New Mills School, High Peak
New Mills School is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in High Peak. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2022. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2026 GCSE results were the 13th-highest of the 45 schools in Derbyshire with published results, and 1,214th of 3,298 across England. It was 90% full in 2025.
- GCSE results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2022)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
- Progress (2024)
- Above average
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 4 days
Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to Derbyshire (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
New Mills School in detail
New Mills School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Our school has a proud history at the heart of the High Peak community and an ambitious future built on our commitment to ensuring that every student is inspired, challenged, and supported to achieve their very best."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, gymnastics, dance, drama, choir, STEM, gardening, art and homework club.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2026, pupils at New Mills School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 48.5, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 45.2 in Derbyshire and 47 across England.
47% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 44% in Derbyshire and 47% in England.
That is up from 44.5 in 2025.
Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.18: pupils made above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.
Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 44, against 49.9 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 5.9 points.
Pupils sat GCSEs in 20 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Multimedia and Geography.
Getting a place at New Mills School
For September 2026 entry, 123 families put New Mills School as their first choice and 323 named it as one of their preferences, for 143 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 11 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to New Mills School are Marple Hall School (4.4 miles, Attainment 8 53.6); Chapel-en-le-Frith High School (4.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.9); and Harrytown Catholic High School (5.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 42.2).
New Mills School's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 3 schools.
Marple Hall SchoolChapel-en-le-Frith High SchoolHarrytown Catholic High School
What parents say
200 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about New Mills School (as of September 2025): 85% would recommend the school, 84% say their child is happy there and 64% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (89%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (64%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 127 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 86% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 54% to a further education college, 6% to an apprenticeship and 4% into work.
Who goes there
3.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is New Mills Central Rail Station, about 640 metres away (roughly a 8-minute walk).
20 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is School (adjacent), 40 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, New Mills School issued 103 suspensions, 15.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 3 permanent exclusions.
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to New Mills School are St George's CofE Primary School (under 0.1 miles), New Mills Primary School (0.3 miles), St Mary's Catholic Voluntary Academy (0.3 miles) and Newtown Primary School (High Peak Federation) (0.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
St George's CofE Primary SchoolNew Mills Primary SchoolSt Mary's Catholic Voluntary AcademyNewtown Primary School (High Peak Federation)
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's March 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
New Mills School provides a safe, supportive environment where pupils achieve well and feel valued. Teachers have strong subject knowledge and use engaging teaching methods that help pupils succeed, with particularly impressive work in practical subjects. The school has excellent pastoral care and strong relationships between staff and pupils, making it a positive place to learn.
Key Strengths
- Pupils are happy, feel safe and have positive relationships with staff who respond promptly to concerns
- Strong teaching with secure subject knowledge, particularly in practical subjects like media studies, engineering and art
- Effective support for pupils with SEND through pupil passports and tailored 360 provision
- Pupils behave well, arrive on time to lessons and demonstrate positive attitudes to learning
- Well-planned careers provision and opportunities for pupils to develop leadership skills
Areas for Improvement
- Inconsistent checking of whether pupils are learning the intended curriculum means some pupils cannot access next steps or consolidate learning
- Quality of written work is not consistently high across all subjects - some pupils' work does not reflect the same standards seen in stronger areas
- Some aspects of personal development provision need strengthening, particularly pupils' understanding of different faiths and their common values
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with staff taking pupil concerns seriously and responding promptly to issues.
Extracurricular Activities
Gym club, leather craft club, sports events, leadership roles supporting younger pupils
New Mills School is a secondary comprehensive school that has improved significantly since its last inspection. Pupils are happy, feel safe, and achieve well across a broad curriculum with particularly strong work in practical subjects.
About
New Mills School is a comprehensive school in the town of New Mills, in the north west of Derbyshire.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
26.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
200 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
Academic year 2025/26GCSE Results
2025/26 academic year
Progress 8 has improved from -0.11 to 0.18 (2023 to 2024). Attainment 8 has improved from 44.1 to 48.5 (2023 to 2026). GCSE English & Maths 5+ has improved from 37% to 47% (2023 to 2026).
