Parkside Community School, Chesterfield

Ofsted's report card from its 9 June 2026 inspection grades Parkside Community School on 6 areas: 5 expected standard and 1 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Over recent years, leaders have improved the way they promote the importance of school attendance."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "There is a well-designed curriculum in place."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders have well-established approaches to identifying the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Since the previous inspection, the school has joined Embark Trust."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "The school's personal development programme supports pupils' preparation for life as young adults effectively."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Because teaching is better, pupils' achievement is improving."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that staff match learning activities to what pupils need to learn next, including ensuring more challenging learning activities for pupils who are ready to explore what they are studying with greater sophistication"; "Leaders should continue to refine the way staff help pupils who have underdeveloped handwriting".

In its own words: "We are a small 11-16 secondary school in Chesterfield that provides a broad and ambitious curriculum, full of high-quality and expertly planned learning experiences. Our curriculum is designed to give every student the knowledge, skills and personal growth they need to make the most of their talents and live life in all its fullness."

In 2026, pupils at Parkside Community School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 36.4, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 45.2 in Derbyshire and 47 across England.

19% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 44% in Derbyshire and 47% in England.

That is down from 41 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.39: pupils made below 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 33.2, against 40.8 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 7.6 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 18 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Art and Design.

For September 2026 entry, 78 families put Parkside Community School as their first choice and 139 named it as one of their preferences, for 83 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 Parkside Community School are Brookfield Community School (1.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 52); Outwood Academy Newbold (1.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 50.6); Outwood Academy Hasland Hall (1.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 47.9); and St Mary's Catholic High School, A Catholic Voluntary Academy (1.7 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 60.3).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than Parkside Community School.

Parkside Community School is one of 29 schools run by Embark Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.

Of the 126 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 81% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 68% to a further education college, 4% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.

58.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 8.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The nearest railway station is Chesterfield Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.

10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Boythorpe Road (adjacent), 100 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Parkside Community School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 528 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Derbyshire (50), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Parkside Community School issued 286 suspensions, 50 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 5 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Parkside Community School are William Rhodes Primary and Nursery School (under 0.1 miles), Walton Peak Flying High Academy (0.4 miles), Brampton Primary School (0.5 miles) and Spire Junior School (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.