Highfields School

This school has not been graded since it changed URN, usually on converting to an academy. The rating shown is from its predecessor, Highfields School, inspected in May 2017.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Highfields School attended 92.9% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 14.6% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

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, 4.1% of pupils at Highfields School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). One pupil was 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 Highfields School had 17.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 12.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

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, 9.2% of pupils at Highfields School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 2.9% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

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 secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Highfields School received £7,502 and spent £7,080 for each of its 1,295 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,317,000 (£1,017 per pupil).

Across all 23 schools of East Midlands Education Trust, income was £7,496 and spending £7,400 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 Matlock · Derbyshire local authority: places and applications

Highfields School is part of East Midlands Education Trust, which runs 23 schools. The nearest others:

• The Ripley Academy Ripley
• Street Lane Primary School Ripley
• John Flamsteed Community School Ripley
• Gilthill Primary School Nottingham
• Awsworth Primary and Nursery School Nottingham
• Hollywell Primary School Nottingham
• The Kimberley School Nottingham
• Kimberley Primary School Nottingham
• Larkfields Infant School Nottingham
• Heathlands Primary School Mansfield

What is Highfields School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Highfields School is Good, from an inspection in May 2017 of its predecessor, Highfields School.

When was Highfields School last inspected by Ofsted?

Highfields School was last inspected in February 2025.

How many pupils does Highfields School have?

Highfields School has 1,298 pupils on roll.

What age range does Highfields School cover?

Highfields School for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Highfields School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 49.6, and 50% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Highfields School?

Highfields School is at Upper Lumsdale, Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 5NA.