Peak School, High Peak
Peak School is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 19 in High Peak, part of Esteem Multi-Academy Trust. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2022. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2022)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Peak School in detail
Peak School in its own words
In its own words: "At Peak Academy, our Aims and Values underpin everything we do. They reflect our commitment to creating a nurturing, inclusive, and empowering environment where every pupil is supported to achieve their full potential. Explore the documents to learn more about the guiding principles and aspirations that shape our school community."
Coming up: an open day on Tuesday 8 December 2026 at 9.30am, an open day on Tuesday 19 January 2027 at 9.30am, an open day on Tuesday 23 February 2027 at 9.30am and an open day on Tuesday 23 March 2027 at 9.30am. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Derbyshire
Vision and values (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
The trust
Peak School is one of 14 schools run by Esteem Multi-Academy Trust, an academy trust.
What parents say
12 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Peak School (as of September 2025): 83% would recommend the school, 92% say their child is happy there and 75% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (92%); the weakest, that they are kept well informed about progress (67%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 7 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms.
Who goes there
69.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 3.5% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Peak School has an education, health and care plan (86 of 86 in 2026). The most common need among them is a severe learning difficulty.
Peak School has a SEN unit for visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 91 places, 91 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Chinley Rail Station, about 700 metres away (roughly a 9-minute walk).
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Alders Avenue (adjacent), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 6 crimes within a mile of the school, most often vehicle crime and violence and sexual offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Derbyshire (50).
Suspensions and exclusions
Peak School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; 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
Sixth Form
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's July 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Peak School excels at helping every child feel happy, safe and proud of their achievements. Staff use positive relationships and deep knowledge of each pupil to support learning, with excellent phonics teaching and a genuine love of reading woven throughout. The school brilliantly prepares pupils for adult life through tailored careers guidance, work experiences, and community visits, ensuring every young person moves on to an appropriate next step.
Key Strengths
- Strong focus on developing communication and language skills with excellent phonics teaching and love of reading
- Calm, orderly environment with high expectations for behaviour and positive relationships between staff and pupils
- Effective preparation for adult life through tailored careers education, work-related learning, and well-planned transitions to appropriate destinations
- Staff quickly identify pupils' needs and adapt the curriculum to help each pupil thrive
- Strong leadership and governance that have driven improvement since the previous inspection
Areas for Improvement
- Some classroom activities do not sufficiently focus on helping pupils gain the key knowledge and skills they need
- Staff need better guidance on selecting activities that ensure pupils secure intended learning outcomes
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with clear policies and systems in place to keep pupils safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Opera house trips, outdoor pursuits centre visits, work-related learning, community visits
Peak School is a special school for pupils aged 2-19 with autism, profound and multiple learning difficulties, and speech, language and communication needs. The school has improved significantly since its last inspection and provides a positive, calm learning environment where pupils feel happy and safe.
At a Glance
69.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SEN unit: Vision, Hearing, Speech and language +6
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
12 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
2024/25 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 3 nearby schools
Social & online
Keep up with Peak School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Peak School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Peak 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
- 3
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 3 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
2 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
95%
Near capacity
86 pupils
91 places
5 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
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(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
86
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Peak School has a SEN unit for visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 91 places, 91 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
86
Total Pupils
63
Boys
23
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
13
Teachers
6.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,853
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
14.8%
Overall absence
39.7%
Persistent absence
73
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 School
What are SATs results like at Peak School?
Of the pupils at Peak School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Peak School's Ofsted rating?
Peak School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in December 2022, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Peak School?
No fixed boundary. When Peak School is oversubscribed, Derbyshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Peak School?
Peak School has around 86 pupils on roll. 70% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Peak School have specialist SEN provision?
Peak School has a SEN unit for visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 91 places, 91 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Peak School?
14.8% of sessions were missed at Peak School in 2024/25. 39.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Peak School?
Apply through Derbyshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Peak 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 Peak School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 3 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 2 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 Peak School?
Peak School is at Buxton Road, Chinley, High Peak, Derbyshire, SK23 6ES.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)