (as of September 2025): 94% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 80% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (80%).
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at On Track Education West Yarner has an education, health and care plan (40 of 40 in 2026).
On Track Education West Yarner 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 1.3 miles away in a straight line.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is West Yarner (e-bound), 60 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 6 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, criminal damage and arson and other theft. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Devon (16).
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
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
This school excels at helping pupils who have struggled in other settings. Through strong staff relationships and a nurturing environment, the school successfully improves pupils' behaviour and confidence while maintaining ambitious academic expectations. The school places particular emphasis on reading and provides excellent enrichment activities like museum visits and theatre trips to spark curiosity and develop new interests.
Key Strengths
- Strong relationships with pupils and families that help transform negative views of education into positive ones
- High-quality reading provision with effective support for pupils with phonics gaps
- Broad, balanced curriculum with well-defined knowledge and effective questioning in lessons
- Excellent personal development offer including trips, visiting speakers, and charity work
- Effective transition support and careers advice for older pupils moving to next stages
Areas for Improvement
- Early writing instruction needs strengthening - some pupils given tasks too complex before mastering letter formation and sentence construction
- Curriculum sequencing in a few subjects does not build logically on previous learning
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with leaders creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Trips to museums and theatre, visiting speakers, school garden activities, charity fundraising, school library
On Track Education West Yarner is a specialist school that helps pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs get back on track with their education. The school has a nurturing approach while maintaining high academic expectations, and was rated Good overall.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Approved
Section 41
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
16 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with On Track Education West Yarner
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
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
77%
Available places
40 pupils
52 places
12 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
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(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
40
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
On Track Education West Yarner 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
40
Total Pupils
33
Boys
7
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
On Track Education West Yarner
Questions parents ask about On Track Education West Yarner
What are GCSE results like at On Track Education West Yarner?
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 West Yarner 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 West Yarner's Ofsted rating?
On Track Education West Yarner was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2025.
Does On Track Education West Yarner meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in July 2025, On Track Education West Yarner met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to On Track Education West Yarner?
On Track Education West Yarner has around 40 pupils on roll.
Does On Track Education West Yarner have specialist SEN provision?
On Track Education West Yarner 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 West Yarner?
On Track Education West Yarner 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 West Yarner?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Devon is 3 (the median across 426 schools, same distance and years).
Where is On Track Education West Yarner?
On Track Education West Yarner is at West Yarner, Dun Cross, Totnes, Devon, TQ9 6DX.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)