On the A384 between Totnes and Buckfastleigh, South Devon Steiner School is rooted at Hood Manor, with the Upper School based at Hood Barn. It is a setting that signals its priorities early: continuity, craft, and a curriculum shaped as much by the arts and practical work as by the academic.
South Devon Steiner School is an independent all-through school for boys and girls aged 2 to 19 in Torquay, Devon. It follows the Steiner Waldorf curriculum, with a published capacity of 388. For families, the headline is the all-through journey: early years through to sixth form within one school culture, with the option to join at multiple points.
The school puts its philosophy plainly: learning is described as non-competitive, with end-of-year narrative evaluations taking the place of standard reports until formal examinations arrive later. That stance shapes the tone for families. This is a school that expects children to grow into academic rigour, rather than being driven there early by constant testing.
Its history helps explain the feel. Founded by a local group inspired by Rudolf Steiner’s educational approach, the school opened in 1981, moved to Hood Manor in the mid-1980s, and later added Hood Barn for older students. The sense of a community-built institution still runs through how it talks about school life: not only what happens in lessons, but what families contribute around them.
A distinctive feature is the expectation of parent involvement. Admissions information describes a “non-financial contribution” alongside fees, including practical help, class roles, and support for community workdays and seasonal fairs. For some families, that is the point. For others, it is the first question to ask before you commit.
South Devon Steiner School’s published exam route is not the usual GCSE suite, and that matters when you read mainstream measures. The school explains that it offers GCSE tuition and examinations in English Language and Maths (as an AQA exam centre), with GCSEs reintroduced in the 2022/23 academic year.
On FindMySchool’s GCSE outcomes ranking (based on official data), the school is ranked 4071st in England and 7th in Torquay. That places it below England average overall, within the lower-performing band when compared with the full set of GCSE schools in England. If you are comparing options locally, this is where using FindMySchool’s comparison tools is most helpful: it lets you set this picture alongside nearby schools, while keeping the school’s different qualification pathway in mind.
Instead of A-levels as the central spine, the school’s senior programme is built around the New Zealand Certificate of Steiner Education (NZCSE), described by the school as a university entrance level 3 award. It is intended as a “one exit” course running through Classes 9 to 12, with flexibility for students joining later.
England ranks and key metrics (where available)
GCSE 9–7
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% of students achieving grades 9-7
The website describes an interdisciplinary, theme-based approach where “Main Lessons” are designed to keep pupils engaged through experience as well as explanation. The stated curriculum balance is clear: academic study sits alongside Music, Art, Eurythmy (expressive movement unique to Steiner education), Handwork, and Wood- and Metalwork. For children who learn best when head, hand and heart are all in play, that breadth can be a genuine strength.
The structure also supports continuity. In Steiner schools, class communities and the long-term relationship between teacher and class can be central, particularly in the earlier years. The admissions guidance talks explicitly about class balance and dynamics when considering new joiners, which is a useful clue about how carefully the school thinks about group composition.
Assessment is framed as developmental rather than constant. The school describes informal testing in the earlier years, with exams introduced later, and the academic performance information sets out a senior route where NZCSE is the main qualification, with GCSEs in English Language and Maths available to support students who may transfer to a different post-16 pathway after Class 10.
For families, the practical implication is that “results” should be read through a different lens. Ask how your child responds to delayed formal assessment, and how they cope when exams do arrive. A child who needs early, frequent external benchmarks may find the pace less reassuring at first. A child who thrives on deep immersion and creative recall may find it steadying.
The school’s own story about destinations is broad rather than numerical, but still specific enough to be useful. Its history page points to leavers progressing to degrees across the UK and Europe, with examples including Biology at York, Art Foundation at Central St Martins, International Business at Brighton, Liberal Arts at Maastricht, Natural Sciences at Warwick, and Music Management at the BIMM in Bristol.
There is also a second, quieter destination route. The academic performance information notes that some students choose to complete education at the end of Class 10 and then move to a local sixth form college. That matters for all-through families: “all-through” here is an option, not a trap. If your child’s next step is better served by A-level specialisation elsewhere, the school describes GCSE English and maths as part of making that transition easier.
For younger pupils, the next-step question is different: it is not “which selective sixth form?”, but “does the child want to stay in the same educational language?”. Families should treat transition points (Kindergarten to Class 1, and Class 8 to Upper School) as moments to reassess fit rather than simply continue by default.
Admissions are direct to the school. The school asks families to apply via its admissions portal and to provide documents such as a birth certificate, previous school reports, and any relevant SEND documentation. The admissions forms page also states an administration fee of £180 (£150 + VAT) to complete an application.
The school’s admissions guidance outlines a process built around mutual fit rather than exam ranking. For many applicants in Classes 1 to 12, it describes a trial period where the child attends for five days, followed by an admissions meeting and then a decision. That can be a relief for families who want a school to see their child in context rather than through a single test, but it also means you should expect a process that takes time and involves the class teacher’s judgement.
The admissions page notes a September application deadline in May of the preceding academic year, while also saying applications are accepted throughout the year and mid-year entry is welcome. For tours, the school publishes regular in-person visits: tours run every Monday and Friday at 9.15am during term time, booked through the school’s tour calendar.
Because this is an all-through school with entry at multiple ages, it is worth using FindMySchool as a planning tool in a slightly different way than you would for a catchment-led state school. Use it to stress-test travel time for the timetable you will actually live with, including clubs, short days in the early years, and later finishes for older students.
Pastoral expectations begin with the class group. Admissions information describes the importance of class balance and the idea that classes and teachers often build a shared culture over time. That can create a strong sense of belonging for pupils who like consistency and relationship-led teaching.
