West Park School Review 2026: An orderly, caring 11–16 with high expectations and strong routines

A calm, structured secondary in Spondon, West Park School sets out clear expectations and follows through consistently. The most recent inspection describes an orderly culture where pupils feel safe, behaviour is well managed, and relationships between staff and pupils are respectful.

Academically, outcomes sit broadly in line with the middle group of schools in England. In the FindMySchool GCSE outcomes ranking, West Park School is ranked 1,625th in England and 7th locally (Derby), which places it in the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile). That positioning suggests a school that should suit families who want predictability, strong pastoral fundamentals, and a clear behaviour framework, rather than one defined primarily by elite exam outcomes.

Leadership stability is a theme. The headteacher is Scott McGregor, and the school notes he joined in September 2018, giving the community several years under the same strategic direction.

The daily tone is shaped by routines. Pupils are expected to understand the standards, and the system for rewarding positive conduct is visible enough that pupils talk about it and respond to it. This matters for families who value a school day that runs to time and sets boundaries clearly. It also tends to help pupils who do best in environments where expectations are explained, reinforced, and applied consistently.

The overall feel is purposeful rather than pressurised. West Park is not a sixth form school, so the student experience is concentrated on Years 7 to 11 and on preparation for GCSE and vocational equivalents. The inspection evidence points to a school where pupils generally like learning, feel secure, and know who to go to if they have concerns.

Leadership style and organisational structure are also relevant context. The school operates as a single academy trust, with governance oversight by trustees. For parents, that typically means policies, priorities, and investment decisions are driven through the trust board rather than through a multi school group, with accountability focused directly on this one school.

West Park School’s published outcomes paint a mixed but readable picture, with some measures slightly above England averages and others a little below.

GCSE outcomes, relative position

West Park School is ranked 1,625th in England for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), and 7th among secondary schools locally in Derby, placing performance in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile). This is a “steady and broadly typical” profile at national level, with a competitive local position within Derby. (Rankings from the provided dataset.)

Attainment and curriculum measures

The school’s EBacc average point score is 4.13, compared with an England average of 4.08, indicating slightly stronger performance on that specific curriculum measure. (Figures from the provided dataset.) The proportion achieving grades 5 or above across the EBacc subjects is 22.9%. (Figure from the provided dataset.)

Progress

The school’s Progress 8 score is -0.09, which indicates pupil progress is slightly below the national benchmark, on average, once prior attainment is taken into account. (Figure from the provided dataset.) For parents, the practical implication is to look beyond headline attainment and ask how the school targets support for pupils who need to catch up, and how it stretches those who arrive with stronger prior attainment.

A helpful way to read these combined measures is that West Park School looks like a school with a strong operational foundation and a curriculum ambition that is clear, while still needing to tighten consistency in how learning is checked and gaps are identified across subjects.

The curriculum is described as broad and ambitious, with sequencing set out so that pupils build knowledge over time rather than treating learning as disconnected topics. That is a strong starting point, because curriculum clarity tends to support both teacher planning and pupil confidence, especially in Years 7 to 9 where good habits are formed.

Strength is also reported in teachers’ subject knowledge and explanation. The key improvement point is consistency in checking understanding. Where teachers do not routinely identify misconceptions or gaps, pupils can move on with shaky foundations, which becomes more costly later, particularly in exam classes. For parents, this is a useful line of enquiry at open events or meetings: how does the school ensure that assessment for learning is consistent, and what happens quickly when a pupil falls behind in a specific subject?

Support for pupils with additional needs is described as well organised, with staff provided with clear information and strategies, and most teachers using this to adapt learning effectively. That combination, structured teaching plus adaptation, is often what families are looking for when they want mainstream schooling that takes inclusion seriously.

Where Students Go Next

Because West Park School is 11–16, all students transition at 16 to sixth forms, further education colleges, apprenticeships, or training routes. The school is required to provide pupils with access to information and engagement about technical qualifications and apprenticeships, which is a positive indicator for families who want routes beyond purely academic sixth form pathways to be treated as credible options.

What is not presented publicly, at least in the core evidence used here, is a numerical breakdown of destinations. Parents who care about post 16 routes should ask two practical questions: first, which local providers students most commonly choose after Year 11; second, how the school supports applications and guidance for both academic and technical pathways, including work experience and employer engagement where available.

