(UK) Devon: Special school opens; some out of school for 3 yrs because of complex needs
- The end of childhood
- Oct 21
- 2 min read
Oct 21, 2025, Devon Co: New school is already having a positive impact on its pupils
We have partnered with the Special Partnership Trust to open a new state-funded special school for young people with autism, social, emotional and other mental health-related needs.
It’s only been open since the beginning of September, but already it’s having a huge impact on the 12 pupils currently attending, some of whom have not been to school for up to three years due to the complexity of their needs.
Castlebridge School in Tavistock is relatively small. It will have a maximum capacity of 30 pupils when fully up and running. Meanwhile its parent school – a larger Department for Education-funded special school in Ivybridge – is currently in the planning stages and is due to open mid-2027.
Together, the two sites of the Castlebridge School will not only provide the one-to-one tailored support to help its pupils attain academic qualifications and important life skills, but it’s also supporting neighbouring mainstream schools.
Head Teacher, Bridget Williams, said:
“Our school is for young people who are finding mainstream schooling too challenging and they need something different to meet their needs.
“We have six pupils who are attending all day every day. It’s huge that they feel that they can come into school because some of them have been out of school for two to three years. For them to come in and attend full time has just been fantastic.
“We’ve got other pupils with whom we’re building relationships with by going out to them on home visits, and speaking with their families and really getting that intense understanding of what those young people need to access education in our setting. . . .
Councillor Denise Bickley is Devon County Council’s Cabinet Member with responsibility for services that support young people with special educational needs and disabilities. She has recently visited Castlebridge School. She said:
“I have really enjoyed coming here today. It’s been so interesting to see how a school can be developed with children in mind right from the onset. . . .
“But we recognise that for some pupils, mainstream school settings are not right for them. Therefore state-funded special schools like Castlebridge are vital pieces of the jigsaw that we’re trying to put together in our sufficiency strategy, working out what provision we need and where we need it.”
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