New Mills Nursery School, High Peak
New Mills Nursery School is a nursery school for pupils aged 3 to 5 in High Peak. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2012. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in January 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2012)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
New Mills Nursery School in detail
New Mills Nursery School in its own words
In its own words: "New Mills Nursery School is one of the seven maintained Nursery Schools in Derbyshire. A maintained Nursery is a standalone school for children of pre-school age. Maintained Nursery Schools are led by teachers and are viewed nationally as centres of excellence for Early Years Practice."
From the headteacher's welcome: "It offers a glimpse of what makes New Mills Nursery School such a special place, but to truly experience it, we would love to welcome you for a visit."
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
What parents say
16 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about New Mills Nursery School (as of September 2025): 100% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that the school has high expectations for their child (88%).
Who goes there
In 2026, 2 pupils (5.3%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) had an education, health and care plan. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is New Mills Central Rail Station, about 240 metres away (roughly a 3-minute walk).
18 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Bus Station, 120 metres away.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport)
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from December 2012, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's January 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This is a friendly, welcoming nursery where staff genuinely understand and care for each child as an individual. The school uses stories, songs and rhymes to help children develop strong communication skills and a love of learning. Your child will thrive here and be well-prepared for school.
Key Strengths
- Strong emphasis on language development and communication through stories and songs
- Staff have high expectations for all children, including those with SEND, and adapt the curriculum to meet individual needs
- Warm, positive relationships between staff, families and children
- Central role in the local community with lending library and visitor programmes
- Children develop positive learning habits and secure foundations for future schooling
Areas for Improvement
- During independent learning activities, some children do not deepen their understanding of the curriculum, leading to repetitive or unfocused play
- Staff workload concerns following recent restructuring, affecting staff well-being and quality of provision
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with clear policies and an open culture that prioritises children's interests.
New Mills Nursery School has maintained the good standards from its previous inspection. Staff provide nurturing, high-quality early years education with a strong focus on language development and children's individual needs.
At a Glance
0.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
16 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 1 nearby nursery school
Keep up with New Mills Nursery School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to New Mills Nursery School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. New Mills Nursery 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
- 13
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 6
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 13 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 7 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 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 - High Peak
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for High Peak
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(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
2
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
5.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
38
Total Pupils
23
Boys
15
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
2
Teachers
19.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
2026 data
Questions parents ask about New Mills Nursery School
What is New Mills Nursery School's Ofsted rating?
New Mills Nursery School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in December 2012, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for New Mills Nursery School?
No fixed boundary. When New Mills Nursery School is oversubscribed, Derbyshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to New Mills Nursery School?
New Mills Nursery School has around 38 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to New Mills Nursery School?
Apply through Derbyshire's coordinated admissions process, naming New Mills Nursery 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 New Mills Nursery School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 13 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 7 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 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 New Mills Nursery School?
New Mills Nursery School is at Sett Close, New Mills, High Peak, Derbyshire, SK22 4AQ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)