The Park Junior School

The Park Junior School is currently classified as requiring improvement, having recently undergone significant leadership changes. New leaders have identified priorities for enhancing the quality of education, and there is a clear focus on improving extra-curricular offerings. While many pupils feel safe and supported, there are concerns regarding the consistency of teaching, particularly in managing behaviour and ensuring all pupils receive a positive learning experience. This is the first inspection since the pandemic, and the context of recent staffing changes adds to the challenges the school faces in delivering a cohesive curriculum.

Strengths

• Strong prioritization of reading, with daily sessions that enhance fluency.
• Support for pupils with SEND is identified quickly and staff work diligently to assist.
• Effective provision for personal development, including PSHE education.
• Positive reception of recent changes among staff and parents.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistency in teaching and unclear expectations for pupil behaviour.
• Curriculum does not clearly outline what pupils should learn and when in some subjects.
• Assessment processes are underdeveloped, leading to unaddressed misconceptions.
• Inadequate management of low-level disruptive behaviour in the classroom.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at The Park Junior School attended 94.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 16.2% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 1.9% of pupils at The Park Junior School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). 2 pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 The Park Junior School had 25.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 17.9% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 18.3% of pupils at The Park Junior School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.9% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 The Park Junior School received £7,207 and spent £7,242 for each of its 262 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £264,000 (£1,006 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Mansfield · Derbyshire local authority: places and applications

What is The Park Junior School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The Park Junior School is Requires Improvement, from an inspection in September 2024.

When was The Park Junior School last inspected by Ofsted?

The Park Junior School was last inspected in September 2024.

How many pupils does The Park Junior School have?

The Park Junior School has 262 pupils on roll.

What age range does The Park Junior School cover?

The Park Junior School for pupils aged 7 to 11.

What are The Park Junior School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 66% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is The Park Junior School?

The Park Junior School is at ORCHARD CLOSE, SHIREBROOK, MANSFIELD, NOTTINGHAMSHIRE, NG20 8JX.