West Park School
105%
Capacity
1,463
Pupils
1.6x
Demand
About West Park School
West Park School in Derby is a popular choice among local families, with 80% of parents who responded to Ofsted's Parent View survey saying they would recommend it. That confidence is reflected in demand for places: for the 2025/26 academic year, the school received 459 applications for 289 places, an oversubscription ratio of 1.59. Of those, 279 offers went to first-preference applicants, with 302 families listing it as their top choice. Parents generally report positive experiences, with 78% agreeing or strongly agreeing that their child is happy at the school, and 86% saying their child feels safe. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in June 2025, confirmed that standards are being maintained, building on its Good rating from the previous graded inspection in 2016.
Academically, West Park sits comfortably within the middle of the pack nationally. Its Progress 8 score of -0.09 is rated as 'Average' and places it 6th out of 15 secondary schools in Derby, well above the local authority average of -0.31. Pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 46.5, with 70% securing a grade 4 or above in both English and maths, and 49.1% achieving a grade 5 or better. The school enters a relatively high proportion of pupils for the EBacc (53.6%), though the percentage who actually achieve it at grade 4 or above drops to 34.8%. In the East Midlands region, West Park ranks 144th out of 273 schools by Progress 8, putting it in the 52nd percentile nationally. The school does not have a sixth form, so pupils leave at 16.
The school offers a solid range of facilities including science labs, art studios, a theatre, music rooms, and playing fields, with sports such as cricket, rugby, swimming, and hockey on offer. Clubs include the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, coding, and Young Enterprise. For families with children who have special educational needs, the school lists provisions for a wide range of needs including dyslexia, autism spectrum disorder, and social, emotional and mental health support. However, Parent View responses on SEND support are more mixed: 52% of parents agreed or strongly agreed that their child gets the support they need, while 48% disagreed or strongly disagreed. With 1,463 pupils on a capacity of 1,390, the school is operating above its official capacity, and 24.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | West Road, Derby, Derby, DE21 7BT |
| Headteacher | Scott McGregor |
| Local Authority | Derby |
| Number of Pupils | 1,463 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 24.2% |
| School Capacity | 1,463 / 1,390 (105% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
4 Jun 2025Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (4 Jun 2025): Standards maintained
Source: Ofsted, 20 May 2016. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.09)
1756th of 3,141
Nationally
144th of 273
In East Midlands
6th of 15
In Derby
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.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2317%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 252 pupils).
- FE college44%
- School sixth form (stay)17%
- Sixth form college16%
- Apprenticeship8%
- Not sustained7%
- Employment6%
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.
Ofsted Parent View
158 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
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed289
459
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
302 families put this school as their 1st choice (66% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:30 – 15:00
After-school care
15:00-16:00
Source: westpark.derby.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
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%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British85.2%
- Mixed6.0%
- White (other)4.1%
- Asian2.1%
- Black0.2%
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.
9
Total schools
9
Oversubscribed
7
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About West Park 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
West Road, Derby
Derby, DE21 7BT
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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