Park Vale Academy

  • Secondary
  • Academy
  • Ages 11 to 16
Ofsted: Good

Top Valley Drive, Top Valley, Nottingham, NG5 9AZOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

Park Vale Academy is a secondary school in Nottingham for ages 11 to 16. It is one of the 117 schools in Nottingham. It ranks 27th of 42 secondary schools in Nottingham. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in March 2024.

Ofsted inspection

Inspected 19 March 2024, report published 6 May 2024

Overall effectiveness
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Safeguarding
Met

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 19 March 2024

Pupils enjoy attending Park Vale Academy. The school has high expectations of what pupils can achieve and how they should behave. Most pupils meet these expectations. Staff and pupils said that the school has improved. The school is calm and orderly. There are clear routines that pupils understand and follow. Most pupils behave well in lessons. At break and lunchtime, pupils behave sensibly. They enjoy socialising and taking part in different activities. There are positive relationships between staff and pupils. Pupils are polite and well-mannered. They treat each other respectfully. Pupils say that bullying sometimes happens. They think that staff are good at resolving any issues. Pupils feel safe in school. They know there is a range of staff they can speak to if they have any worries. Through its co-curricular offer, the school provides a range of clubs that pupils can attend. Pupils enjoy taking part in sports activities and attending clubs such as the pride club, dance club, chess club and cooking club. Many Year 11 pupils appreciate and make good use of after-school revision sessions. An increasing number of pupils now participate in the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme.

What the school should improve

  • Some staff do not always use the school's agreed approaches to deliver the curriculum well. This means some pupils do not always learn as well as they could in some subjects. The school should ensure that all teachers use the school's agreed approaches to deliver the curriculum effectively.
  • The school is taking action to improve attendance. However, it does not always have a precise understanding of which strategies are helping to improve attendance. The school should ensure that it identifies the most effective strategies for securing good attendance. The school should then embed these so that improvements are sustainable.

Exam results

GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25

181 pupils in the year group

Attainment 8 score42.8

42.8, 3.3 below the England average of 46.1.

Grade 5 or above in English and maths37%

37%, 8.4 percentage points below the England average of 45.4%.

Grade 4 or above in English and maths57.5%

57.5%, 7.3 percentage points below the England average of 64.8%.

Pupils entering the EBacc56.4%

56.4%, 15.9 percentage points above the England average of 40.5%.

EBacc average point score3.90

3.90, 0.19 below the England average of 4.09.

Pupil numbers and mix

880 pupils on roll, with places for 950

Eligible for free school meals44.5%

44.5%, 18 percentage points above the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language16.7%

16.7%, 4.9 percentage points below the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support14.5%

14.5%, 0.3 percentage points below the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan1.7%

1.7%, 4.3 percentage points below the England average of 6%.

Schools near Park Vale Academy

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
The Oakwood Academy0.8 milesOfsted: GoodAttainment 8: 41.3
The Bulwell Academy0.9 milesReport card: Needs attention to expected standardAttainment 8: 36.1
Redhill Academy2 milesOfsted: OutstandingAttainment 8: 50.6
Ellis Guilford School2 milesOfsted: GoodAttainment 8: 37.1
Nottingham Free School2 milesOfsted: GoodAttainment 8: 51.5

School details

School type
Academy sponsor led
Sector
Academy
Trust
REDHILL ACADEMY TRUST
Age range
11 to 16
Gender
Mixed
Sixth form
Yes
Headteacher
Headteacher Steve Bowhay
Address
Top Valley Drive, Top Valley, Nottingham, NG5 9AZ
Local authority
Nottingham
URN
144487

School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.