The Park Community School
Park Lane, Barnstaple, EX32 9AXOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
The Park Community School is a secondary school in Barnstaple for ages 11 to 16. It is one of the 416 schools in Devon. It ranks 1st of 2 secondary schools in Barnstaple. Its latest Ofsted inspection, in June 2025, graded each key judgement and gave no overall Ofsted rating.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 3 June 2025, report published 10 July 2025
This inspection graded each key judgement and gave no overall effectiveness grade.
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 3 June 2025
The Park Community School is improving rapidly. Pupils respond well to the school's high expectations of them. Typically, lessons proceed without disruption and pupils move around the school grounds in an orderly and respectful way. Pupils welcome the improvements to school culture that they have seen. For example, they understand and reflect the school values, known as the 'Park Pillars', of participation, aspiration, responsibility and kindness. The school prides itself on being a place where everyone is welcome and can be successful. Pupils engage well with their learning and achieve well. The school makes a real difference to the attendance, behaviour and achievement of pupils, including those who have struggled with these things in the past. The school has developed its provision for the pastoral care of pupils so that there is always a member of staff available who can offer support. Extra-curricular activities are often linked to the Duke of Edinburgh's award scheme. These give pupils experience of volunteering and help them to develop resilience in preparation for adulthood. The school takes a strong stance on bullying and prejudice. Pupils play a key role in asserting a positive and tolerant school culture. For example, a large group of pupils have trained to be mentors in the prevention of violence and bullying.
What the school should improve
- There remains some inconsistency in the quality of teaching that pupils receive. In a few subjects, pupils' understanding is not checked effectively. On occasion, teaching is not adjusted as well as it could be to meet their needs. Where this is the case, the school should ensure that the curriculum and its teaching approaches are implemented consistently well so that pupils build knowledge securely.
- Although there is an improving trend, the attendance of disadvantaged pupils remains too low. The achievement of disadvantaged pupils is reduced over time because too often these pupils are persistently absent from school. The school should ensure that disadvantaged pupils attend regularly and that any gaps in their learning are addressed effectively.
Exam results
GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25
278 pupils in the year group
Pupil numbers and mix
1,408 pupils on roll, with places for 1,500
Schools near The Park Community School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pilton Community College | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 46.4 |
| Braunton Academy | 5 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 53.7 |
| West Buckland School | 6 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Attainment 8: 54.1 |
| Kingsley School Devon | 8 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Attainment 8: 36.6 |
| Bideford College | 8 miles | Report card: Needs attention to expected standard | Attainment 8: 45.7 |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- THE HARBOUR SCHOOLS PARTNERSHIP
- Age range
- 11 to 16
- Gender
- Mixed
- Sixth form
- No
- Headteacher
- Ms Vicky Owen
- Phone
- 01271373131
- Address
- Park Lane, Barnstaple, EX32 9AX
- Local authority
- Devon
- URN
- 146094
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.