Stoke Park School Review 2026: Ambitious curriculum, clear routines, and a structured seven-year journey

A school that places curriculum design and communication skills at the centre of daily life, Stoke Park School has built a distinctive internal structure for Key Stage 3, with Year 7 framed as The Bridge and Year 8 as The Gateway, before students choose GCSE options at the end of Year 9. The curriculum is intentionally broad, including Classics and Latin in Key Stage 3, alongside modern foreign languages and a strong practical offer through Create and Perform (art, music, design and technology, food, textiles, and computing).

Academy life sits within The Futures Trust, with leadership arranged across trust and school levels. The current Executive Headteacher is Steve Toor, and the Head of School role is held by Ann-Marie Smith.

For families weighing outcomes, the school’s GCSE performance sits broadly in line with the middle 35% of secondary schools in England, while the sixth form measures below the England average overall on A-level grade distribution. The main story is consistency and structure rather than headline selectivity.

Stoke Park’s identity is closely tied to its explicit values and routines. The school articulates values including pride and respect, and builds a consistent language of expectation around behaviour, learning habits, and communication. This matters, because it makes daily standards legible for students, particularly those who benefit from clarity on what “good learning” looks like and how to participate confidently in class discussions and written work.

The Key Stage 3 pathway gives the early years in secondary school a clear purpose. The Bridge in Year 7 is designed to equip pupils with the skills needed to learn well, then The Gateway in Year 8 sharpens the focus on oracy, reading, and communication as preparation for the wider curriculum journey ahead. For parents, that structure is a practical signal that transition is treated as a curriculum phase, not simply a pastoral add-on.

In inclusion and personal development, there is evidence of deliberate work around equality and belonging. Students have taken leadership through an equality and diversity group, including assemblies and workshops. The implication is that the school expects students to practise civic responsibility and respectful disagreement, not just absorb messages in tutor time.

At GCSE, performance sits at a level that is competitive locally and broadly typical across England. Stoke Park School is ranked 1929th in England for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), and 10th among Coventry secondary schools in the same measure. This reflects solid performance, in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).

The Attainment 8 score is 46.5. Progress 8 is +0.39, which indicates students, on average, achieve higher outcomes than pupils with similar starting points nationally. EBacc outcomes are an area to watch for families who prioritise an academic humanities and languages pathway, with 15.1% achieving grade 5 or above in the EBacc measure.

At A-level, the school is ranked 1649th in England for sixth form outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), and 15th in Coventry. This sits below the England average overall (bottom 40% band). The A-level grade distribution shows 4.4% of grades at A*, 12.1% at A, and 40.1% at A* to B. Compared with the England average for A* to A (23.6%) and A* to B (47.2%), the sixth form outcomes suggest a cohort profile that is better described as mixed rather than highly selective.

The practical implication is straightforward. For students targeting the most competitive university courses, the sixth form is likely to suit those who are self-directed, well supported at home, and realistic about subject choices and entry requirements. For students who value a familiar setting, vocational routes, and a school-based progression path, it can be a stable option.

The curriculum is designed as a “seven-year journey”, with Key Stage 3 deliberately kept as a three-year programme rather than rushing into GCSE content. In practice, that usually allows subject teams to sequence knowledge and skills with more coherence, particularly in foundation subjects that are squeezed in two-year Key Stage 3 models.

Breadth is a defining feature in Key Stage 3. Students study humanities (history, geography, religious education), modern foreign languages, and classics, with Latin specifically referenced as supporting language learning, including French.

That is a meaningful curricular choice. Latin often sharpens grammatical thinking and vocabulary awareness, and can strengthen reading comprehension across subjects. For students who enjoy languages and literature, it can be motivating and distinctive among local comprehensive options.

Stoke Park also emphasises communication skills across subjects. The intent is clear, and the implication for families is that students who are initially quiet, reluctant readers, or less confident speaking in groups may benefit from systematic practice rather than informal encouragement.

Where the school publishes no detailed university destination breakdown, the most reliable picture is from the latest available leavers data. For the 2023 to 2024 cohort (65 students), 69% progressed to university, 6% to apprenticeships, and 9% entered employment. This points to a predominantly university-facing sixth form, with a visible minority choosing employment-based routes.

There is also evidence of a small Oxbridge pipeline. In the measurement period, three applications were recorded, with one offer and one acceptance. The numbers are modest, but they indicate that the school supports highly aspirational applications when individual students are a strong fit and have the right academic profile.

