Schools with severe learning difficulties provision in Derbyshire

For pupils with significant intellectual disabilities who need support with independence and communication as well as learning. Derbyshire has 2 mainstream schools with a unit or resourced provision for severe learning difficulties and 8 special schools that cater for it.

Mainstream schools with a unit or resourced provision (2)

Pupils have a specialist base and staff inside an ordinary school. Places are separate from the school's main admissions and normally need an EHC plan.

School	Provision	Ages	Town	Places	Ofsted	Score
Whaley Bridge Primary SchoolPrimary school · also autism, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health	Resourced provision	2-11	High Peak	–	Good 2022	28
The Pingle AcademySecondary school · also autism, moderate learning difficulties, multi-sensory impairment and more	SEN unit and resourced provision	11-18	Swadlincote	62	Report card 2026	16

Special schools (8)

Special schools take pupils with an education, health and care plan; the council names the school in the plan. Many cater for several needs.

School	Provision	Ages	Town	Places	Ofsted	Score
Alfreton Park Community Special SchoolSpecial school	Special school	2-19	Alfreton	167 pupils	Report card 2026	–
Ashgate Croft SchoolSpecial school · also autism, moderate learning difficulties, physical disability, profound and multiple learning difficulties and more	Special school	4-19	Chesterfield	160 pupils	Outstanding 2024	–
Bennerley Fields SchoolSpecial school · also autism, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health, speech, language and communication	Special school	2-16	Ilkeston	105 pupils	Good 2023	–
Brackenfield Special SchoolSpecial school · also autism, hearing impairment, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability and more	Special school	3-19	Nottingham	283 pupils	No overall grade 2024	–
Holbrook School for AutismSpecial school · also autism	Special school	4-19	Belper	170 pupils	Good 2023	–
Peak SchoolSpecial school · also autism, hearing impairment, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability and more	Special school	2-19	High Peak	86 pupils	No overall grade 2025	–
Stanton Vale SchoolSpecial school · also autism, social, emotional and mental health	Special school	2-19	Nottingham	131 pupils	No overall grade 2025	–
Swanwick School and Sports CollegeSpecial school · also autism, hearing impairment, moderate learning difficulties, physical disability and more	Special school	5-16	Alfreton	101 pupils	Not inspected	–

Other councils All schools in Derbyshire

Other needs

Autism Speech, language and communication Social, emotional and mental health Moderate learning difficulties Profound and multiple learning difficulties Hearing impairment Visual impairment Multi-sensory impairment Physical disability Specific learning difficulties Other needs

How to read this

The list comes from the Department for Education's register of schools (Get Information about Schools), which records the type of SEN provision each school has and how many pupils are in a resourced provision or SEN unit. Resourced provision means extra staff and funding for a group of pupils who spend most of their time in ordinary classes. A SEN unit is a separate class within the school. Both need a place agreed by the council through an education, health and care plan; ask the council's SEND team, not the school's admissions office. The register is only as good as what schools report, so check with the school before relying on it.