A mainstream secondary and post-16 provider with a deliberately different rhythm to the usual local comprehensive. The studio-school model here is built around “business hours”, with a typical day described as 9.00am to 5.00pm, blending core GCSE study with vocational pathways, project work, work experience and enrichment.
The scale is also unusual. Capacity is published as 300, yet the most recent inspection described a very small roll at the time, which changes the feel of everything from class sizes to relationships with staff.
Leadership is led by Ms Karina Porter (Principal). Ofsted’s July 2017 report records that she joined in September 2016 as Associate Principal, and she is named as Principal in the May 2023 inspection.
For families weighing options in Hayes and the wider London Borough of Hillingdon, the key question is fit. This provision is designed for students who respond well to applied learning and smaller settings, and who can manage the longer day and specialist curriculum choices.
The school’s identity is anchored in employability and professional habits. Expectations around appearance, punctuality and conduct are framed as preparation for workplaces that students may visit through placements and employer-linked activity.
A distinctive element is the personal-coach approach, with each student allocated a Personal Coach to support learning and wellbeing, and to track progress against the school’s CREATE skills framework (Communication, Relating to people, Enterprise, Application of skills, Thinking, Emotional intelligence). The implication for families is that the pastoral model is intended to be proactive and structured, rather than reactive and purely behaviour-led.
The most recent inspection describes students arriving with varied starting points, including from overseas, and highlights that staff work to help students feel welcome, safe and supported. The overall picture is of a calm and orderly environment, with positive day-to-day relationships strengthened by the small scale.
There is also evidence of community-building in the detail. The inspection notes a weekly lunchtime karaoke session as an emblem of participation and shared culture, and the school’s own extracurricular page lists Karaoke as a lunchtime club.
This is a studio-school setting with a specialist vocational emphasis, and the outcomes picture is best read alongside the context of cohort size and student intake.
Ranked 3,629th in England and 22nd in Hillingdon for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), performance sits below England average and within the bottom 40% of schools in England (60th to 100th percentile).
The headline measures point to challenge at Key Stage 4:
Attainment 8: 35.2, compared with an England average of 45.9.
Progress 8: -1.31, indicating students made substantially less progress than peers with similar starting points across England.
EBacc average point score: 2.95, compared with an England average of 4.08.
EBacc grade 5+ measure: 0% consistent with a curriculum that does not prioritise EBacc entry.
The implication is not simply “weak results”. It is that this is a non-traditional model where the balance of time and curriculum breadth differs, and where performance measures tied to a standard academic suite, especially EBacc, may not reflect what families value most about the provision. The risk, however, is that students who might flourish in a smaller, applied setting still need strong English and mathematics outcomes for next steps, so families should ask direct questions about how the school secures these basics for students who have previously struggled.
Sixth form performance measures are not available and the school is not ranked for A-level outcomes. The May 2023 inspection also references very low post-16 numbers at that time, which affects both reporting and the feel of sixth form life.
Parents comparing options can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page to view local results side-by-side using the Comparison Tool, then weigh those numbers against the practical, vocational offer that a studio school provides.
England ranks and key metrics (where available)
GCSE 9–7
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% of students achieving grades 9-7
The educational offer is explicitly blended: academic core plus technical and vocational learning, delivered through projects and placements. The school describes a weekly mix of academic subjects, vocational learning, project-based learning, work experience and enrichment aligned to an individual plan.
The May 2023 inspection describes careful curriculum planning in English, mathematics and science to prepare students for GCSEs, with examples of cross-application, such as using mathematics learning in business studies. It also highlights strong subject knowledge and clear explanation from teachers, with regular checking for understanding through questioning and assessment activities.
Vocational learning is positioned as specialist and resource-heavy. The inspection cites professional equipment, including green screen technology in a creative design studio, and refers to a hair and beauty salon used in a professional setting. It also notes access to a local radio station to experience a working broadcasting environment.
The trade-off is breadth. Starting vocational courses in Year 9 can compress time for wider curriculum areas, and the inspection flags that understanding in areas such as religious education can become less developed than learning in the core and chosen vocational subjects.
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Studio schools are designed to connect education to employment and further training, so destinations should be judged by both qualifications and readiness for next steps.
The school’s published narrative places strong emphasis on work experience, employer engagement and applied projects, with the explicit aim of supporting progression to university, apprenticeships and work-based training.
For a concrete indicator, the school’s performance page reports that 94% of students stayed in education or employment after Key Stage 4 in 2021/2022. That is a useful data point for families focused on sustained participation after Year 11, although it does not describe the quality or level of destination.
Pathways described by the trust include Media, Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy, Health and Social Care, Hospitality and Catering, and Sport, which provides a clearer picture of “what next” than generic statements about careers.
Post-16 is available, but prospective sixth form families should interrogate viability and peer experience. The most recent inspection identifies low sixth-form enrolment as a live issue, noting that a small cohort can reduce community feel and underuse resources.
Entry points are aligned to the studio-school model rather than a standard Year 7 intake.
The school states it is open to young people currently studying in Year 9 locally, with places allocated in line with the admissions policy and Hillingdon’s coordinated arrangements.
Hillingdon Council’s guidance for Year 10 providers states that the on-time deadline was Friday 31 October, with late applications accepted until mid-August 2026, but not processed until after Monday 2 March 2026 (national offer day).
