Parkside Community Foundation Primary School

Parkside Community Primary School has made significant progress since its last inspection, improving its overall effectiveness to a good rating. Leaders have worked diligently to create a nurturing environment where pupils from diverse backgrounds can thrive. The school is particularly adept at supporting newcomers, including those who speak English as an additional language, ensuring that all students feel valued and included. The curriculum is well-structured and ambitious, focusing on foundational skills in key subjects like reading and mathematics, while also making strides in other areas such as history and music. This comprehensive approach helps pupils develop a solid understanding and fosters a positive attitude towards learning.

Strengths

• Strong emphasis on creating a culturally inclusive and supportive environment.
• Effective curriculum planning that builds knowledge over time.
• High expectations for pupil behavior with rare instances of bullying.
• Strong early reading program that helps pupils catch up quickly.
• Comprehensive personal development programs that promote respect and tolerance.

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum refinement in some foundation subjects is not yet complete.
• Leadership in some subjects is less well developed, affecting consistency.

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 Parkside Community Foundation Primary School attended 83.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 53.2% 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, 3.8% of pupils at Parkside Community Foundation Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No 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 Parkside Community Foundation Primary School had 14.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% 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, 22.4% of pupils at Parkside Community Foundation Primary 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 Parkside Community Foundation Primary School received £9,140 and spent £9,167 for each of its 161 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £202,000 (£1,255 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 Canterbury · Kent local authority: places and applications

Parkside Community Foundation Primary School is part of Thanet Endeavour Learning Trust, which runs 4 schools. The nearest others:

• Garlinge Primary School and Nursery Margate
• Bromstone Primary School, Broadstairs Broadstairs
• St Mildred's Primary Infant School Broadstairs

What is Parkside Community Foundation Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Parkside Community Foundation Primary School is Good, from an inspection in June 2023.

When was Parkside Community Foundation Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Parkside Community Foundation Primary School was last inspected in June 2023.

How many pupils does Parkside Community Foundation Primary School have?

Parkside Community Foundation Primary School has 161 pupils on roll.

What age range does Parkside Community Foundation Primary School cover?

Parkside Community Foundation Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Parkside Community Foundation Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 23% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Parkside Community Foundation Primary School?

Parkside Community Foundation Primary School is at Tennyson Avenue, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 1EP.