Parkside Community School, Chesterfield
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data. Admissions policy: Non-selective
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 months agoReport card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
Parkside is a caring school where pupils feel valued and supported. Staff know their individual circumstances and provide excellent pastoral care. The school has successfully improved attendance and behaviour, created a positive learning community where pupils respect each other, and significantly reduced suspensions through effective emotional regulation support.
Key Strengths
- Attendance has markedly improved and is now close to national averages, with excellent support for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND
- Behaviour and relationships are positive with rare bullying, and suspensions have dramatically reduced
- Strong pastoral care and safeguarding with staff readily available to support pupils' wellbeing
- Well-designed curriculum with good teaching across most subjects and effective support for pupils learning to read
- Leaders and governors provide strong support and accountability for school improvements
Areas for Improvement
- Overall pupil achievement in national tests is not consistently close to national averages, with some subjects remaining below average
- Some teachers do not provide sufficiently challenging tasks for all pupils, limiting deeper learning
- Handwriting support is at an early stage of development and needs strengthening
- Teachers do not always notice when pupils forget or misunderstand key knowledge
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have created an open and positive safeguarding culture where all legal requirements are met and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Parkside's Got Talent, choir performances at local venues, performing arts activities, clubs for disadvantaged pupils, career engagement with universities and employers
Parkside Community School has made significant improvements since joining Embark Trust, with better teaching, improved attendance, and a caring school culture. However, overall pupil achievement in national tests remains inconsistent and below national averages in some subjects.
At a Glance
58.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
23.6
Avg class size
23
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
98%
Near capacity
587 pupils
600 capacity
13 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Chesterfield
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Chesterfield
Admissions Demand - Derbyshire
Places available
8,811
Applications
7,963
Got 1st preference
95.4%
Got preferred school
99.1%
Secondary admissions across Derbyshire (2025/26)
Inspection History(2)
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.
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.
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.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.86646%
Overall absence
28.40722%
Persistent absence
609
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Reviews
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Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Parkside Community School
William Rhodes Primary and Nursery School
Walton Peak Flying High Academy
Brampton Primary School
Spire Junior School
St Mary's Catholic Primary
Old Hall Junior School
Spire Nursery and Infant School
Brockwell Junior School
Abercrombie Primary School
Brockwell Nursery and Infant School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Nearby Schools
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