Lady Manners School
97%
Capacity
1,400
Pupils
1.8x
Demand
About Lady Manners School
Lady Manners School’s headline Progress 8 score of 0.37 places it well above the Derbyshire local authority average of -0.11, meaning pupils here make significantly more academic progress than their peers across the county. This isn’t a school that just coasts; it ranks 5th out of 46 secondary schools in Derbyshire on this measure, and within the Derbyshire Dales area it sits 1st out of 3. The school’s Progress 8 banding is officially classed as “Above average,” and the confidence interval (0.19 to 0.56) suggests this strong performance is reliable. For a large 11-18 mixed state school with 1,400 pupils, these are impressive numbers. The school is also heavily oversubscribed — for 2025/26 it received 413 applications for 234 places, with 230 of those as first preferences, and it offered 228 of those first-preference families a spot.
Academically, the detail backs up the headline. At KS4, the Attainment 8 score sits at 55.3, and 66.2% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The EBacc average point score is 5.19, and 78.8% of pupils entered the EBacc suite of subjects. Across individual Progress 8 buckets, the strongest subject area is the EBacc subjects (0.5), followed by open subjects (0.41), maths (0.34), and English (0.17). At KS5, the school’s value-added score is 0.01, which is classed as “Average,” and the best three A-levels average out to a B- grade. The points per entry of 33.71 equate to a C+ average. Ofsted’s most recent ungraded inspection in February 2025 confirmed that standards are maintained, and the school retains its Good overall rating. Notably, personal development was judged Outstanding, while quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, leadership, and sixth-form provision were all rated Good.
For families considering Lady Manners, the practical picture is reassuring. The school has a strong range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, and dedicated sixth form centre, plus clubs like Model UN, Young Enterprise, and coding. It supports a broad set of SEND needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, dyslexia, and social, emotional and mental health needs. Parent View responses from 237 respondents between September 2024 and September 2025 show 81% would recommend the school. Strong majorities agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy (85%), feels safe (90%), and that the school has high expectations (85%). However, the SEND support question was more divided: 55% agreed or strongly agreed, while 41% disagreed or strongly disagreed. With 17.6% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a mixed intake. This is a solid, high-performing comprehensive that suits families who value strong academic progress and a wide range of extracurricular opportunities.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Shutts Lane, Bakewell, Derbyshire Dales, DE45 1JA |
| Headteacher | Gary Peat |
| Local Authority | Derbyshire |
| Number of Pupils | 1,400 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 17.6% |
| School Capacity | 1,400 / 1,437 (97% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
12 Feb 2025Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (12 Feb 2025): Standards maintained
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 21 May 2020. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.37)
696th of 3,141
Nationally
47th of 273
In East Midlands
1st of 3
In Derbyshire Dales
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more 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.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
39.0
'22/23
38.5
'23/24
33.7
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2357%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 223 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)57%
- FE college31%
- Apprenticeship4%
- Employment4%
- Sixth form college1%
99% 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.
Where school leavers go
2022/2364%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 119 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
33%
Russell Group
37%
Top-third HE
2%
Oxford / Cambridge
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)64%
- Employment18%
- Not sustained8%
- Apprenticeship5%
- Further education2%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- History39
- Mathematics29
- English Language28
- Psychology27
- Biology23
- Chemistry22
- Geography19
- Media/Film/Tv Studies19
- Art and Design (Fine Art)15
- English Literature15
- Physics15
- Drama and Theatre Studies12
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
Ofsted Parent View
237 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
10Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
13Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed234
413
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
230 families put this school as their 1st choice (56% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
09:00 – 15:35
Source: ladymanners.derbyshire.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% 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 British90.6%
- White (other)4.9%
- Mixed2.7%
- Asian0.3%
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
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Half 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.
3
Total schools
2
Oversubscribed
2
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 Lady Manners School
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
Shutts Lane, Bakewell
Derbyshire Dales, DE45 1JA
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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