Oakwood Specialist College

10/03/2026

What a great couple of days we’ve had celebrating the joy of reading here at Oakwood. Our learners and team members threw themselves into the fun with so much enthusiasm, the whole college was buzzing with imagination.

One of the highlights had to be our real‑life 'Where’s Wally?' adventure, with learners excitedly searching high and low to spot Wally around the garden.

A huge thank you to our incredible team members for bringing the magic to life, and to our learners for reminding us why books matter so much!

24/02/2026

We’ve been busy going through the responses from our recent parent/carer survey, and we’re really grateful to everyone who took the time to share their thoughts. Your feedback helps us understand what’s working well and where we can keep improving.

We’ll continue to use your feedback to shape what we do next. Thank you for being such an important part of our college community, your voice genuinely makes a difference.

20/01/2026

We’re delighted to share our 2026/27 and 2027/28 term dates with you!
Planning ahead is so important for our learners, families, and Team Members, and we’re thrilled to make these available nice and early.

We’re also resharing our 2025/26 term dates as a handy refresher for the rest of this academic year, perfect if you need a quick check-in.

All three sets of term dates are available here on our website https://www.oakwoodcourt.ac.uk/home/parent-learner-visitor-information/ and we’ve added the posters below for easy viewing and saving.

19/01/2026

We’re delighted to share a heart‑warming partnership between Oakwood Specialist College and Claremont Manor in Dawlish, a collaboration that’s brought learning, connection, and joy to both learners and residents.

Oakwood College supports young people aged 16–25 with a range of special educational needs and disabilities, helping them build the skills, confidence, and independence they need for adulthood. A key part of this is real‑world work experience, giving learners the chance to grow in genuine workplace settings.

This term, one of our learners joined the wonderful team at Claremont Manor, a luxury, purpose‑built care home offering exceptional personalised care and a vibrant programme of activities. Working alongside the Activities Lead, the learner helped plan and deliver engaging sessions for residents, building communication and employment skills while making a meaningful difference to daily life at the home.

A standout moment was the the beautiful 'Words of Wisdom' project.
Our learner interviewed residents about the life lessons and career advice they’d like to pass on to young people. Each resident shared their message proudly, offering powerful insights on resilience, ambition, and navigating life’s challenges.

This partnership is a shining example of how intergenerational learning enriches everyone involved, residents feel valued and heard, while learners gain confidence, purpose, and real‑world experience.

A huge thank‑you to Katy, and all the staff at Claremont Manor and the Maria Mallaband Care Group for their warm welcome and ongoing support. Together, we’re building stronger communities through shared stories and meaningful opportunities.

"Our residents absolutely loved being involved and felt truly valued as part of this lovely initiative… There is so much wisdom we can learn from them!” Katy Ullah, Customer Relationship Manager, Claremont Manor

“This placement shows how high‑quality employer engagement can raise aspirations and build essential skills for future pathways.” Head of Careers, Oakwood Specialist College

Here’s to more partnerships that inspire, empower, and connect generations.

08/12/2025

Natspec

Learners at Oakwood Specialist College have been shining during The Power of Specialist FE Awareness Week, welcoming mayors, councillors and community reps, and even running their own podcast interviews 🎙️

Their stories are inspiring and well worth a read.

👉 Full article in the comments!

💬 Let us know what you think and help celebrate the amazing work happening in specialist FE.

08/12/2025

We’re proud to share the voices from 3 of our incredible 2025 college leavers. In this video, they reflect on:
- The experiences they’ve loved most at Oakwood
- The friendships and memories they’ll miss
- The skills they’ve gained through work experience placements
- How college has helped them grow in confidence and independence

Their journeys remind us why specialist FE matters, every learner has a story worth celebrating, and every achievement is a step toward a bright future.

We wish them all the success in their next chapter!

Natspec

08/12/2025

We are delighted to recognise the exceptional work of one of our learners, Silas, who has been thriving during his work placement at Dartmoor Zoo. Silas has shown real professionalism and enthusiasm, welcoming visitors, supporting animal-information talks and helping the team deliver an engaging experience for everyone who walks through the gates.

A standout moment of his placement came when Silas met Benjamin Mee, whose memoir 'We Bought a Zoo' tells the true story of how he and his family purchased and rebuilt Dartmoor Zoo. Meeting the person behind the story, at the very zoo he wrote about, made this photo and experience especially meaningful.