Admissions are co-ordinated through Derby City Council for families living in Derby, using the standard Year 7 admissions process. For September 2026 entry, the council sets out a clear application window: applications open from 4 September and the national closing date is 31 October, with offers issued on 1 March (or the next working day if 1 March falls on a non working day).

Demand is material. The school is recorded as oversubscribed in the provided dataset, with 459 applications for 289 offers, equivalent to 1.59 applications per place. (Figures from the provided dataset.) That level of competition can fluctuate year to year, but it is enough to justify early, careful planning for families who are not already very close to the school or within priority criteria.

Derby’s published admissions handbook for 2026 to 2027 also shows the school’s recent application and offer volumes within the city system, and it records a furthest distance offered figure of 8.478 miles. Distances vary annually based on applicant distribution; proximity provides priority but does not guarantee a place. This is best treated as an indicator of past patterns rather than a promise, and parents should use the FindMySchool Map Search to check their own distance precisely and to keep an eye on yearly shifts.

The wellbeing picture is anchored in clarity and safety. Ofsted confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective. Beyond the statutory point, the wider story is about the social conditions that allow pupils to settle. Staff pupil relationships are described as positive and respectful, pupils know who to speak to if worried, and routines support an orderly day.

There is also evidence of thoughtful work on personal development, including a planned personal, social and health education programme that addresses online safety, relationships, and wider risks. The improvement area is ensuring that pupils develop a strong understanding of fundamental British values, which is worth asking about in practical terms, for example how this is embedded across subjects and assemblies, and what pupils can explain about it by the time they reach Year 11.

Extracurricular life at West Park has two strands: the clubs pupils talk about because they are distinctive, and the clubs that support day to day academic organisation and participation.

On the distinctive side, the inspection evidence names clubs including Sea Shanty Club and Rainbow Club, alongside familiar options such as chess and drama. A highlight event, WestFest, is described as a point in the year where pupils perform and raise money for charities. The implication for parents is that school culture is not purely classroom bound, there are structured opportunities for pupils to contribute, perform, and socialise around shared interests.

On the structured side, the school publishes a timetable style list of clubs and locations that shows how activities sit around the school day. Examples include Homework Club (ICT5) and Rock Band (M1), plus a range of sports sessions using spaces such as the sports hall, gym, and outdoor practice areas. For families, this signals that after school participation is organised and consistent, which can be helpful for pupils who want routine and for parents managing pick ups.

The library is another practical asset. It is described as a bright, well equipped resource with a collection of 10,000 fiction, non fiction, and reference books, and it is available to pupils at break, lunch, and after school. That kind of accessible study space matters for pupils who work best with a quieter base during the day.

The published school day runs from 08:30 registration to an end of day at 15:00, with pupils allowed into the building from 08:00. Period 6 runs 15:00 to 16:00 and is used for detention, catch up, revision, and clubs, which indicates that additional support and enrichment is built into a predictable slot rather than being entirely informal.

As an 11–16 secondary, West Park School does not operate nursery or primary wraparound care in the way a primary school might. Families should expect after school activities and support sessions rather than childcare style provision, and should check current arrangements directly if childcare cover is a deciding factor.

• Progress is slightly below the national benchmark. A Progress 8 score of -0.09 suggests the average pupil makes a little less progress than expected from prior attainment. Families may want to ask how departments identify gaps early and what targeted support looks like for pupils who are not yet secure.

• Consistency of checking understanding varies by subject. The published improvement point is making sure that misconceptions and gaps are picked up and addressed reliably across the curriculum. This matters most for pupils who need frequent feedback to stay confident.

• Oversubscription can shape realistic options. The school is recorded as oversubscribed, so families should plan early, use distance tools to understand priority, and keep alternative preferences under review.

• Personal development coverage still has a specific gap to close. Work has strengthened, but ensuring pupils build a good understanding of fundamental British values is a stated development priority.

West Park School offers a settled, orderly secondary experience with clear routines, strong relationships, and a consistent emphasis on safety and behaviour. Outcomes sit around the middle of England’s performance distribution, with slightly stronger signals on some curriculum measures and a modest challenge on progress and subject consistency. The school will suit families who want a calm, structured environment and who value predictable systems for behaviour, rewards, and daily organisation. Admission remains the main hurdle for some, so distance and criteria should be checked carefully when deciding whether to make it a first preference.