Peak Academy, Dursley
Peak Academy is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Dursley, part of Reach South Academy Trust.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Peak Academy in detail
Peak Academy in its own words
In its own words: "I am delighted to welcome you to The Peak Academy. The Peak Academy is situated in Dursley, Gloucestershire, and draws pupils from a range of backgrounds, both urban and rural, across Gloucestershire and also neighbouring LEA's."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Peak Academy are William Morris School (4.8 miles, Good); and The Shrubberies School (5.2 miles, Good).
The trust
Peak Academy is one of 20 schools run by Reach South Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 10 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 50% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 50% to a further education college.
Who goes there
75.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 1.5% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (88%) and Mixed (6%).
Almost every pupil at Peak Academy has an education, health and care plan (65 of 65 in 2026). The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Peak Academy has a SEN unit for social, emotional and mental health needs: 100 places, 68 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Cam & Dursley Rail Station, about 2.1 miles away in a straight line.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Peak Academy stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Peak Academy issued 104 suspensions, 162.5 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE multi-academy trust performance data; 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 · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Peak Academy has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in August 2022. Before that, as Peak Academy (URN 138429), it was rated Good in June 2015.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's May 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Peak Academy provides excellent support to help pupils develop confidence and a sense of belonging. Teachers are well-trained and dedicated, offering strong pastoral care alongside ambitious academic learning. The school offers fantastic enrichment activities and prepares pupils well for their future through careers guidance and qualifications.
Key Strengths
- Strong pastoral support with warm relationships between staff and pupils, helping them feel safe and supported
- High-quality staff training and effective teaching with secure subject knowledge
- Excellent behaviour and personal development, with pupils showing respect and responsibility
- Rich enrichment opportunities including theatre trips, community allotments, go karting, archery and cheerleading
- Careful careers guidance with most pupils progressing successfully to college, apprenticeships or work
Areas for Improvement
- Poor attendance for some pupils means they miss important learning and fall behind
- Curriculum in some subjects not designed well enough to help pupils remember and build on key knowledge
- Writing curriculum is weaker than other subjects - many pupils lack fundamental writing skills and handwriting needs development
- Some pupils reluctant writers and don't demonstrate their knowledge effectively through written work
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with pupils confident to share worries and staff acting promptly.
Extracurricular Activities
Theatre trips, community allotments, music studio, go karting, archery, cheerleading
Peak Academy is a special school for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs where staff are ambitious for pupils to thrive and re-engage with education. However, the quality of education requires improvement, particularly in how pupils retain knowledge and in curriculum design for some subjects.
At a Glance
75.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SEN unit: SEMH
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Social & online
Keep up with Peak Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Peak Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Peak Academy is in Gloucestershire; for families living there:
Apply to Gloucestershire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
The typical figure for schools in Gloucestershire is 5 (the median across 338 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
65%
Available places
65 pupils
100 places
35 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Dursley
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Dursley
Across Gloucestershire council
Places available
7,977
Applications
6,517
Got 1st preference
86.8%
Got preferred school
97.0%
All secondary applications across Gloucestershire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
65
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Peak Academy has a SEN unit for social, emotional and mental health needs: 100 places, 68 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
65
Total Pupils
53
Boys
12
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
14
Teachers
4.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,449
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
24.4%
Overall absence
63.8%
Persistent absence
69
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 Peak Academy
What are GCSE results like at Peak Academy?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Peak Academy achieved an Attainment 8 score of 5.9. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Peak Academy's Ofsted rating?
Peak Academy has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in August 2022. Before that, as Peak Academy (URN 138429), it was rated Good in June 2015.
What is the catchment area for Peak Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Peak Academy is oversubscribed, Gloucestershire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Peak Academy?
Peak Academy has around 65 pupils on roll. 75% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Peak Academy have specialist SEN provision?
Peak Academy has a SEN unit for social, emotional and mental health needs: 100 places, 68 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Peak Academy?
24.4% of sessions were missed at Peak Academy in 2024/25. 63.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Peak Academy?
Apply through Gloucestershire's coordinated admissions process, naming Peak Academy 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 Peak Academy?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Gloucestershire is 5 (the median across 338 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Peak Academy?
Peak Academy is at Drake Lane, Dursley, GL11 5HD.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)