High-quality work experience is vital in helping learners explore their interests, build confidence and understand the realities of working life. Placements like Silas’s give young people the insight they need to make informed decisions about their future pathways and develop the skills that will support them into employment.

A huge well done to Silas for everything he has achieved. We are incredibly proud. 🌿🦁

05/12/2025

This week, as part of the Natspec campaign, we had the privilege of welcoming George from Devon & Cornwall Police to Oakwood, to deliver an outstanding session for our learners.

The aim was simple yet powerful, to offer a positive, reassuring experience with uniformed services, increase understanding of how the police can support individuals when needed, and introduce the wide range of volunteer and paid roles available within the emergency services.

The session was engaging, accessible, and informative, explaining the role of the police in a way that was honest, supportive, and easy for learners to relate to. George answered every question with care and took time to build genuine rapport with learners.
The opportunity to explore the police van, try on simulated uniforms, and interact with equipment brought the learning to life and created an experience our students will not forget.

The impact was remarkable. This was our largest turnout for a visitor event so far this year, and learner feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Many described the experience as the highlight of their week, if not their year. Even more inspiring, several learners are now considering volunteering or future career paths within the emergency services.

Partnerships like this demonstrate the importance of strong collaboration between education providers and local policing teams. By building trust and understanding, we help create safer communities and empower young people to feel confident seeking support when they need it.

A heartfelt thank you to George for your calm, kind, and person-centred approach. You made every learner feel respected and valued, and that makes all the difference.

Learn more about the Power of FE campaign here: https://specialistfe.com

Devon & Cornwall Police Teignmouth and Dawlish Police

05/12/2025

We had another Mayoral visit at another campus as part of Natspec’s Week, we were honoured to welcome the Mayor of Dawlish, Councillor Anthony James, to Oakwood today!

The Mayor spent time speaking directly with our learners about their experiences at college, hearing how their time here has helped them grow, develop confidence, and prepare for their futures. It was inspiring to see our learners share how college is supporting them in building skills that will open doors to work, independence, and community life.

During the visit, the Mayor toured the campus, meeting learners and team members across different classrooms. He saw first‑hand the dedication of our team members and the enthusiasm of our learners, who proudly showcased the progress they are making.

The highlight of the day was a sit‑down with our Learner Voice group, where learners shared their thoughts on what college means to them and how is shaping their journey. This powerful conversation reflected the heart of the Natspec campaign, ensuring learners are heard, valued, and celebrated.

We are grateful to the Mayor for taking the time to listen, engage, and support our learners. Visits like this shine a spotlight on the importance of specialist further education and the incredible impact it has on young people’s lives.

Dawlish Town Council

05/12/2025

As part of Natspec’s Power of Specialist Further Education Week, we were delighted to welcome some very special visitors to our Torpoint Campus!

The Mayor of Torpoint, Councillor Julie Martin, local MP support officer Hazel Moorey and Councillor Lizeta Fellows joined us for a tour of Oakwood Specialist College. They met learners in different classrooms, heard about what our learners enjoy most about college life, and saw first‑hand the amazing work happening here.

Our guests then visited the Coffee Pod, where they enjoyed a warm drink prepared by our talented Work Experience learners. It was wonderful to share how the Coffee Pod helps learners build valuable skills and confidence, preparing them for external work experience.

Learners also proudly showcased our Learner Voice board, highlighting their contributions to the Power of Specialist Further Education. To finish the visit, our Learner Rep interviewed the Mayor and Hazel for her class podcast, discussing how the council is supporting SEN learners in the local community.

A huge thank you to our visitors for spending time with us, and to our learners for shining so brightly!

17/11/2025

We’re proud to be part of the national campaign led by Natspec

At Oakwood Specialist College, we see every day how specialist further education transforms lives. This campaign celebrates the incredible achievements of young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and the colleges that support them.

The campaign aims to:
• Raise awareness of the life-changing impact of specialist FE
• Celebrate learner success stories
• Advocate for fair access and investment in specialist provision
• Unite voices across the sector to influence policy and practice

We unlock education. We transform lives. We create lasting impact.
We’ll be sharing stories, insights, and celebrations throughout the campaign, so stay tuned and join us in championing inclusive education that empowers every learner.

Learn more at www.specialistfe.com