Parkside Academy

  • Primary
  • Academy
  • Ages 2 to 11
Report card: Expected standard to strong standard

Greengate Street, Barrow-in-Furness, LA13 9BYOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

Parkside Academy is a primary school in Barrow-in-Furness for ages 2 to 11. It is one of the 160 schools in Westmorland and Furness. It ranks 3rd of 20 primary schools in Barrow-in-Furness. Its latest Ofsted outcome is a report card, from an inspection in January 2026.

Ofsted report card

Inspected 20 January 2026, report published 17 March 2026

Each area is graded from urgent improvement to exceptional, and safeguarding is either met or not met.

Inclusion
Strong standard
Curriculum and teaching
Expected standard
Achievement
Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour
Strong standard
Personal development and wellbeing
Strong standard
Leadership and governance
Expected standard
Early years
Strong standard
Safeguarding
Met

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 20 January 2026

Pupils thrive at Parkside Academy. Staff are deeply interested in each pupil’s needs and ensure that they feel safe and valued. Pupils who join the school at different times settle in quickly. Staff help them to make friends and develop a strong sense of belonging. Pupils know who to talk to if they are worried. They are confident that adults will deal with any concerns well. Bullying is extremely rare and dealt with swiftly when it happens. Pupils are happy and flourish at school. Their behaviour is excellent. Pupils are polite and respectful to adults and to each other. They enjoy their learning and talk positively about their lessons. Pupils’ attendance is high, reflecting their enjoyment of school and their strong sense of belonging. They enjoy playing with their friends at breaktimes. The school provides a wealth of opportunities for pupils to develop their talents and interests. For example, pupils sing in the choir, play in sporting teams and take on responsibilities such as becoming eco warriors or school councillors. These experiences help pupils to grow in confidence. Pupils benefit from an ambitious curriculum. Children in the early years make an excellent start to their education. Most pupils achieve well across the curriculum and develop their knowledge in a range of subjects. Staff identify barriers to learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged extremely well. They make well-considered adaptations that help these pupils learn the curriculum successfully. Overall, pupils are well prepared for their next stage of education and develop the attitudes and routines they need for future learning.

What the school should improve

  • Leaders should ensure that teachers design activities that help pupils to build depth in their knowledge across the curriculum.

Exam results

SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25

28 pupils took the tests

Expected standard in reading, writing and maths71%

71%, 9 percentage points above the England average of 62%.

Higher standard in reading, writing and maths7%

7%, 1 percentage points below the England average of 8%.

Reading, average scaled score105

105, 1 below the England average of 106.

Maths, average scaled score105

105, the same as the England average.

Grammar, punctuation and spelling, average scaled score106

106, 1 above the England average of 105.

Pupil numbers and mix

272 pupils on roll, with places for 300

Eligible for free school meals32.4%

32.4%, 5.9 percentage points above the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language1.5%

1.5%, 20.1 percentage points below the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support14.7%

14.7%, 0.1 percentage points below the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan5.9%

5.9%, 0.1 percentage points below the England average of 6%.

Schools near Parkside Academy

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Barrow0.3 milesOfsted: Good43% met the expected standard
Greengate Junior School0.4 milesReport card: Expected standard60% met the expected standard
Cambridge Primary School0.4 milesReport card: Needs attention to expected standard52% met the expected standard
Ramsden Infant School0.4 milesOfsted: GoodNot published
St George's CofE School0.5 milesOfsted judgements: Good to outstanding50% met the expected standard

School details

School type
Academy converter
Sector
Academy
Trust
FURNESS EDUCATION TRUST
Age range
2 to 11
Gender
Mixed
Nursery classes
Yes
Headteacher
Mr Anthony Costa
Address
Greengate Street, Barrow-in-Furness, LA13 9BY
URN
142249

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.