Park View School
109%
Capacity
1,617
Pupils
2.1x
Demand
About Park View School
Park View School, a large mixed secondary in County Durham, posts a Progress 8 score of -0.14, which is slightly above the local authority average of -0.21. While still negative, this places the school in the 'Average' band nationally and ranks it 17th out of 31 similar schools in the county. That puts it in the top half of its local peers, a solid middle-ground position. The school's Attainment 8 score sits at 47.5, and 44.5% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. Just under half of students entered the EBacc suite of subjects, with 18.8% achieving a grade 5 or better across all five components. These figures suggest a school that is performing broadly in line with the local picture, though there is clear room for improvement in core academic measures.
Academically, the picture is mixed but with some real bright spots. At Key Stage 4, the school's Progress 8 score of -0.14 is a touch above the LA average, but the breakdown shows that pupils are making significantly less progress in English (-0.35) and maths (-0.30) than in the EBacc and open elements. The sixth form, however, tells a different story. With a value-added score of 0.19, the school is rated 'Above average' for post-16 progress, and the average grade across the best three A-levels is a solid B. The average points per entry of 35.72 equates to a B- grade, and 31.9% of entries achieved an AAB or higher. This suggests that while the school may not be pushing the highest KS4 results, it is very effective at adding value once students reach the sixth form.
The school is heavily oversubscribed, with 489 applications for 236 places in 2025/26, and 234 of those offers went to first-preference applicants. Facilities are extensive, including a swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, and a dedicated sixth form centre. The range of clubs and activities is broad, with everything from rowing and martial arts to Model UN and Young Enterprise. Parent feedback is generally positive, with 77% of respondents saying they would recommend the school, and strong majorities agreeing that their child is happy and feels safe. However, the SEND provision data is a notable concern: of the 20% of parents with SEND children who responded, 30% strongly disagreed that the school gives those children the support they need. This is a significant minority that families with SEND requirements will want to investigate further.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Church Chare, Chester le Street, County Durham, DH3 3QA |
| Headteacher | Andrew Finley |
| Local Authority | County Durham |
| Number of Pupils | 1,617 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 23.7% |
| School Capacity | 1,617 / 1,484 (109% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
8 Apr 2025Quality of Education
Good
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 30 Jun 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.14)
1878th of 3,141
Nationally
62nd of 142
In North East
17th of 31
In County Durham
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make similar progress to students nationally with the same starting point
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
38.0
'22/23
33.3
'23/24
35.7
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2354%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 227 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)54%
- FE college27%
- Apprenticeship6%
- Not sustained6%
- Employment3%
92% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2352%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 162 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
22%
Russell Group
25%
Top-third HE
1%
Oxford / Cambridge
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)52%
- Employment16%
- Not sustained11%
- Apprenticeship8%
- Other education5%
- Further education2%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Biology33
- Mathematics28
- Psychology20
- Chemistry19
- English Language18
- English Literature16
- Sociology16
- Design and Technology (Product Design)15
- History14
- Art and Design (Photography)12
- Physics12
- Geography11
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
Ofsted Parent View
136 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
12Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
21Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed236
489
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
266 families put this school as their 1st choice (54% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:35 – 15:10
Source: parkviewlearning.net. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British94.8%
- Mixed1.6%
- Asian1.1%
- White (other)0.6%
- Black0.4%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
8
Total schools
8
Oversubscribed
6
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Was this page helpful?
Frequently Asked Questions About Park View School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Church Chare, Chester le Street
County Durham, DH3 3QA
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
Parent Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience at Park View School!
Write a Review