Schools by area › Devon › The Park Community School
The Park Community School
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–16 · Academy
Park Lane, Barnstaple EX32 9AX · theparkschool.org.uk · 01271 373131
On the mapSearch near EX32 9AX
Overview
- Ofsted
- No overall grade
- 2019 framework · inspected Jun 2025
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 46.6
- average Attainment 8 score. Devon 45.4, England 46
- Demand for places
- 1.0
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 1,408
- 94% of 1,500 places
- Local authority
- Devon
- Sixth form
- No
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 26.7%
- First language not English
- 3.8%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 252 families put the school first and 252 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 252 | 252 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 267 | 265 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 277 | 268 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 294 | 294 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 290 | 324 | 1.1▲ | 89% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 46.6, and 47.5% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Devon it was 45.4, and across England 46.
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ●46.6 | 46.0 | ||
| ▲47.5% | 45.4% | ||
| ●65.8% | 64.8% | ||
| ▲50.4% | 40.5% | ||
| ●4.23 | 4.09 |
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 113514)
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 2 | +0.5 |
| Further education | 78 | −0.7 |
| Apprenticeship | 6.7 | +2.2 |
| Employment | 4.7 | −0.5 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 6.7 | +1.8 |
| Activity not captured | 2 | +0.1 |
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected The Park Community School on 3 June 2025 under its 2019 framework. Inspections from September 2024 give no overall grade.
- Overall
- No overall grade
- Inspected
- 3 Jun 2025
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, Jan 2023
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 113514), which Ofsted links to this one.
September 2019 to November 2025
Jan 2023Requires improvement
Quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
May 2017Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 113514)
Jun 2013Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 113514)
What parents said
75% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (133 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 75%
- Replies
- 133
- 9% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 83% who raised concerns
based on the 42% who had a child bullied
based on 36 parents (27%) with SEND