The Promise School is a special free school in Okehampton, Devon, for children and young people aged 4 to 16. It supports autism and SEMH.
- Ages 4–16
- 79 pupils
School details
- Type
- Special free school
- Ages
- 4 to 16
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 79 (places for 100)
- Headteacher
- Mr Quentin Gunderson
- Part of
- Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust
- Opened
- 1 September 2022
- Free school meals
- 72.2% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Devon
- School reference (URN)
- 149041
Needs it supports
2 needs: autism, SEMH
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
Social, emotional and mental health
- Social, emotional and mental health Other schools for this in Devon (8)
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places at schools like this usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. If your child doesn’t have one yet, you can ask the council for an assessment yourself.
- Visit and ask questions
See whether the school feels right and whether it can meet your child’s needs. Our list of questions below can help.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often Devon council) that this is the school you want, and ask them to consult it.
- Named in the plan
If the school is named in your child’s plan, it must admit your child. Free home-to-school transport is often part of the arrangement.
Questions to ask when you visit
8 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them on the day.
Ofsted
Special measures. Graded by area, June 2025
Ofsted has placed this school in special measures.
Inspected in June 2025. Inspections from September 2024 to November 2025 graded each area but gave no overall grade.
- Quality of educationInadequate
- Behaviour and attitudesInadequate
- Personal developmentRequires improvement
- Leadership and managementInadequate
- SafeguardingEffective
Contact and getting there
Wardhayes, Simmons Way, Okehampton, EX20 1PU
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
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The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- Okehampton Primary School and Foundation Unit Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.5 miles
- Northlew and Ashbury Parochial Church of England Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 · Ofsted: Good 5.9 miles
- Acorn School Independent · Ages 8–16 · Ofsted: Good 8.8 miles
By need in Devon: Autism (14) · SEMH (9) · Moderate learning (8) · Speech and language (7) · Severe learning (7) · PMLD (5) · Hearing (5) · Vision (5) · Physical (5) · Dyslexia and SpLD (4) · Multi-sensory (4)
Questions about The Promise School
How do I get a place at The Promise School?
There’s no catchment area or application round. Places usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult The Promise School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does The Promise School support?
Autism and social, emotional and mental health. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does The Promise School take?
Aged 4 to 16, boys and girls.
What is The Promise School’s Ofsted rating?
There’s no overall grade to show. Read the school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Where is The Promise School?
Wardhayes, Simmons Way, Okehampton, EX20 1PU, in Devon.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.