Bennerley Fields School

Bennerley Fields School is performing well overall, having received a 'Good' rating across all inspected areas in its first routine inspection since becoming an academy. The school provides a supportive environment where pupils feel safe and supported by caring staff. The curriculum has been redesigned to meet the individual needs of its learners, and there is a strong focus on personal development, community engagement, and effective teaching strategies, particularly in reading and phonics. However, there are areas for improvement regarding the precision of subjects' key knowledge identification and the coherence of the assessment system for pupils' progress in relation to their education, health, and care plans.

Strengths

• Pupils are very happy and feel safe at school.
• Staff are empathetic, supportive, and work holistically with pupils.
• The curriculum prepares pupils well for their next stage of learning.
• High-quality therapeutic support is provided for pupils' interaction and communication needs.
• There is strong provision for personal, social, health and economic education.
• Leaders prioritize reading and implement effective phonics teaching strategies.
• Pupils engage in various community projects and activities.

Areas for Improvement

• Key knowledge in a small number of subjects is not clearly identified.
• Teachers' targets for pupils do not always support the desired outcomes.

In 2024–25 pupils at Bennerley Fields School attended 90.4% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 26.0% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 1.0% of pupils at Bennerley Fields School were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Bennerley Fields School had 6.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.5%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26 Bennerley Fields School had 105 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: specific learning difficulty; moderate learning difficulty; severe learning difficulty; profound and multiple learning difficulty; social, emotional and mental health; speech, language and communication needs; hearing impairment; vision impairment; multi-sensory impairment; physical disability; autistic spectrum disorder; other difficulty or disability.

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded special school schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Bennerley Fields School received £28,145 and spent £29,572 for each of its 103 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £363,000 (£3,527 per pupil).

Across all 9 schools of Esteem Multi-Academy Trust, income was £26,475 and spending £26,077 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Ilkeston · Derbyshire local authority: places and applications

Bennerley Fields School is part of Esteem Multi-Academy Trust, which runs 9 schools. The nearest others:

• Holbrook School for Autism Belper
• Stanton Vale School Nottingham
• Bracken Hill School Nottingham
• St Clare's School Derby
• The Fountains High School Burton-On-Trent
• The Fountains Primary School Burton-On-Trent
• Elmsleigh Infant & Nursery School Swadlincote
• Peak School High Peak

What is Bennerley Fields School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Bennerley Fields School is Good, from an inspection in March 2023.

When was Bennerley Fields School last inspected by Ofsted?

Bennerley Fields School was last inspected in March 2023.

How many pupils does Bennerley Fields School have?

Bennerley Fields School has 105 pupils on roll.

What age range does Bennerley Fields School cover?

Bennerley Fields School for pupils aged 2 to 16.

What are Bennerley Fields School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 0% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Bennerley Fields School?

Bennerley Fields School is at Stratford Street, Cotmanhay, Ilkeston, Derbyshire, DE7 8QZ.