New Mills School
91%
Capacity
680
Pupils
2.0x
Demand
About New Mills School
New Mills School, a mixed state secondary for 11 to 16 year olds in High Peak, stands out from the Derbyshire average on academic progress. Its Progress 8 score of 0.18 is well above the local authority average of -0.11, meaning pupils here make stronger progress than their peers across the county. This places the school 13th out of 46 similar schools in Derbyshire, comfortably in the top third. The school is also oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 281 applications for 137 places, with 126 offers going to first-preference families. That level of demand suggests local parents see the value here, and 85% of respondents in the most recent Parent View survey would recommend the school to others.
Digging into the exam results, the school’s Attainment 8 score of 49.6 reflects solid GCSE outcomes, with 65.4% of pupils achieving a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The EBacc average point score of 4.06 is respectable, though only 23.6% of pupils entered the full EBacc suite of subjects. Progress 8 is strongest in the open element (0.64) and in English (0.25), while maths sits slightly below average at -0.08. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2025 awarded a Good rating across all graded areas — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management — a clear improvement from its previous Requires Improvement judgement in 2022. The inspection report noted that the school had addressed earlier weaknesses and was now delivering a good standard of education.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including a theatre, art studios, science labs, and a library, plus sports such as rowing, martial arts, and rugby. Clubs include debate, gardening, Model UN, and a newspaper group. For families with children who have special educational needs, the school lists provisions for dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder. In the Parent View survey, 68% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that SEND children get the support they need. With 27.8% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a diverse intake. It has no sixth form, so pupils will need to move on at 16, but for a secondary that delivers above-average progress and has strong local demand, New Mills School is a solid choice for families in the High Peak area.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Church Lane, High Peak, High Peak, SK22 4NR |
| Headteacher | Heather Watts |
| Local Authority | Derbyshire |
| Number of Pupils | 680 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 27.8% |
| School Capacity | 680 / 750 (91% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
11 Mar 2025Quality of Education
Good
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Source: Ofsted, 30 Mar 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.18)
1117th of 3,141
Nationally
82nd of 273
In East Midlands
3rd of 7
In High Peak
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.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/234%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 118 pupils).
- FE college52%
- Sixth form college28%
- Apprenticeship7%
- Not sustained7%
- School sixth form (stay)4%
- Employment2%
93% 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.
Ofsted Parent View
200 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
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
18Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed137
281
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
140 families put this school as their 1st choice (50% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
09:00 – 15:05
Breakfast club
08:00-08:35
Source: newmillsschool.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half 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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British90.9%
- White (other)3.7%
- Mixed2.5%
- Asian0.4%
- Black0.3%
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
2024/2575% 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.
6
Total schools
5
Oversubscribed
4
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 New Mills 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
Church Lane, High Peak
High Peak, SK22 4NR
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
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