Hope Valley College
79%
Capacity
541
Pupils
2.5x
Demand
About Hope Valley College
Hope Valley College is a mixed secondary school in High Peak that currently educates 541 pupils against a capacity of 684, meaning it has room to grow. Its intake reflects a notably high level of disadvantage: 23.8% of pupils qualify for free school meals, well above the national average for secondary schools. Demand for places is strong — for the 2025/26 academic year, the school received 226 applications for 91 places, an oversubscription ratio of 2.48, with 89 first-preference offers made. This suggests a school that is popular locally despite not being full to capacity, perhaps drawing families from a wider rural catchment. The school has no religious character and is led by headteacher Debbie Petts. It operates a sixth form, and its facilities include a theatre, sports hall, science labs, and a dedicated sixth form centre.
Academically, Hope Valley College is a school making solid but unspectacular progress. Its Progress 8 score of -0.23 is below the Derbyshire local authority average of -0.11, placing it 25th out of 46 similar schools in the county. Within High Peak, it ranks 5th out of 7 schools on this measure. The Attainment 8 score of 46.1 is reasonable, and 50.5% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate is 31.3%, with 12.1% achieving the full EBacc at grade 5 or above. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, the school was rated Good across all categories, including behaviour and leadership — a significant improvement from its previous Inadequate rating in 2017. The sixth form was also rated Good, with a Progress 8 score for open subjects of -0.31.
The school offers a broad range of extracurricular activities, including the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Young Enterprise, coding, debate, and a range of sports from netball to martial arts. Its SEND provisions are comprehensive, covering specific learning difficulties, speech and language needs, autism, and physical disabilities, with a resourced provision on site. For families considering Hope Valley College, the key appeal is a Good-rated school with strong pastoral and SEND support, set in a semi-rural area, that has improved markedly from a low point. The oversubscription data suggests it is a realistic choice for local families who may not secure a place at the higher-ranked schools in the area, though the high FSM percentage indicates a diverse intake. The sixth form provides continuity for students who want to stay on post-16.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Castleton Road, Hope Valley, High Peak, S33 6SD |
| Headteacher | Debbie Petts |
| Local Authority | Derbyshire |
| Number of Pupils | 541 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 23.8% |
| School Capacity | 541 / 684 (79% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
24 Oct 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 4 Dec 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.23)
2088th of 3,141
Nationally
168th of 273
In East Midlands
5th of 7
In High Peak
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2330%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 109 pupils).
- FE college46%
- School sixth form (stay)30%
- Not sustained8%
- Sixth form college7%
- Employment4%
- Apprenticeship1%
92% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
SEND Support
Resourced ProvisionSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
7Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
20Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed91
226
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
89 families put this school as their 1st choice (39% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:55 – 15:30
Source: hopevalley-chorustrust.org. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British90.4%
- Mixed3.3%
- White (other)2.2%
- Asian0.4%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
2
Total schools
2
Oversubscribed
1
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Hope Valley College
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Castleton Road, Hope Valley
High Peak, S33 6SD
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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