Bluebank School, Chesterfield
Bluebank School is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Chesterfield.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Bluebank School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Bluebank School are Holly House Special School (1.2 miles, Requires improvement); Include-West Bars (1.4 miles); Ashgate Croft School (1.6 miles, Outstanding); and Landmarks (5 miles, Good).
Holly House Special SchoolInclude-West BarsAshgate Croft SchoolLandmarks
Who goes there
Bluebank School is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Chesterfield Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Stand Road (adjacent), 30 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 250 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.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 10 months agoOverall
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's December 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Bluebank School is specifically designed to help pupils who have faced educational disruption get back on track. The school combines a broad, well-organized curriculum with trauma-informed teaching, where staff are trained to understand and manage the impact of trauma. Pupils benefit from personalized support, including individual behaviour plans and a positive reward system that builds confidence and independence.
Key Strengths
- Carefully designed curriculum that accounts for pupils' previous educational disruption and individual starting points
- Strong leadership with secure knowledge of supporting pupils with SEND
- Comprehensive safeguarding policy with trained safeguarding leaders and robust online safety measures
- Well-planned PSHE and relationships and sex education curriculums that prepare pupils for modern Britain
- Positive behaviour system using 'Sleuth Points' to recognize and reward good conduct
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with a comprehensive policy in place, trained safeguarding leaders with secure knowledge, staff training programmes, and robust online filtering systems with alerts for inappropriate activity.
Extracurricular Activities
Working with local football club, visiting the elderly, charity work, immersion room with interactive multimedia experiences
Bluebank School is a new independent school designed to support pupils who have experienced disruption to their education, with a well-organized curriculum and experienced leadership in special educational needs.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Approved
Section 41
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Bluebank School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 33
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 8
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 33 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 8 serious and 25 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt.
5 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
Area Demand Pressure - Chesterfield
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Chesterfield
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
Special educational needs provision
Bluebank School is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
Source: Get Information about Schools (GIAS), Department for Education.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Bluebank School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Bluebank School
Does Bluebank School have specialist SEN provision?
Bluebank School is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
How do I apply to Bluebank School?
Bluebank School is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near Bluebank School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 33 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 8 serious and 25 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt. 5 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 Bluebank School?
Bluebank School is at Peter Webster Centre, Sheffield Road, Whittington Moor, Chesterfield, S41 8LQ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)