STUDENTS, staff, parents and carers are celebrating after a Dawlish-based specialist education college received an Outstanding rating from inspectors.

Ofsted has rated Oakwood Specialist College, which has its main campus in Dawlish, as Outstanding in all six areas.

The report was officially released today and college principal Esther Williams was delighted with the results which reflect the ‘exceptional quality of education and support’ provided to young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

She said: ‘We’re delighted with the outcome of our Ofsted inspection.

‘Being rated Outstanding across the board is fantastic and a real reflection of the heart, hard work, and care that everyone in the Oakwood community puts in every single day.

‘Our learners are at the centre of everything we do, and it’s such a joy to see their efforts and achievements recognised like this.

'We’re also incredibly grateful to our local and national employers who have been amazing partners in helping our learners gain real work experience that enables them to make informed and confident choices about their futures.

‘What makes me especially proud is that the inspectors saw the real Oakwood - the way we support each learner as a whole person.

‘Our therapeutic approach isn’t just something we talk about; it’s something we live every day, making sure every young person feels safe, confident and valued.

‘Oakwood really is a special place, and that’s down to the incredible team we have here.

‘Their dedication, professionalism, and genuine care make a difference in our learners’ lives every single day.’

Inspectors judged the college as Outstanding in the following areas; overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management and provision for learners with high needs.

Oakwood Specialist College delivers post-16 education at our campuses in Dawlish, Torpoint, and Yate in South Gloucestershire, supporting learners to achieve their full potential in a therapeutically informed and inclusive environment.

Highlights from the Ofsted report include that learners ‘regularly exceed the expectations of their EHC plan, such as gaining meaningful paid employment’.

Inspectors also said learners make excellent progress and college leaders have ‘integrated a range of highly individualised therapeutic interventions and approaches into the curriculum effectively’.

Students, inspectors said, behave ‘impeccably’ and are keen to contribute to teaching sessions and discussions.

Ofsted said learners gain an ‘excellent understanding of appropriate behaviours and healthy relationships’.

Staff were said to support learners to participate in high-quality work experience activities linked to their long-term goals and interests.

Leaders have implemented a highly personalised careers programme that matches learners’ aspirations.

Teachers set ‘very high expectations for learners to become more independent as quickly as they are able’.

And students develop ‘significant new knowledge, skills and behaviours’.

Ms Williams added: ‘We are incredibly proud of our staff, learners, and wider community for their dedication and commitment, which has been so clearly recognised in this report.’