Given today’s date (25 January 2026), families considering a move for September 2026 should assume they are already in the late stage of the cycle and should check the council’s current instructions immediately.
The sixth form information published on the school website sets out a defined application rhythm. For the most recently published cycle, applications opened in early November, closed temporarily in late December for an interview round in late January and early February, then reopened in mid-February and remained open until GCSE Results Day. Families should treat these dates as indicative of the pattern and confirm the current year’s schedule through the trust’s post-16 admissions pages.
The school has published open evening information in the recent past, and it actively encourages families to book visits. For planning, open events tend to sit early in the autumn term, but the school’s website is the best source for confirmed dates.
Parents should use the FindMySchool Map Search to check travel practicalities, especially given the longer school day and the importance of reliable daily routines.
The pastoral approach is integrated into the school’s wider model: a named Personal Coach for each learner, mentoring touchpoints, and wellbeing framed as part of readiness for adult life.
The latest inspection describes staff as knowing students well and being alert to risks, with early support used to prevent issues escalating. It also describes a carefully planned personal, social and health education programme, with sensitive issues taught appropriately and external experts contributing.
The school’s public-facing communications also show a pattern of structured sessions delivered by external organisations on topics linked to safety and respectful relationships.
One practical consideration is scale. In a small setting, support can be quicker and more personalised, but the experience can also feel intense for students who prefer anonymity or a very broad peer group.
The extracurricular offer is organised with the studio model in mind. The school highlights Enrichment Weeks across the year, described as personalised programmes of trips, visiting speakers, work experience and subject workshops. The implication is that enrichment is not a bolt-on club list, but a planned part of the learning programme.
Clubs and activities are still present and named. The school’s extracurricular page lists:
Karaoke as a lunchtime club (1.15pm to 2.00pm).
Reading for Pleasure sessions, linked to a named Reading for Pleasure Suite.
Homework and independent learning support sessions after the core day.
Friday sport options shown in a published programme, including football, basketball, and mixed sports activity.
The inspection also references sports clubs and describes the weekly karaoke as an example of participation and positive interaction, which reinforces that these activities are not merely nominal.
School day and calendar
A defining practical feature is the longer day. The studio model page states a typical Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5 day is 8 hours, running 9.00am to 5.00pm, intended to mirror workplace hours.
Term dates are published, including Autumn 2025, Spring 2026 and Summer 2026, with notes about training days and early staggered closures.
Uniform and expectations
Uniform expectations are framed as “business in mind”, with suit-style elements for Key Stage 4 and explicit guidance on presentation, including rules on jewellery and extremes of fashion.
Travel
Local bus travel is supported by Transport for London stops on Wood End Green Road, including the Wood End Green Road stop for route H98.
Given the 5.00pm finish, families should test the end-of-day journey at the relevant time of day, not only at morning peak.
Outcomes vs fit. GCSE measures are below England average, including a Progress 8 score of -1.31 and Attainment 8 of 35.2. Families should be clear-eyed about what improvement support looks like in English and mathematics, especially for students who have previously struggled.
Curriculum trade-offs. Starting vocational pathways early can reduce time for some broader curriculum areas, and external review highlights that learning in areas such as religious education can be less developed than in the core and chosen vocational subjects.
Longer day. A 9.00am to 5.00pm schedule can be a major advantage for structure and work experience, but it also affects transport, family routines and stamina.
Sixth form scale. The sixth form exists, but the most recent inspection identifies low enrolment as a constraint on community and course utilisation. Ask specifically how subject availability is protected year to year.
Parkside Studio College is a specialist state-funded option that prioritises applied learning, professional habits and vocational pathways within a small-school setting. The May 2023 inspection judgement of Good across all graded areas supports the view that the environment is safe, orderly and thoughtfully organised, even as outcomes data suggest that academic results remain a key focus area for improvement.
Who it suits: students who benefit from smaller classes, clear routines and a practical curriculum, and who are ready for a longer day aligned to workplace hours. The primary hurdle is not cost but fit, families need to be confident that the blend of vocational specialism and core GCSE delivery matches their child’s needs and next-step ambitions.
The most recent Ofsted inspection (May 2023) rated the school Good for overall effectiveness and for each graded area, and safeguarding was judged effective. For many families, the more nuanced question is whether the small-scale, applied model fits their child, particularly given the longer day and early vocational specialisation.
This is a state-funded school, so there are no tuition fees. Families should still budget for normal secondary school costs such as uniform and trips, and should check what applies to vocational courses and enrichment activities.
Applications are coordinated through the London Borough of Hillingdon as part of the Year 10 admissions process. The council guidance for the current cycle states the on-time deadline was 31 October, with late applications accepted until mid-August 2026, but not processed until after 2 March 2026. Check the council’s live guidance for the latest instructions.
A typical day is described as 9.00am to 5.00pm, designed to mirror business hours. The programme blends core subjects with vocational learning, project work, work experience and enrichment, supported by a Personal Coach and a structured employability skills framework.
Post-16 applications are handled through the trust’s process. The school publishes a pattern where applications open in early November, with an initial interview window in late January and early February, then reopening in mid-February and remaining open until GCSE Results Day. Families should verify the current year’s dates, as they can change annually.
Get in touch with the school directly
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