Image of River Dart Academy (Dartington)

Get in Touch

Academy Type: Alternative Provision (AP) Academy

Principal & Main Contact: Jessica Bell

Designated Safeguarding Lead: Jessica Bell -

Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead: Suzy Eagles

SENCO: Suzy Eagles -

Careers Leader: Suzy Eagles -

Address: Shinners Bridge Dartington TQ9 6JD, Devon, England. UK

Phone: 01803 865580

Email:

About

River Dart Academy is commissioned by Devon Local Authority to provide day six provision for those pupils permanently excluded from mainstream provision. From Autumn Term 2023/24 referrals into the Academy also included support for pupils on and returning from EOTAS (Educated Other Than at School) packages.

Our aim is to work closely with partners to provide support to the most vulnerable pupils and secure reintegration. We engage in extensive collaboration with a wide range of external agencies, including statutory bodies, voluntary organisations, and alternative provisions, to ensure that our pupils can readily access the essential support, guidance, and intervention they require.

Our primary goal is to cultivate an environment where everyone can flourish, fostering responsible citizenship and a lifelong love for learning.

We recognise that some pupils benefit from personalised approaches to address their educational needs. Consequently, for those requiring a more bespoke educational experience, we provide opportunities and facilitate packages through alternative provisions. These provisions undergo stringent quality assurance processes, monitored by both Devon County Council and our internal quality assurance processes in accordance with KCSIE (Keeping Children Safe in Education) standards. Packages can be commissioned by either Devon County Council or Wave MAT and are overseen by River Dart Academy. These bespoke offers are available to support pupils on an individual basis.

Our commitment extends to adapting our curriculum to cater to the unique needs of our pupils. Through this personalised approach, we aim to nurture a wide range of skills, knowledge, attitudes, and understanding, empowering all our pupils to realise their full potential.

You can read more about our Curriculum Here.

Devon's Local Special Educational Needs & Disabilities Offer

Careers information:

River Dart Provider Access Policy

Careers Advice - Wave MAT

River Dart Academy on Bluesky Social

Staff

Jessica Bell

Head of School

Jessie began her career as a Teaching Assistant, supporting children and young people with profound, multiple and specific learning disabilities. Her passion for supporting children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities has remained at the heart of her career since.

After training as a teacher, Jessie taught across both mainstream and specialist school settings, working with children and young people from ages 4 to 18. She has also worked as a SENCO in both primary and secondary school settings, supporting pupils with a wide range of additional needs.

Jessie is a strong advocate for inclusive education and firmly believes that every child and young person should have the opportunity to access education, with learning thoughtfully adapted to meet their individual needs.

Jessie joined WAVE as SENCO at River Dart Academy and has since taken on a range of roles, including teaching PSHE, Vice Principal and Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), before becoming Head of School. These experiences have strengthened her commitment to creating a safe, nurturing and ambitious environment where every young person is supported to thrive.

Outside of school, Jessie enjoys spending time with her family, friends and her two dogs — a miniature poodle and a miniature dachshund.

Suzy Eagles

Deputy Head of School and SENDCO

Suzy has been teaching for over 20 years in numerous settings from Mainstream, Pupil Referral Units and a Private School in the UAE. Suzy has taught a number of subjects: PE at A level, GSCE and BTEC in addition to core PE, Science, Numeracy, Literacy and ASDAN.

Initially qualifying with a BE.d (Hons) in PE Suzy has since completed a Masters in Educational Leadership and Management. During her career Suzy has held positions in middle and senior leadership such as Head of Department, Director of Department, Head of Faculty, Head of Year and Assistant Principal in differing settings.

She has been strategic lead for Teaching and Learning and behaviour in a large all through school in addition to behaviour CPD lead in Mainstream and Alternative Provision. She has successfully led Pastoral teams, Teaching and Learning teams and whole school CPD responsibility resulting in whole school improvement in those areas.

Outside of school Suzy enjoyed several sports including Hockey competing at national League level and Judo also at national level. Latterly she now enjoys keeping fit and walking her dog.

