Murray Park Community School, Derby

Ofsted's report card from its 30 June 2026 inspection grades Murray Park Community School on 6 areas: 1 strong standard and 5 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Leaders have developed a purposeful and well-designed personal development and wellbeing programme."

Achievement - Expected standard. "The achievement of pupils in external examinations has typically been close to national averages."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders closely monitor pupil attendance and punctuality."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have designed a broad and balanced curriculum."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders prioritise inclusion."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders and governors have a clear vision for the school."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that they carefully evaluate the impact of their work, so that the strategies for improvement that they identify are closely focused on the aspects of the school's provision where they will have the greatest impact"; "Leaders should ensure that they carefully and thoroughly check on the impact of alternative provision so that pupils benefit consistently well over time"; "Leaders should provide teachers with the support they need so that they implement the curriculum consistently well, including the checking of pupils' understanding, and pupils build their knowledge securely across the subjects that they study"; "Leaders should ensure that gaps in pupils' essential knowledge are addressed consistently to allow pupils to progress through the curriculum and achieve well"; "Leaders should ensure that when pupils receive additional support to improve their attendance and behaviour, this support is reviewed for impact and adapted as necessary".

In its own words: "At Murray Park School, our curriculum vision is to provide an ambitious and inspirational education for all of our pupils. Our strong set of values: Perseverance; Respect; Independence; Dreams and Excellence (PRIDE) underpins our ethos."

From the headteacher's welcome: "It is a great privilege to lead our fantastic school. My aim is always to give the best educational experience possible in an inspirational setting. We are fully committed to offering a top-class education which keeps abreast of national and international trends."

In 2026, pupils at Murray Park Community School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 43, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 42.7 in Derby and 47 across England.

44% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 37% in Derby and 47% in England.

That is up from 40.6 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.03: pupils made about average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 28.5, against 52.6 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 24.1 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 26 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and History.

For September 2026 entry, 221 families put Murray Park Community School as their first choice and 424 named it as one of their preferences, for 270 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Murray Park Community School are The Bemrose School (1.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 34.2); Littleover Community School (1.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 54.5); Derby Cathedral School (1.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.7); and Derby Moor Spencer Academy (1.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 45.7).

Murray Park Community School's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

Of the 218 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 82% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 55% to a further education college, 2% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.

In 2026, 347 pupils (27.2%) received SEN support and 53 (4.2%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.

The nearest railway station is Peartree Rail Station, about 2.8 miles away in a straight line.

4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Cairns Close (adjacent), 300 metres away.

In 2024/25, Murray Park Community School issued 121 suspensions, 10 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Murray Park Community School are Ravensdale Junior School (0.3 miles), Ravensdale Infant and Nursery School (0.3 miles), Hackwood Primary Academy (0.7 miles) and Wren Park Primary School (0.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.