The FMS Inspection Score is FindMySchool's proprietary analysis based on official Ofsted and ISI inspection reports. It converts ratings into a standardised 1–10 scale for fair comparison across all schools in England.
Disclaimer: The FMS Inspection Score is an independent analysis by FindMySchool. It is not endorsed by or affiliated with Ofsted or ISI. Always refer to the official Ofsted or ISI report for the full picture of a school’s inspection outcome.
On King Edward Avenue in Harefield, Regents Park Community College makes its priorities plain: Respect, Pride, Creativity and Challenge. It even signs off its prospectus with a small detail that tells you a lot about the tone here, Headteacher Mrs Samantha Barnes and Spencer the school therapy dog.
This is a state secondary school for boys and girls aged 11 to 16 in Southampton, Hampshire, serving the Shirley area with no sixth form. The published capacity is 900, which gives it the scale to run a broad key stage 3 experience while still keeping a close eye on day-to-day routines and attendance.
The 2024 Ofsted inspection rated the school Good. For families, the bigger headline is fit: a school that talks openly about pride and aspiration, and backs it up with structured support, clear behaviour expectations, and a practical view of what helps students stay engaged.
The quickest way into Regents Park’s character is through its language. The four core values are used as working expectations rather than decorative slogans, and the school links “pride” to concrete habits such as attendance and presentation. That matters in a large, mixed secondary where consistency is often the difference between a calm learning environment and a noisy one.
The most recent inspection describes a school where pupils are happy, feel safe, and experience positive relationships with staff. It also points to a straightforward approach to behaviour: high expectations, rewards for doing things well, and a determined push on attendance when students start to drift. Families who want an organised, purposeful culture will recognise the shape of it.
There is also an explicit strand of inclusion. Different backgrounds, religions and cultures are celebrated, and students have routes to be heard through roles like school council and wider leadership opportunities. That combination of structure and voice is a good sign for children who do best when expectations are clear but they still have a say.
Start with the headline indicators. Regents Park’s Attainment 8 score is 38.5. Progress 8 is -0.72, which indicates that, on average, students make less progress than similar pupils nationally from the end of primary school.
On the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) side, 7.4% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above across the EBacc subjects, and the average EBacc APS is 2.89 compared with 4.08 across England. That points to a school where the EBacc pathway is not the dominant story for most students, and where outcomes are stronger when students are on the right course mix and well supported, rather than pushed towards a single academic template.
For parents who like to compare locally, FindMySchool’s Southampton local hub and Comparison Tool can be useful here: the school’s profile makes more sense when you look at it alongside nearby secondaries with different intakes and curriculum emphases.
Finally, the rankings context. Regents Park is ranked 3,341st in England for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data), and 19th in Southampton. In plain terms, that sits below England average overall, even while the school’s inspection picture remains solid.
England ranks and key metrics (where available)
GCSE 9–7
—
% of students achieving grades 9-7
The inspection report around teaching is pragmatic: the curriculum is described as strong and ambitious, with a clear intention for pupils to acquire knowledge and skills for the future. The important nuance is that curriculum design and teaching are stronger in some subjects than others, so progress is not yet as consistent as it could be across the whole timetable. Families should read that as “pockets of real strength”, alongside an ongoing drive for consistency.
A key feature is feedback and follow-up. Staff provide feedback intended to help pupils improve their work and move on quickly. For many students, especially those who have lost confidence after a tricky key stage 2 to key stage 3 transition, that sort of visible, repeatable improvement loop can be more motivating than abstract talk about “potential”.
There is also a deliberate push on literacy and numeracy habits. The school describes a reading programme, support for pupils who find reading difficult, and ambitious texts in English. Numeracy is promoted through a weekly challenge question. None of this is flashy, but it is often the difference between a school that hopes pupils will become independent and one that actively teaches them how.
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
FMS Inspection Score calculated by FindMySchool based on official inspection data.
With no sixth form, Regents Park’s “next steps” work needs to land by Year 11. The school offers careers education that includes individual interviews and a mix of talks and events with local education and training providers, plus careers and apprenticeship fairs. For students who are not certain about their route at 16, this kind of repeated exposure to options helps decisions feel less like a cliff edge.
The broader picture is that students will be choosing between sixth forms and further education colleges, alongside technical and apprenticeship pathways. The school also meets the provider access requirement, so pupils in Years 8 to 11 receive information and engagement about approved technical qualifications and apprenticeships, not only traditional academic routes.
For families, the practical question is how quickly the school spots a child who needs extra guidance early in key stage 4, whether because motivation is dipping or because a course choice needs adjusting. The inspection’s description of alternative provision being used to keep some pupils engaged suggests a school that would rather find a workable route than let a student quietly disappear.
Regents Park is a non-selective school, with admissions coordinated through Southampton City Council. Demand is real: 292 applications were made for 149 offers, which is about 1.96 applications per place. In other words, many families who put the school down will not receive an offer, and you should go into the process with a clear-eyed plan B.
For September 2026 entry, the school’s published admissions number for Year 7 is 150. That small gap between “places available” and “offers made” is normal in school admissions, but the headline remains the same: this is not a walk-in option.
The school’s published timeline for Year 7 entry follows the usual rhythm: applications in the autumn term of Year 6 (with a late October deadline) and offers released in April. Transition events then pick up into the summer term, including a transition evening and transition day, with a summer school programme ahead of the first day in September.
If you are weighing up a few Southampton schools, it is worth using FindMySchool to keep a short list and notes in one place. Admission is often decided by practicalities as much as philosophy, especially when you are balancing travel time, siblings, and clubs that extend the day.
