Old Sams Farm Independent School, Buxton
Old Sams Farm Independent School is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Buxton. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2025)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Old Sams Farm Independent School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Old Sams Farm Independent School are Bradshaw Farm Independent School (1.9 miles, Good); and Oaklands Manor School (4.3 miles).
Who goes there
In 2026, 1 pupils (33.3%) received SEN support and 2 (66.7%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Old Sams Farm Independent School.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Summerhill Lane (adjacent), 280 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 1 crime within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Derbyshire (50).
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 · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Safeguarding: effective
Independent school standards
Met all the independent school standards.
- Part 1: quality of educationMet
- Part 2: pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural developmentMet
- Part 3: welfare, health and safetyMet
- Part 4: suitability of staff and proprietorsMet
- Part 5: premises and accommodationMet
- Part 6: information for parentsMet
- Part 7: handling of complaintsMet
- Part 8: leadership and managementMet
Source: Ofsted, non-association independent schools inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's September 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This school specializes in helping young people who have struggled elsewhere. It creates a caring environment where pupils' negative attitudes towards learning transform, and staff consistently encourage respect and good behaviour. Pupils make real progress during their time here and leave prepared and confident for their next school, with significantly improved attendance and a renewed enthusiasm for learning.
Key Strengths
- Transforms pupils' attitudes and behaviour through a safe, nurturing environment with high expectations and clear routines
- Passionate about reading with well-selected books, daily reading with adults, and fortnightly library trips to encourage lifelong reading habits
- Lively, engaging teaching that explains concepts clearly, uses questioning skilfully, and deliberately builds pupils' vocabulary across the curriculum
- Excellent attendance achieved through consistent messages about education's importance and close liaison with other agencies
- Comprehensive personal development including PSHE curriculum, enrichment visits, and careers guidance to prepare pupils for adulthood
Areas for Improvement
- Staff do not identify and address pupils' mistakes effectively enough, leading to repeated errors in areas like sentence construction
- Individual Education Plans (IEPs) for pupils with SEND lack precision and clarity, making it unclear how pupils will achieve success or what their targets are
- Support for pupils with SEND needs to be more targeted to close learning gaps more quickly
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with the school working well with other agencies to ensure pupils are safe and receive appropriate care.
Extracurricular Activities
Library visits, art exhibition visits, museum visits, places of worship visits, Preparation for Independent Living lessons
Old Sams Farm Independent School is a small special school for pupils aged 11-16 with social, emotional or mental health needs who have experienced significant disruption to their education. The school transforms pupils' attitudes towards learning in a safe, nurturing environment and prepares them well for their next steps.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 2 nearby schools
Keep up with Old Sams Farm Independent School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 4
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 1 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was 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
School Occupancy
60%
Available places
3 pupils
5 places
2 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Buxton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Buxton
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(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
1
SEN Support
2
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Old Sams Farm Independent School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
3
Total Pupils
3
Boys
0
Girls
2026 academic year
Questions parents ask about Old Sams Farm Independent School
What is Old Sams Farm Independent School's Ofsted rating?
Old Sams Farm Independent School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in September 2025.
Does Old Sams Farm Independent School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in September 2025, Old Sams Farm Independent School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Old Sams Farm Independent School?
Old Sams Farm Independent School has around 3 pupils on roll.
Does Old Sams Farm Independent School have specialist SEN provision?
Old Sams Farm Independent School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Old Sams Farm Independent School?
Old Sams Farm Independent 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 Old Sams Farm Independent School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 1 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was 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 Old Sams Farm Independent School?
Old Sams Farm Independent School is at Old Sams Farm, Quarnford, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 0SN.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)