Park View School, Chester le Street

Requires Improvement
Secondary
Academy converter
Mixed
Ages 1118

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~2.7km)Possible (~3.8km)Unlikely (~5.0km)Confidence: medium

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data. Admissions policy: Non-selective

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mr Andrew Finley
Pupils:1,631 / 1,484 capacity
LA:County Durham
Phone:01913882248
Address:Church Chare, Chester le Street, DH3 3QA
Trust:PARK VIEW ACADEMY
Admissions:Non-selective
Status:open
Opened:1 August 2011

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 1 year ago
-

Overall

Good

Quality of Education

Good

Behaviour & Attitudes

Good

Personal Development

Good

Leadership & Management

Outstanding

Sixth Form

Inspected 8 April 2025View full report
URN:136971
UKPRN:10034795
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:North Durham
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Park View School excels at creating a positive, caring learning environment where pupils are resilient and feel valued. The school's sixth form is outstanding, offering exceptional sporting opportunities and diverse academic routes alongside extensive enrichment activities like international travel. Teachers know their pupils well and provide tailored support to remove barriers to learning, ensuring all students can access a broad range of subjects.

Key Strengths

  • Sixth-form provision is outstanding with excellent student outcomes and diverse study routes - students enjoy sport, travel, and enrichment activities
  • Teachers bring subjects to life with clear explanations and knowledgeable instruction across all curriculum areas
  • Strong support for pupils with special educational needs through additional resources and specialist staff in classrooms
  • Pupils' behaviour is calm and respectful, with clear expectations reinforced daily by staff
  • Excellent careers guidance that is personalised and unbiased, helping pupils prepare for their next steps

Areas for Improvement

  • Consistency in delivery of personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education - some sessions lack the same rigour as others
  • Not all pupils have secure understanding of fundamental British values, indicating key messages need better embedding
  • Progress for some pupils is lagging behind despite high overall attainment levels

Safeguarding

Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Extracurricular Activities

Acting, singing, board games clubs, sports, international travel, Active Starts programme (sports, arts, off-site trips), local and European educational visits, Combined Cadet Programme, sixth form academy of sport

Park View School is a secondary comprehensive academy that has improved significantly since its previous inspection. The school provides a diverse, engaging curriculum with high expectations and strong support for all pupils, including those with special educational needs.

At a Glance

25.5%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

Yes

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

136 responses
Would recommend77%
Child is happy80%
Well taught84%
Good progress82%
Feels safe88%
Well behaved77%
Bullying dealt with15%
Kept informed87%
Handles concerns52%
Wider development74%

Source: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree

Class Sizes

23.2

Avg class size

61

Total classes

10 classes with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Train Stations

Station Road
501m · 8 min walk
Chester-le-Street Rail Station
509m · 8 min walk
Bullion Lane
534m · 9 min walk

Bus Stops

Park View School - Deanery Site (W-bound)
113m · 2 min walk
Church Chare schools (E-bound)
117m · 2 min walk
Lambton Arms PH (S-bound)
225m · 4 min walk
Black Horse (S-bound)
308m · 5 min walk
Front Street (A)
328m · 5 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

110%

Over capacity

1,631 pupils

1,484 capacity

147 places over capacity

Area Demand Pressure - Chester le Street

Low pressure
New homes approved:452
Projected new pupils:81

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Chester le Street

Admissions Demand - County Durham

Low demand0.89x oversubscription

Places available

5,856

Applications

5,186

Got 1st preference

94.1%

Got preferred school

98.5%

Secondary admissions across County Durham (2025/26)

Inspection History(5)

8 April 2025
Quality of EducationGood
Behaviour & AttitudesGood
Personal DevelopmentGood
Leadership & ManagementGood
Sixth FormOutstanding
14 December 2022
Requires ImprovementReport
Quality of EducationRequires Improvement
Behaviour & AttitudesGood
Personal DevelopmentGood
Leadership & ManagementRequires Improvement
Sixth FormGood
18 June 2019

House Prices

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

7.31543%

Overall absence

20.9744%

Persistent absence

1,211

Enrolments

Authorised5.19002%
Unauthorised2.12541%
Persistent (10%+)20.9744%
Severe (50%+)2.06441%

Absence trend

5.31693%
18/19
5.80916%
20/21
10.17265%
21/22
9.62125%
22/23
8.36964%
23/24
7.31543%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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