On inclusion, admissions guidance states that the school can accept some pupils with special educational needs depending on needs, available resources, and the mix of needs within the class. It also references EHCP documentation as part of what families may need to share. The most recent ISI inspection found the school met the independent school standards checked, including safeguarding.
For wellbeing day to day, the clearest practical indicators are the routines around drop-off, pick-up, and expectations of adult supervision in the younger years. The published timing notes repeatedly that younger children are collected by an adult at the gate, and the Kindergarten section explicitly asks families to support calm arrivals and departures. That is a small detail with a big implication: this school relies on predictable boundaries and a close partnership with parents, especially for its youngest pupils.
The curriculum itself carries much of what other schools would badge as “enrichment”. Music, art, drama, Eurythmy, Handwork, and Wood- and Metalwork are presented as core features, not optional add-ons. For children who need to think with their hands, that is not a lifestyle extra; it is an everyday learning tool.
For older students, the NZCSE pathway is also a kind of enrichment, because it is designed to keep a broad Steiner curriculum through to 18, rather than narrowing early. If your child is artistic or practically minded but still academically able, that breadth can feel like being allowed to stay whole for longer.
The admissions procedure document is unusually explicit about the wider life of the school. It describes class trips (including residentials), community workdays, and cultural events such as Advent and Summer fairs, and it frames these as part of what keeps the school running well. There is also mention of parents taking on roles such as class coordinator or treasurer.
This is where fit becomes personal. Some families will love the idea that school life includes shared work and seasonal events. Others will find it difficult alongside jobs, younger siblings, or long commutes. It is worth asking early what the school expects in a typical term, and what flexibility exists when family capacity is stretched.
*Bursaries may be available for eligible families.
Basis: per term
South Devon Steiner School is based at Hood Manor in Dartington, between Totnes and Buckfastleigh, and the school’s directions place it on the A384, near Riverford Bridge with access from the A38. For rail travel, Totnes is the nearest mainline station, and most families will be driving for day-to-day logistics. The school’s own timings note different gates for different phases, including Hood Manor gate and Hood Barn gate, and it references multiple car parks, so drop-off routines are part of the rhythm.
The school publishes a detailed timetable of drop-off and collection times by class. In the Lower School, Classes 1 and 2 have an 8.15am start and a 2.55pm finish, with optional early collection at 1.00pm on specific days. Classes 3 to 5 run 8.20am to 3.00pm. In High School, Classes 6 to 8 run 8.25am to 3.05pm, and the Upper School timetable shows a 3.45pm finish on most days, with an earlier 3.05pm finish on Thursdays.
Wraparound care is clearest in Kindergarten: the published schedule includes afternoon care collection times, with late collection at 3.45pm for some groups. For older year groups, families usually confirm the current supervision and after-school arrangements directly with the school, particularly if transport constraints make an earlier finish challenging.
Curriculum fit: Steiner Waldorf education is not a small tweak to a mainstream model. It is a different philosophy about pacing, assessment and what “learning” looks like. Children who want constant measurable competition may find it frustrating. Children who thrive on story, craft, movement and long arcs of learning may find it grounding.
The exams question: The school’s senior pathway is built around NZCSE, with GCSE English Language and Maths offered as part of the route. That can suit students who want breadth through to 18, but it is not the same as a standard GCSE and A-level menu. Families should be clear about what universities or colleges your child might want, and which qualifications best serve that route.
Time and involvement: Admissions information describes an expectation of parent contribution beyond fees, plus seasonal events and practical workdays. For some families, that is the glue that makes the school feel human. For others, it is a real time cost.
Logistics: With multiple gates, different finishing times by phase, and a largely car-based commute, daily transport can define family life here. Before you commit, map the routine you would run across a full week, not just the morning drop.
South Devon Steiner School is best understood as a long, coherent educational journey rather than a set of exam results. It suits families who actively want a Steiner Waldorf education, value creativity and practical work alongside academics, and are comfortable with a community model that asks something of parents as well as pupils.
The limiting factor is not usually philosophy on paper. It is whether the day-to-day realities match your child and your family: the rhythm of an all-through school, the different qualification route in the teen years, and the time commitment that comes with a community-built approach.
For the right child, it can be an excellent fit, particularly if your family wants Steiner Waldorf education through to sixth form and values a broad curriculum that includes arts and practical subjects alongside academics. It is an all-through setting with a published capacity of 388, and it offers NZCSE as its main Level 3 pathway, with GCSE English Language and Maths available as part of the senior route.
Fees are charged termly. For the 2025/26 school year, published fees include £3,615 per term for Classes 1 to 5 and £4,421 per term for Classes 6 to 12 (VAT inclusive). Early years fees vary by Kindergarten schedule, and the school also describes means-tested financial assistance for families who need reduced fees.
Applications are made directly to the school via its admissions portal. The school asks families to submit key documents (such as a birth certificate and previous school reports) and states an administration fee of £180 (£150 + VAT). The admissions information also describes tours and, for many year groups, a trial period as part of the decision process.
The school describes NZCSE as its core Level 3 qualification rather than A-levels. It also states that it offers GCSE tuition and examinations in English Language and Maths, and that these GCSEs are taken in Class 10.
It is an approach that prioritises developmental pacing and a balanced curriculum, with strong emphasis on arts, movement and practical work alongside academic study. It can suit children who learn deeply through experience and creativity, and families who prefer less early exam pressure. It is less likely to suit a child who wants constant competitive ranking or a narrow exam-first focus from an early age.
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