Running Deer School, Moretonhampstead
Running Deer School is a special school for pupils aged 8 to 16 in Moretonhampstead. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2025.
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2025)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Running Deer School in detail
Running Deer School in its own words
In its own words: "Running Deer School is a DfE registered independent school (registration number: 878/6067) for young people with Special Educational Needs. Running Deer C.I.C provide activities and opportunities based around traditional rural skills and land based studies, bushcraft, equine assisted education, dog therapy, green woodworking and conservation. Running Deer CIC is a not for profit organisation and company limited by guarantee."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Running Deer School has an education, health and care plan (14 of 14 in 2026).
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 0 crimes within a mile of the school. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Devon (16).
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; 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 June 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Running Deer welcomes pupils who have had difficult experiences elsewhere and creates a safe, happy environment where they feel trusted and supported. The school excels in reading and behaviour, with pupils eager to learn and meeting high expectations. It offers a rich, character-building curriculum with real-world learning opportunities, from outdoor education to agricultural qualifications, helping pupils understand healthy living, different cultures, and career paths.
Key Strengths
- Strong behaviour and attitudes - pupils meet high expectations and bullying is rare
- Excellent focus on reading with initiatives like 'everybody read' helping all pupils become confident, fluent readers
- Well-considered wider development offer including outdoor learning, qualifications in areas like equine care, and character development
- Pupils feel safe, happy and trusted by staff who understand their individual interests and needs
- Good personal development with opportunities to learn about democracy, inclusion, and social empathy
Areas for Improvement
- Teaching expertise is unevenly developed across subjects, meaning some pupils do not learn securely in all areas
- In a few subjects, leaders lack thorough understanding of how the curriculum impacts pupils' learning, leading to missed opportunities
- Pupils' support plans sometimes do not accurately reflect curriculum adaptations or detail specific strategies and targets precisely enough
- Staff need stronger subject knowledge and instructional expertise across all subjects
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective and the school creates an open, positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Equine care qualifications, agriculture qualifications, charity fundraising, outdoor learning in natural woodland setting
Running Deer School is an independent special school for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs, situated in woodland on Dartmoor. The school has stabilised following previous turbulence, with a new leadership structure and overhauled curriculum, though the quality of education still requires improvement.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Latest from Running Deer School
End of term newsletter
29 Jul 2026
Student Charity Fundraising Success
14 Jul 2026
Collaboration project between Running Deer School, Moretonhampstead Community Shed, and Wellmore Trust.
29 Jun 2026
What a weekend!
18 May 2026
Daffodils
18 May 2026
School Spring Newsletter
29 Apr 2026
From Running Deer School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Running Deer School
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
93%
Near capacity
14 pupils
15 places
1 spare place
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Moretonhampstead
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Moretonhampstead
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)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
14
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Running Deer School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
14
Total Pupils
12
Boys
2
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Running Deer School
Questions parents ask about Running Deer School
What is Running Deer School's Ofsted rating?
Running Deer School was rated Requires Improvement at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2025.
Does Running Deer School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in June 2025, Running Deer School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Running Deer School?
Running Deer School has around 14 pupils on roll.
Does Running Deer School have specialist SEN provision?
Running Deer School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Running Deer School?
Running Deer School 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 Running Deer School?
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 Running Deer School?
Running Deer School is at Butterdon Wood, Moretonhampstead, TQ13 8PY.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)