Park School Teaching Service, Bolton
Park School Teaching Service is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Bolton, part of The Bolton Impact Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2013)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Park School Teaching Service in detail
Getting a place at Park School Teaching Service
Across Bolton, 87% of families were offered their first-choice secondary school for 2026 entry, and 97% were offered one of the schools they named.
In 2026, families in Bolton lodged 337 appeals against secondary school offers; 288 reached a hearing and 73 succeeded (25.3% of those heard).
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to Park School Teaching Service are Bolton St Catherine's Academy (0.7 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 36.9); Canon Slade School (1.5 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 54); Little Lever School (1.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 45.8); and Eden Boys' School, Bolton (1.9 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 57).
Bolton St Catherine's AcademyCanon Slade SchoolLittle Lever SchoolEden Boys' School, Bolton
The trust
Park School Teaching Service is one of 6 schools run by The Bolton Impact Trust, an academy trust.
Who goes there
58.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 0% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (92%) and Mixed (8%).
In 2026, 8 pupils (66.7%) received SEN support and 3 (25%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Hall i' th' Wood Rail Station, about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Withins Drive (opposite), 100 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Park School Teaching Service stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to Park School Teaching Service are Leverhulme Community Primary School (0.3 miles), Red Lane Primary School (0.4 miles), SS Osmund and Andrew's R.C. Primary School (0.7 miles) and Moorgate Primary School (0.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
Leverhulme Community Primary SchoolRed Lane Primary SchoolSS Osmund and Andrew's R.C. Primary SchoolMoorgate Primary School
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from February 2013, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Park School excels at transforming the educational experiences of vulnerable young people. Staff create a nurturing environment where pupils who have faced considerable difficulties rebuild their confidence and develop positive attitudes to learning. The school's ambitious curriculum, combined with strong pastoral care and preparation for adulthood, ensures almost all pupils leave with the qualifications and life skills needed to progress successfully.
Key Strengths
- Creates a safe, welcoming environment where pupils build trusting relationships with staff and regain self-confidence
- Well-designed curriculum combining academic subjects with social and emotional learning, taught skillfully by staff with strong subject knowledge
- Prioritises reading effectively, with most pupils reading fluently and those who struggle receiving targeted support
- Comprehensive careers programme and life skills development preparing pupils well for college, training or employment
- Seamless partnership between trust and school, with strong oversight ensuring pupils' needs are met
Areas for Improvement
- Staff do not consistently use assessment information to address gaps in pupils' prior learning, which hinders their cumulative understanding and future progress
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
First aid training, community volunteering, work experience, healthy sleep habits education, public transport practice
Park School Teaching Service is an alternative provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, many of whom have faced significant educational disruption or medical challenges. The school has maintained good standards and provides a safe, nurturing environment where pupils build confidence and achieve well from low starting points.
At a Glance
58.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby secondary schools
Keep up with Park School Teaching Service
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Park School Teaching Service from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Park School Teaching Service is in Bolton; for families living there:
Apply to Bolton for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 19
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 19 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 14 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
5 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Bolton is 14 (the median across 148 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
40%
Available places
12 pupils
30 places
18 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Bolton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Bolton
Across Bolton council
Places available
4,385
Applications
3,868
Got 1st preference
87.1%
Got preferred school
96.8%
All secondary applications across Bolton council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
8
SEN Support
3
EHC Plans
91.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
12
Total Pupils
7
Boys
5
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
6
Teachers
2.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£46,552
Mean salary
2026 data
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Park School Teaching Service
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Park School Teaching Service
What is Park School Teaching Service's Ofsted rating?
Park School Teaching Service's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2013, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Park School Teaching Service?
No fixed boundary. When Park School Teaching Service is oversubscribed, Bolton allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Park School Teaching Service?
Park School Teaching Service has around 12 pupils on roll. 58% are eligible for free school meals.
How do I apply to Park School Teaching Service?
Apply through Bolton's coordinated admissions process, naming Park School Teaching Service on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Park School Teaching Service?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 19 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 14 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 5 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Bolton is 14 (the median across 148 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Park School Teaching Service?
Park School Teaching Service is at Chorley New Road, Bolton, BL1 4QR.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)