We welcomed local MP and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Mel Stride to the school on 7th July. Executive Headteacher Jen Veal talked about the school’s improvement journey since the school became part of the West Country Schools Trust.

Although South Dartmoor’s most recent Ofsted gave the school ‘good’ ratings in all areas except one, the college officially remains an ‘RI’ school. Ofsted was positive about the school’s leadership, pupils’ personal development, pupil behaviour and attitudes. Sixth Form provision was also rated ‘good’ with record numbers of students enrolled for next year.

Jack L, Mrs Veal, Mel Stride MP, Aaron D and Rachael K

Mr Stride said: “South Dartmoor has been through a turbulent time but its progress in the past couple of years has been excellent and the teaching staff should be really proud of that. In many aspects its last Ofsted were highly encouraging. This is a school that serves its community well.”

Mrs Veal added: “Students do really well at South Dartmoor. The curriculum is ambitious, the teaching and learning is of consistently high quality and our students’ outcomes are strong. We are a caring school and I am deeply proud of our students. Our values are truth, respect, equality and excellence and we work hard to ensure these values are embedded in everything we do. We are well placed to get a ‘good’ judgement next time we are inspected, which will more accurately reflect the quality of our provision and the huge steps forward we have made.”