Performance by Group
| Group | Progress 8 | Attainment 8 | Eng+Maths 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| All pupils | - | 48.5 | 47.4% |
| Disadvantaged(27) | - | 44.0 | 29.6% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(87) | - | 49.9 | 52.9% |
| Boys(56) | - | 44.8 | 48.2% |
| Girls(58) | - | 52.1 | 46.6% |
Show more breakdowns (2)
| Known or believed to be other than English(6) | - | 59.2 | 66.7% |
| Non mobile(112) | - | 48.6 | 47.3% |
2025/26 academic year - DfE performance tables data
GCSE Subjects Offered
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
After GCSEs - Leaver Destinations
After GCSEs (Year 11) - 127 students
2023/24 data
Exclusions & Suspensions
3
Permanent exclusions
0.44%
Exclusion rate
103
Suspensions
15.15%
Suspension rate
34 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 680 pupils
2024/25 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby secondary schools
Latest from New Mills School
Sept 21st Parents meeting letter - 21 Sep 26
21 Sep 2026
Headteacher welcome letter - 11 Sep 26
11 Sep 2026
Year 9 parents and Carers leadership scheme 202627 - 11 Sep 26
11 Sep 2026
Medical needs letter all families - 11 Sep 26
11 Sep 2026
GCSE Results Day 20th August 2026 v3 - 22 Jul 26
20 Aug 2026
Letter regarding Mobile Phone Policy - 22 Jul 26
22 Jul 2026
From New Mills School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with New Mills School
Term dates
New Mills School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Derbyshire. Training (INSET) days, when pupils are not in school, vary by school: check the school's own calendar.
2027 to 2028
- Autumn term: Monday 6 September to Wednesday 22 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027)
- Spring term: Thursday 6 January to Friday 7 April 2028 (half term Monday 21 February to Friday 25 February 2028)
- Summer term: Monday 24 April to Monday 24 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028)
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to New Mills School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. New Mills 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
- 16
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 7
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 16 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 7 serious and 9 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 on a bicycle.
3 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
Your chances of a place at New Mills School
Will you get a place at New Mills School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against New Mills School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for New Mills School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to New Mills School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Derbyshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at New Mills School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Derbyshire got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
90%
Near capacity
672 pupils
750 places
78 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
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.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(14)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
104
SEN Support
40
EHC Plans
20.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
692
Total Pupils
339
Boys
353
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
37
Teachers
18.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,965
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,234
Per pupil
£5263k
Total funding
£203k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
8.1%
Overall absence
19.9%
Persistent absence
694
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
Questions parents ask about New Mills School
What are GCSE results like at New Mills School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at New Mills School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 48.5. 47% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is New Mills School's Ofsted rating?
New Mills School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in September 2022, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for New Mills School?
No fixed boundary. When New Mills School is oversubscribed, Derbyshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at New Mills School?
New Mills School was not full in 2025: it ran at 90% of its 750 places.
How big are the classes at New Mills School?
Classes at New Mills School average 24.1 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to New Mills School?
New Mills School has around 692 pupils on roll. 27% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at New Mills School?
8.1% of sessions were missed at New Mills School in 2024/25. 19.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to New Mills School?
Apply through Derbyshire's coordinated admissions process, naming New Mills School on your application. Applications for Year 7 places starting in September 2027 close on Saturday 31 October 2026, and offers are made on Monday 1 March 2027.
What are New Mills School's term dates?
New Mills School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Derbyshire. In 2027 to 2028: Autumn term: Monday 6 September to Wednesday 22 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027); Spring term: Thursday 6 January to Friday 7 April 2028 (half term Monday 21 February to Friday 25 February 2028); Summer term: Monday 24 April to Monday 24 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028).
How many road collisions happen near New Mills School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 16 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 7 serious and 9 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 on a bicycle. 3 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 School?
New Mills School is at Church Lane, New Mills, High Peak, Derbyshire, SK22 4NR.
Sources: Derbyshire term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)