Stoke Park School is part of Coventry’s coordinated admissions system for Year 7, and the Published Admission Number for September 2026 entry is 210. Oversubscription is handled through a structured priority order, starting with looked-after and previously looked-after children, then catchment and sibling criteria, and finally distance, measured in a straight line using mapping software.

For Coventry families applying for September 2026 Year 7 entry, the local authority’s published timetable states that applications opened on 01 September 2025 and closed on 31 October 2025, with the national offer date on 02 March 2026. If you are evaluating chances for a future year, treat historic distance and allocation patterns as guidance, not a promise.

A practical next step is to use FindMySchool’s Map Search to understand your home-to-school distance and then cross-check how the school applies distance rules in its admissions arrangements.

Open events can be an efficient way to test fit. Coventry City Council lists Stoke Park School’s secondary open evening as Thursday 18 September 2025, with afternoon and early evening sessions and no booking requirement shown.

If you are looking a year ahead, it is reasonable to expect a similar September pattern, but families should always confirm the current year’s arrangements with the school.

Sixth form entry

Sixth form places are available to internal and external applicants, with published criteria and an application process that begins in November 2025 for September 2026 entry. External applicants are asked to submit applications by 12 January 2026, and the admissions arrangements describe a maximum of 160 students in Post 16, with 10 external places for Year 12 September 2026 entry.

The general entry requirement published for sixth form access to A-level routes is five grade 5 GCSEs including English and mathematics, with higher thresholds for particular subjects such as sciences and mathematics.

Pastoral support is framed through specialist roles and a “Support and Guidance” approach, including SEND leadership and targeted support for students with needs such as autism and ADHD. This is important because it signals planned, named capacity rather than informal goodwill, which can be a deciding factor for families whose child needs consistent adjustments and predictable routines.

The most recent Ofsted inspection (March 2022) judged the school Good, including the sixth form.

Ofsted also confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Within that safeguarding and wellbeing picture, the report references therapy dogs, including Dexter, Peggy and Milo, used to reduce anxiety. For some students, especially those who find school emotionally demanding, that kind of structured emotional regulation support can make attendance and participation more sustainable.

Extracurricular life shows evidence of both performing arts and student-led cultural initiatives. Drama has included a production of The Wizard of Oz, and there is explicit encouragement for student leadership through roles such as Language Ambassadors.

The implication is that students who gain confidence through performance, leadership badges, and structured roles can build a profile that supports sixth form applications, work experience, and personal statements.

Languages offer a concrete example of how clubs connect to curriculum intent. The modern foreign languages area references the creation of a Chinese club, alongside wider cultural content beyond the specification. For families, this suggests language learning is treated as a lived subject, not purely an exam timetable item.

Music participation is supported through ensembles and choirs with specific named opportunities, including a brass ensemble, Bridge Choir, and Gateway Choir. Named groups matter, because they usually indicate planned rehearsal structures and progression routes for students who want music to be more than a one-off club.

The published school day runs from 08:40am to 3:00pm Monday to Friday.

Stoke Park is in Coventry’s urban area and is accessible for families using walking, cycling, and public transport. For travel planning, it is sensible to start with official journey planners and local authority travel assistance guidance, particularly for eligible students who may qualify for support.

As a state school, there are no tuition fees. Families should still budget for standard secondary costs such as uniform, optional trips, and (where chosen) music tuition or enrichment activities.

• A-level outcomes sit below England average overall. The sixth form ranking places it in the bottom 40% band across England. For highly competitive university courses, careful subject choice, strong study habits, and early guidance will matter.

• EBacc entry and outcomes are a specific watch point. If your child is aiming for an academic language and humanities route, discuss how the school supports EBacc subjects, especially modern languages.

• Admissions depend on priority criteria and distance. The Published Admission Number for September 2026 is 210 and oversubscription applies when demand exceeds places. If you are outside the catchment area, read the distance rules carefully and compare your likely distance using mapping tools.

• A structured Key Stage 3 may not suit every learner. The Bridge and Gateway model, with strong emphasis on communication and reading, can be excellent for building foundations, but students who prefer earlier GCSE-style specialisation may need time to adjust.

Stoke Park School is best understood as a structured, curriculum-led comprehensive with a clear Key Stage 3 identity and a practical emphasis on communication skills. GCSE outcomes are solid and locally competitive, with progress measures that indicate students can do well from their starting points. The sixth form suits students who want continuity, a mixed academic and vocational offer (including T Levels), and a stable pathway into university or apprenticeships. Best suited to families who value clear routines, breadth at Key Stage 3, and a school culture that explicitly teaches learning habits, with the realistic trade-off that sixth form results are not among the strongest in England.