Bennerley Fields School, Ilkeston
Bennerley Fields School is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 16 in Ilkeston, part of Esteem Multi-Academy Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2023.
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Bennerley Fields School in detail
Bennerley Fields School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "If you are reading this then you clearly want to know a bit more about our inspirational school, part of the Esteem Multi Academy Trust. As Headteacher, I am proud to lead a dedicated and highly skilled staff team, who work together to make sure all pupils have a fantastic school experience."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Bennerley Fields School are Blue Mountain Education (0.7 miles, Good); Progression 2 Work (2.1 miles, Requires improvement); Jasmine House School (2.5 miles, Good); and Willowfield Academy (3.6 miles, Good).
Blue Mountain EducationProgression 2 WorkJasmine House SchoolWillowfield Academy
The trust
Bennerley Fields School is one of 14 schools run by Esteem Multi-Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 8 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 25% to a further education college.
Who goes there
66.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 1% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Bennerley Fields School has an education, health and care plan (105 of 105 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Bennerley Fields School provides for pupils with speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Ilkeston Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Bridge Street (w-bound), 220 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Bennerley Fields School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 156 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Derbyshire (50), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Bennerley Fields School issued 1 suspension, 1 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its January 2023 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
66.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Speech and language, Autism, SEMH +2
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Bennerley Fields School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Bennerley Fields School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Bennerley Fields School is in Derbyshire; for families living there:
- Derbyshire's school travel policy: Home to school transport policy 2026 to 2027 - 465KB
- How to apply: Apply for home to school transport assistance
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 10
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 10 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 6 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Derbyshire is 6 (the median across 454 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
111%
Over capacity
105 pupils
95 places
10 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Ilkeston
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Ilkeston
Across Derbyshire council
Places available
8,818
Applications
7,971
Got 1st preference
94.5%
Got preferred school
98.5%
All secondary applications across Derbyshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
105
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Bennerley Fields School provides for pupils with speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
105
Total Pupils
75
Boys
30
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
17
Teachers
6.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,407
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.6%
Overall absence
26.0%
Persistent absence
104
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Bennerley Fields School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Bennerley Fields School
What are SATs results like at Bennerley Fields School?
Of the pupils at Bennerley Fields School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Bennerley Fields School's Ofsted rating?
Bennerley Fields School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in January 2023. At its previous graded inspection in 2015 it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Bennerley Fields School?
No fixed boundary. When Bennerley Fields School is oversubscribed, Derbyshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Bennerley Fields School?
Bennerley Fields School has around 105 pupils on roll. 67% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Bennerley Fields School have specialist SEN provision?
Bennerley Fields School provides for pupils with speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Bennerley Fields School?
9.6% of sessions were missed at Bennerley Fields School in 2024/25. 26% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Bennerley Fields School?
Apply through Derbyshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Bennerley Fields School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Bennerley Fields School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 10 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 6 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Derbyshire is 6 (the median across 454 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Bennerley Fields School?
Bennerley Fields School is at Stratford Street, Cotmanhay, Ilkeston, Derbyshire, DE7 8QZ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)