The Wildings, Talaton
The Wildings is a special school for pupils aged 7 to 18 in Talaton. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2024.
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
The Wildings in detail
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at The Wildings has an education, health and care plan (10 of 10 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Feniton Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 8 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, public order offences and vehicle crime. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Devon (16).
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
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's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
The Wildings significantly changes pupils' and families' lives for the better. Nearly all pupils have been permanently excluded from other settings prior to joining. Some have missed large parts of their education. The Wildings throws a protective blanket around these pupils and allows them to flourish. It does so by quickly getting to know their personalities, backgrounds and interests.
Pupils learn that staff will listen and care for them. Adults help them to feel a sense of pride and self-worth. They identify potential triggers or flashpoints to help reduce poor behaviour. As a result, there is demonstrable improvement in pupils' ability to manage their own behaviour over time. This has meant pupils have coped well with the recent raised expectations of the academic curriculum.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
Strong leadership has driven the school onwards and upwards since the last inspection. The close-knit staff share leaders' passion to make pupils' time at the school a success. Staff feel they have a voice in the school. They feel senior leaders consider their well-being. Their workload is well managed.
The school has worked to improve its academic offer. It has strengthened its curriculum. Pupils acquire new knowledge through a well-sequenced and rigorous approach. However, the school has not lost sight of its moral imperative to ensure that pupils also learn the skills to help prepare them for learning in the classroom. While the school has high staffing ratios, adults skilfully work with pupils to develop their independence. Pupils thrive on the trust that is shown in them. For example, they confidently show visitors around the school or help with the washing up in the kitchen.
From Ofsted's June 2024 inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its June 2024 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 1 nearby school
Latest from The Wildings
Celebrating Every Step: Embracing New Beginnings
24 Jul 2026
Growing Together: Connecting Two School Communities
22 May 2026
Term Dates 26/7
30 Apr 2026
Together we Achieved: Reflecting on a Remarkable Year
17 Jul 2025
Outdoor Fun: Making the Most of Sunny School Days
4 Jul 2025
Furthering Space to Thrive: School Expansion in Action
20 Jun 2025
From The Wildings's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with The Wildings
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
91%
Near capacity
10 pupils
11 places
1 spare place
as recorded on GIAS
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(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
10
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
The Wildings 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
10
Total Pupils
10
Boys
0
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about The Wildings
What is The Wildings's Ofsted rating?
The Wildings was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2024.
Does The Wildings meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in June 2024, The Wildings met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to The Wildings?
The Wildings has around 10 pupils on roll.
Does The Wildings have specialist SEN provision?
The Wildings is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to The Wildings?
The Wildings 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 The Wildings?
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 The Wildings?
The Wildings is at Royston Farm, Talaton, Talaton, Devon, EX5 2RR.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)