Admissions

Our aim is to give our students the knowledge, skills and attitudes that they need to be happy, successful and safe in their lives. We are determined to do this whilst remaining a friendly, supportive and inclusive school.

In helping you choose a school, we promise to be open, honest and straightforward.

Why choose our school?

We have a track record of above average results and ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ grades from Ofsted.

The school is a calm and happy place. We are one of the very few Derbyshire Schools to be graded ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted for behaviour and well-being. This is a reflection of our strong pastoral systems.

Local further education colleges love our students because of their attitudes and skills. Despite our rural location, we have superb progression rates, well above national average, to further education and apprenticeships.

We offer students the chance to take more GCSE options than most other schools. We also offer a wider range of GCSE option subjects than many other schools.

We continue to value the arts subjects, which are in decline nationally, we have strong provision for music, art and drama.

Students are offered a wide range of enrichment activities and trips.

Above all, students and staff enjoy being at school.

What is your catchment area and how many students do you accept?

Our normal admission area includes Chapel-en-le-Frith, Chinley, Buxworth, Whaley Bridge and Taxal, but we have always taken some students from outside of this area. Students from Glossop, Hayfield and Buxton attend our school.

Our planned admission number in a normal year is 185.

How do I choose a school and apply?

We know that choosing a secondary school for your child is an important decision and can feel challenging and at times confusing. You will want to find the school that best meets your child’s needs. We aim to make that process as straightforward as we can.

Unfortunately, you have now missed our 2024 Open Days and Open Evening. However, if you would like to visit our school we will happily show you around. Call us on 01298 813 118 or e-mail enquiries@chapelhigh.org.uk to arrange a visit.

You can also:

• Look at the information on our website and at our school prospectus.
• Read the news pages of the website to see what we have been up to recently.
• Read our most recent Ofsted report, this is a very fair reflection of our school.
• Follow us on Facebook and X so that you can see what is happening in school.
• Speak to other parents about their views of the school.

Residents of Derbyshire should apply online on the Derbyshire County Council website.  If you live outside of Derbyshire, you should apply on your local council’s school admissions website.

Can I appeal if my application is unsuccessful?

If your application is unsuccessful you can appeal. Appeals are handled by Derbyshire County Council. You can find more information here.

Can I move my child from their current school to your school?

Our school rarely has free places to offer mid-year. If you are moving house into our normal admission area please contact us and we will talk to you about the options available.

We are sometimes contacted by parents who want to move their child because of problems at their current school. We would strongly advise against such moves. Our experience is that it is almost always better to resolve issues in the current school, where your child has a support network, than move schools. Moving school is a serious disruption to a child’s education and quite often sets them back in their learning. For older children the curriculum is unlikely to match and a move will probably result in them being able to take fewer GCSEs.

Before considering a move of school in these circumstances, we would expect you to have met with the headteacher, or a member of senior staff in the current school to try to resolve any issues before considering a move. All of our local schools are good schools; they will be able to support you in resolving any issues. We always contact the headteacher of a school a child is moving from when we receive in-year admission requests.

If you have any questions about any of this information please feel free to get in touch.