Parkside Academy
291 Spring Road, Ipswich, IP4 5NDOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Parkside Academy is an alternative provision school in Ipswich for ages 11 to 16. It is one of the 357 schools in Suffolk. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in January 2024.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 30 January 2024, report published 18 March 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 30 January 2024
Pupils are well supported to continue with their education while out of mainstream schools. This is equally the case whether pupils are educated at Ipswich Hospital or the school's provision at Lindbergh Road. Relationships between staff and pupils are highly positive and encouraging. Staff quickly get to know the pupils. Pupils complete work that is well matched to their needs and interests. They enjoy their time in the school and make progress. Pupils who need it are supported well to develop strategies to cope when they are upset or angry. As a result of high expectations, pupils become motivated over time to work hard and produce good-quality work. Staff consider pupils' well-being throughout the day and make adaptations to provision as needed. Pupils can learn in the places in which they feel comfortable. They benefit from teachers slowing down or speeding up activities as needed, which helps pupils learn effectively. The school plans for pupils to be able to make a successful transition back to mainstream education and/or to keep up with their learning. Pupils at Lindbergh Road are positive about their chances of getting GCSE qualifications. The school creates the right conditions for pupils to return successfully to mainstream education.
What the school should improve
- Occasionally, teachers do not adapt their teaching or activities to meet pupils' needs precisely. This means that sometimes, pupils do not understand what they are taught as well as is intended. The school needs to ensure that teachers are confident and effective in adapting teaching and activities to meet the needs of pupils.
- Some pupils do not have much understanding of the world beyond their very local area. Pupils at the hospital have limited opportunities to learn outside or beyond the ward. There are not currently systems in place to expand learning beyond the local area, and as a result, pupils are limited in their understanding of this. The school needs to support pupils' personal development further by expanding pupils' experiences of the wider world.
Pupil numbers and mix
5 pupils on roll, with places for 90
Schools near Parkside Academy
| School | Distance | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|
| St Christopher's Academy | 0.9 miles | Ofsted: Good |
| First Base Ipswich Academy | 2 miles | Report card: Expected standard to strong standard |
| Alderwood Academy | 2 miles | Report card: Expected standard to strong standard |
| Westbridge Academy | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good |
| OA - Suffolk | 13 miles | Ofsted: Good |
School details
- School type
- Academy alternative provision converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- RAEDWALD TRUST
- Age range
- 11 to 16
- Gender
- Mixed
- Headteacher
- Ms Kirsty Osborne
- Phone
- 01473717013
- Address
- 291 Spring Road, Ipswich, IP4 5ND
- Local authority
- Suffolk
- URN
- 142801
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.