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Valley Park School

Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Academy

Huntsman Lane, Maidstone ME14 5DT · valleypark.viat.org.uk · 01622 679421

On the mapSearch near ME14 5DT

Overview

Ofsted
No overall grade
2019 framework · inspected Jan 2025
GCSEs, 2024/25
37.6
average Attainment 8 score. Kent 46.7, England 46
Demand for places
0.9
first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
Pupils
1,555
398 over 1,157 places · 134%
Local authority
Kent
Sixth form
Yes
Admissions
Non-selective
Free school meals
23.2%
First language not English
22.4%
School census 2025/26
Trust
Valley Invicta Academies Trust

The official school record (Department for Education)

Admissions

For Year 7 in September 2026, 223 families put the school first and 237 places were offered; 75% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.

First choices against places

20222023202420252026September 2022: 295 (Places 269)295September 2023: 221 (Places 237)221September 2024: 141 (Places 238)141September 2025: 205 (Places 235)205September 2026: 223 (Places 237)223Places 237
Year 7PlacesFirst choicesPer place% offered
September 2026Sept 20262372230.975%
September 2025Sept 20252352050.982%
September 2024Sept 20242381410.690%
September 2023Sept 20232372210.974%
September 2022Sept 20222692951.1▲75%

Results

In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 37.6, and 24.7% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Kent it was 46.7, and across England 46.

In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade D+ (22.4 points per entry).

GCSE results

Attainment 8

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252016/17: 41.9 (England 46.3)41.92017/18: 45.2 (England 46.5)45.22018/19: 45.1 (England 46.7)45.12021/22: 42.4 (England 48.8)42.42022/23: 38.9 (England 46.3)38.92023/24: 39.2 (England 45.9)39.22024/25: 37.6 (England 46.0)37.6England 46.0
2024/25TrendSchoolEngland
▼37.646.0
▼24.7%45.4%
▼55.9%64.8%
▼35.0%40.5%
▼3.204.09

Where Year 11 leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
School sixth form41−8.4
Further education44.7+11.2
Apprenticeship2.6−1.5
Employment3.8+0.1
Not in a lasting destination4.5+1.5
Activity not captured3.4−2.2

A levels and other 16 to 18 results

A level average grade

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252015/16: 26.2 (England 30.5)C-2016/17: 26.4 (England 31.1)C-2017/18: 28.3 (England 32.1)C-2018/19: 32.9 (England 32.9)C+2021/22: 31.1 (England 37.9)C2022/23: 29.8 (England 34.2)C2023/24: 24.2 (England 34.4)D+2024/25: 22.4 (England 35.0)D+England 35.0
2024/25TrendAverage gradeProgress
118 studentsD+ (22.4)Below average -0.54
120 studentsD+ (22.3)Below average -0.54
127 studentsMerit (24.9)Below average -0.27
26 studentsDist (34.5)Average +0.13
4.8%AAB or better
100%finished their course
Earlier years: A levelStudentsAverage gradeProgress
2023/24129D+ (24.2)-0.32
2022/23100C (29.8)—
2021/22121C (31.1)—
2018/19108C+ (32.9)+0.70
2017/18103C- (28.3)+0.22
2016/17135C- (26.4)+0.08
2015/16104C- (26.2)+0.13

Where sixth-form leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
University44.1−1.9
Further and other education2.3+1.7
Further education1.7—
Other education0.6—
Apprenticeship4.5−6.1
Employment36.9+2.1
Not in a lasting destination8.4+2.2
Activity not captured3.9+2

Ofsted

Ofsted inspected Valley Park School on 28 January 2025 under its 2019 framework. Inspections from September 2024 give no overall grade.

Overall
No overall grade
Inspected
28 Jan 2025
Graded inspection

Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports

Graded areas

Quality of educationGood
Behaviour and attitudesGood
Personal developmentGood
Leadership and managementGood
Sixth formGood

Previously: Good, graded inspection, Mar 2020

Earlier inspections

September 2019 to November 2025

  • Mar 2020Good
    Quality of educationGood
    Behaviour and attitudesGood
    Personal developmentGood
    Leadership and managementGood
    Sixth formGood
    SafeguardingEffective

Before September 2019

  • Apr 2013Outstanding
    Outcomes for pupilsOutstanding
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentOutstanding
    Leadership and managementOutstanding
  • Apr 2010Outstanding
    Outcomes for pupilsGood
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentGood
    Leadership and managementOutstanding
    16 to 19 study programmesGood

What parents said

72% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (130 replies, to 1 September 2025).

Recommend
72%
Replies
130
8% · 1 Sept 2025
Child is happy at school▼81% agreeEngland 89%
Child feels safe▼87% agreeEngland 90%
Pupils are well behaved▼74% agreeEngland 84%
School has high expectations▼73% agreeEngland 84%
Child does well▼71% agreeEngland 87%
Told what child will learn▼62% agreeEngland 84%
Told how child is doing▼71% agreeEngland 85%
Good range of subjects●89% agreeEngland 91%
Can join clubs and activities●90% agreeEngland 91%
Supports personal development▼68% agreeEngland 79%
Concerns are dealt with properly▼72% agreeEngland 77%

based on the 88% who raised concerns

Bullying dealt with quickly▼38% agreeEngland 50%

based on the 40% who had a child bullied

Gets the SEND support they need▲72% agreeEngland 67%

based on 36 parents (28%) with SEND

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