Academy Info

Curriculum

Subject Areas

Student Data

Referrals

Newsletters & More

Map

Latest News

Wave Trust Summer Newsletter 2026

Here is our Wave Trust Summer Term 2026 Newsletter. An end of an era as we say a fond farewell to Rob Gasson as our Wave Trust CEO but also an opportunity to look at the wonderful things that have happened at Wave Trust over the Summer Term.

Wave Trust Summer Newsletter 2026
Wave Trust Spring Newsletter 2026

Here is our Wave Trust Spring Term 2026 Newsletter. Find out what we have been getting up to across the Trust this term.

Wave Trust Newsletter Spring Term 2026
Quality Career Guidance Changes Lives

We are proud that Wave River Dart Academy was picked to appear in a film produced by Jack and Grace and Gatsby Charitable Foundation talking to pupils about the impact of good careers guidance on their lives. That film is now live! Please see link to the film and pupil stories Here

One of our key ambitions at River Dart Academy and across Wave Trust is making sure that young people don’t fall out of education.

As our Careers Lead and River Dart Academy Principal Tessa Claridge says in the film - ‘’It is about working with that young person Identifying those barriers and supporting them to really reach their potential and for us it’s about making the subjects contextualised to what they want to do.’’

As an example of what is meant by contextualising subjects to help our pupils to engage, Tessa talks about the support given to 'Ben' a budding landscaper:

''When we were talking about maths, we talked about how he would need to measure spaces if working in landscaping and provide quotes for his work. We showed how English would help him engage clients and put his ideas to them. Art was another thing Ben was resistant to. But our art teacher was brilliant, talking to him about how he would need to be able to present his designs visually''.

Please read more on 'Ben's' story here

The impact of quality careers guidance for young people is huge. It’s about making a difference to them and their aspirations - It really does change lives!

At Wave Trust we understand the more Gatsby Benchmarks your institution achieves the less likely your pupils are to become NEET. Emphasis on careers at Wave Trust helps our young people thrive. It helps us with our Wave Trust vision to significantly change pupil lives for the better.

Enjoy watching the film and the fantastic insights given. It was a pleasure to be part of this project. Thank you to all involved.
Careers Guidance at River Dart and Beyond

Our careers programme is an important part of the journey of our young people at Wave.

We are proud that River Dart Academy is the only Alternative Provision Academy in England, to have been picked alongside only two other schools nationally, to appear in a film by Gatsby Charitable Foundation talking to pupils about the impact of good careers guidance on their lives.

Our passionate Trust Careers Lead Tessa Claridge, who was interviewed by the film crew, not only supports pupils at River Dart Academy, but leads the Careers Teams across Wave and is dedicated to helping the young people in our Academies across Devon and Cornwall.

Here are a few pictures taken by the film crew on the day. We cannot wait to see the video in full.
Wave Trust Autumn Newsletter 2025

Here is our Wave Autumn 2025 Newsletter. Find out what we have been getting up to across the Trust this term.

Wave Trust Newsletter Autumn Term 2025

Online Lessons

Term Dates & Events

Child Protection & Safeguarding Policy

River Dart Academy recognises that the safety and welfare of children is paramount and that we have a responsibility to protect children in all of our academy activities. We take all reasonable steps to ensure, through appropriate procedures and training, that all children, irrespective of sex, age, disability, race, religion or belief, sexual identity or social status, are protected from abuse.

We endeavour to provide a safe and welcoming environment where children are respected and valued. We are alert to the signs of abuse and neglect and follow procedures to ensure that children and young people receive effective support, protection and justice.

We listen to our pupils and take seriously whet they tell us, children are aware of the adults they can talk to if they have a concern. When there are concerns for a child's welfare, we may need to share information and work in partnership with other agencies. We will ensure concerns are discussed with parents/.carers first unless we have reason to believe that by doing so would be contrary to the child's welfare.

Our Child Protection and Safeguarding policy underpins and guides our safeguarding procedures and protocols.

Link to further Safeguarding information

River Dart Academy (Dartington)