Admission to the school

The Outdoors School is an Independent School that accepts learners into places that are commissioned by the Local Authority. In order to have a place commissioned, it is likely that your child will have gone through a difficult time in mainstream school and will also have an EHC Plan.

You cannot apply for a place directly through the school. In Devon we are commissioned by the 0-25 team for places and this would typically require learners to be permanently excluded or at risk of permanent exclusion, to be attending a PRU or other special school placement and to have an EHCP. If the Local Authority agree with you that the placement is the right one for your child, they will complete referral paperwork and commissioning procedures with The Outdoors School to secure a place for your child. We have two intakes a year, this will involve a personalised transition process agreed between parent, learner and family support team.

During the waiting period between acceptance and starting at the school, we try to work with the parents, the schools, and the Local Authority to provide as effective a transition period as we can for your child. We also have the option of providing a 1:1 intervention day at one of our settings to help familiarise learners with the school and the staff as part of the process. If you need help and support with the process of placing your child with us, then we will help where we can. Please read our FAQs for lots of help and advice on applying to the school.