Applications
292
Total received
Places Offered
149
Subscription Rate
2.0x
Applications per place
Regents Park’s pastoral story is tied closely to safety, belonging and routines. Pupils report feeling safe and well cared for, and bullying is handled through a restorative justice approach aimed at resolving issues rather than simply punishing them. That will suit families who want accountability and repair, rather than endless escalation.
Personal development is not left to chance. The inspection notes allocated days focused on safety and wellbeing, plus weekly wellbeing bulletins that give pupils practical self-care prompts. The school also runs named initiatives such as Girl Can and You Can Do It, which are designed to build confidence and aspiration. This is especially relevant in a community secondary where students can arrive with uneven confidence and very different home circumstances.
Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is described as strong and effective in lessons, with structured classwork and specific help so pupils can access learning and produce high-quality work. The most pressing challenge flagged is attendance for disadvantaged pupils, including some pupils with SEND. For parents, that is the point to probe: how the school works with families and external agencies, and what the “early warning” system looks like before absence becomes a pattern.
Regents Park has the kind of facilities that make sport feel achievable, not aspirational. The school lists a 3G pitch, MUGA pitches, a gymnasium and a swimming pool, alongside a main hall that supports fixtures, events and whole-school moments. That breadth matters for students who need movement and structure in their week, not only those chasing teams.
The inspection report also notes that pupils value the school’s sporting facilities and make the most of them. That lines up with the school calendar rhythm of training, clubs, and inter-house or year-group events that keep the week feeling purposeful.
The enrichment offer is one of Regents Park’s clearer strengths because it is concrete. Academic extension includes opportunities such as the UKMT Maths Challenge, a KS3 Coding and Programming Club, a Science Club, and options like Further Maths GCSE and Pearson’s Higher Project Qualification. For a student who is capable but easily bored, these are the kinds of extras that can sharpen focus and create a sense of direction.
On the creative side, the school highlights Art Club, Photography Club, Drama Club and a Manga Workshop. Those are not just hobbies. For many teenagers, they are identity anchors, the thing that makes Tuesday after school feel like their own.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is also part of the picture, offering a structured challenge outside lessons that rewards reliability and teamwork. Combined with student leadership routes such as school council, this is a school that gives students more than one way to succeed.
Regents Park sits in the Shirley area of Southampton, with Harefield as the local neighbourhood reference. For rail connections, Southampton Central is the city’s main station and a practical anchor point for families commuting across Southampton and beyond.
At drop-off and pick-up, expect the usual realities of an urban secondary: parking close to the site is limited and traffic is busiest right around the start and end of the day. If your child will be staying for clubs, build in the longer rhythm of after-school travel rather than planning around a single bell.
The school day runs on clear timings. Breakfast is available from 8:00am to 8:20am, with arrival and preparation until 8:30am. Lessons start after morning registration, and the formal day ends at 2:40pm.
After that, there is a defined extra layer: study support, enrichment activities, clubs and classes run from 2:40pm to 3:40pm. It is a useful structure for working families and for students who benefit from doing homework while they are still in “school mode”.
Competition for places: With 292 applications for 149 offers (about 1.96 applications per place), admissions are competitive. Families should be realistic, name genuine alternatives, and treat this as one part of a wider Southampton shortlist.
Progress measures: A Progress 8 score of -0.72 and an Attainment 8 score of 38.5 point to outcomes that lag behind where the school wants them to be. If your child needs a very high-pace academic environment, ask direct questions about subject consistency and how the school targets catch-up and stretch.
Consistency across subjects: The inspection describes a strong curriculum overall, but also says that teaching and curriculum are stronger in some subjects than others. For parents, this is a prompt to look closely at the subjects your child is most likely to take at GCSE, and how the school supports students when a subject feels harder.
No sixth form: The 11 to 16 structure can be a positive because GCSE years get full attention, but it also means a fresh application at 16. If stability through to Year 13 is a priority, weigh that alongside the benefits of a clear Year 11 finish line.
Regents Park Community College is a structured, values-led 11 to 16 school that takes safety, personal development and inclusion seriously. It offers plenty of practical “hooks” for teenagers, from a reading programme and leadership routes to a swimming pool, a 3G pitch and a recognisable enrichment menu that includes coding, maths challenge opportunities and creative clubs.
Best suited to families who want a calm, organised community school in Southampton with clear routines and a broad range of ways for students to engage. The biggest hurdle is admission; the next is ensuring your child will get the right support and subject consistency to make strong progress through key stage 4.
Yes. The most recent inspection outcome is Good, and the school is described as safe, caring and ambitious for pupils, with positive relationships between pupils and staff. It is a school with clear routines and a deliberate approach to wellbeing and personal development.
Yes. There were 292 applications for 149 offers, which is about 1.96 applications per place. Families should treat it as a competitive Southampton option and make sure they include realistic alternatives on their application.
Headline measures show an Attainment 8 score of 38.5 and a Progress 8 score of -0.72. EBacc outcomes are a smaller part of the overall profile here, with 7.4% achieving grade 5 or above across the EBacc subjects.
Breakfast is available from 8:00am to 8:20am, with morning registration beginning at 8:30am. The formal day ends at 2:40pm, and there is a set after-school window for study support and clubs from 2:40pm to 3:40pm.
Applications are made through Southampton City Council under the coordinated admissions scheme, rather than directly to the school. The school publishes key dates for Year 7 entry and runs transition events for pupils who are offered a place.
Get in touch with the school directly
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