Parks Primary School, Leicester
Parks Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Leicester. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 7th-highest of the 138 schools in Leicester with published results, and 637th of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.2 first-choice applications for every place. It was 99% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2014)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Leicester (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Parks Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 95% of Year 6 pupils at Parks Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 93% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 75% in Leicester and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (97% in reading, 90% in maths).
Getting a place at Parks Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 73 families put Parks Primary School as their first choice and 120 named it as one of their preferences, for 60 places offered. That is 1.2 first choices for every place. 13 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Parks Primary School are Stokes Wood Primary School (0.2 miles, Good, 70% reading, 78% maths); Inglehurst Junior School (0.4 miles, Good, 61% reading, 65% maths); Inglehurst Infant School (0.5 miles); and Forest Lodge Academy (0.6 miles, Good, 70% reading, 74% maths).
Parks Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 3 of them.
Stokes Wood Primary SchoolInglehurst Junior SchoolInglehurst Infant SchoolForest Lodge Academy
What parents say
28 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Parks Primary School (as of September 2025): 96% would recommend the school, 96% say their child is happy there and 80% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (80%).
Who goes there
37.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 40.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (44%), Asian (18%) and Black (14%).
In 2026, 63 pupils (13.9%) received SEN support and 9 (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 speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Leicester Rail Station, about 2.1 miles away in a straight line.
19 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Glazebrook Road (adjacent), 40 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
Parks Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Parks Primary School are The Herewoode Academy (0.5 miles); Brook Mead Academy (0.5 miles); English Martyrs' Catholic School, A Voluntary Academy (0.5 miles); and Beaumont Leys School (0.8 miles).
The Herewoode AcademyBrook Mead AcademyEnglish Martyrs' Catholic School, A Voluntary AcademyBeaumont Leys School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Leicester published that the last place for 2026 entry went to a family 0.659 miles away (straight line). The cut-off moves every year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from November 2014, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils flourish in this exceptional school. They are welcoming and polite. Pupils are very proud of their school. They are happy and safe. Pupils show kindness and respect to adults and each other. Staff and pupils live the school's core values daily. Pupils love being part of the school.
The school sets high learning and behavioural expectations for all pupils. Pupils consistently meet these high expectations. They strive for excellence in all that they do. Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, excel in their learning. They are rightly proud of their work. Pupils' behaviour is exemplary. They value the calm and focused atmosphere.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school lives a vision that puts pupils at the forefront of everything it does. Leaders, including those responsible for governance, have created an ambitious culture of positivity and success. The school has maintained an exceptionally high quality of provision despite facing significant challenges, related to its premises, over the last 18 months. The school relentlessly focuses on continuous improvement. It successfully raises pupils' aspirations, broadens their horizons and enables them to thrive.
The school has developed a highly ambitious curriculum for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school has given considerable thought to when pupils learn key subject knowledge, deepen understanding and develop skills. Staff skilfully identify and meet the needs of pupils with SEND. Strong foundations of learning are formed in the early years. Leaders have designed ambitious subject curriculums that enable pupils to learn, understand and be able to think, for example, as mathematicians, historians or artists.
From Ofsted's October 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its November 2014 inspection - up from Good.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
37.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
28 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 95% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 93% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 87% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
24.2
Avg class size
25.0
Infant (KS1)
26.5
KS2
17
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Parks Primary School
Before and after school care
Parks Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Leicester
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Parks Primary School.
- Premier Education at Inglehurst770m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Parks Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Parks Primary School is in Leicester; for families living there:
Apply to Leicester for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 23
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 7
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 23 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 18 slight.
7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise.
8 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 Leicester is 24.5 (the median across 142 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
Your chances of a place at Parks Primary School
Will you get a place at Parks Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Parks Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Parks Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Parks Primary School.
- Last distance offered for 2026 entry, from Leicester's own figures, and how your distance compares each year.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Parks Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Leicester got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
£9.99 once
One school, inc. VAT. Or £19.99 for up to three schools.
Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time
A report for any school, plus everything else in Pro.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
99%
Near capacity
415 pupils
420 places
5 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Leicester
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Leicester
Across Leicester council
Places available
4,828
Applications
3,626
Got 1st preference
96.8%
Got preferred school
99.3%
All primary applications across Leicester council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
63
SEN Support
9
EHC Plans
15.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
453
Total Pupils
230
Boys
223
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
25
Teachers
18.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,589
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,841
Per pupil
£2749k
Total funding
£233k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.4%
Overall absence
14.7%
Persistent absence
373
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Questions parents ask about Parks Primary School
What are SATs results like at Parks Primary School?
Of the pupils at Parks Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 95% reached the expected standard in reading and 93% did so in maths.
What is Parks Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Parks Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2014, it was rated Outstanding.
How close to Parks Primary School do you need to live?
Leicester published for September 2026 entry that the last place offered at Parks Primary School on distance went to a family 0.659 miles away. This is the authority's own figure for one year, not a fixed boundary - the cut-off moves with the number of applications, so treat it as a guide rather than a guarantee.
Is it hard to get a place at Parks Primary School?
Parks Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 99% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Parks Primary School?
Classes at Parks Primary School average 24.2 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Parks Primary School?
Parks Primary School has around 453 pupils on roll. 38% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Parks Primary School?
5.4% of sessions were missed at Parks Primary School in 2024/25. 14.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Parks Primary School?
Apply through Leicester's coordinated admissions process, naming Parks Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does Parks Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Parks Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Parks Primary School: Premier Education at Inglehurst (770m away, registered, not yet graded).
How many road collisions happen near Parks Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 23 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 18 slight. 7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise. 8 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 Leicester is 24.5 (the median across 142 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Parks Primary School?
Parks Primary School is at 1 Gillman Road, Leicester, LE3 9NS.
Sources: Leicester admissions booklet; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)