The Park Community School, Barnstaple

From the headteacher's welcome: "The Park Community school is an inclusive community, where every student is encouraged to thrive and become a successful member of the Park family. We expect all students to Be Kind, Work Hard, Be Here and as a school we have high academic and behavioural expectations of all students."

In 2026, pupils at The Park Community School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 47.5, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.2 in Devon and 47 across England.

53% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 45% in Devon and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 46.6.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.13: 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 34.1, against 51.9 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 17.8 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 25 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Art and Design.

For September 2026 entry, 252 families put The Park Community School as their first choice and 315 named it as one of their preferences, for 252 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to The Park Community School are Pilton Community College (1.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 42.8); and Braunton Academy (5.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.1).

The Park Community School's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 2 schools.

The Park Community School is one of 36 schools run by The Harbour Schools Partnership, an academy trust.

133 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Park Community School (as of September 2025): 75% would recommend the school, 77% say their child is happy there and 57% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (83%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (57%).

Of the 254 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 80% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 78% to a further education college, 7% to an apprenticeship and 5% into work.

3.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The nearest railway station is Barnstaple Rail Station, about 1020 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).

7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Fortescue Road (s-bound), 240 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 235 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Devon (16), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, The Park Community School issued 484 suspensions, 33.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 4 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to The Park Community School are Newport Community School Primary Academy (0.3 miles); Eden Park Academy (0.6 miles); Ashleigh CofE Primary School (0.7 miles); and Our Lady's Catholic Primary School, Barnstaple (0.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.