Parkfields Middle School

Parkfields Middle School has demonstrated solid performance since its inception as part of the Pyramid Schools Trust, achieving overall effectiveness of 'Good'. The school creates a positive and safe environment for its pupils, characterized by strong relationships between students and adults, and effective support for those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). With a well-planned curriculum that encourages student engagement, the school has earned praise for the quality of its education and extracurricular offerings, promoting both academic and personal development.

Strengths

• Pupils are happy and safe at school.
• Strong support for pupils with SEND.
• Well-planned curriculum that promotes engagement.
• Positive relationships between pupils and adults.
• High standards for behaviour and attendance.
• Rich extra-curricular activities that foster leadership and creativity.
• Governance is a strength with supportive and challenging oversight.

Areas for Improvement

• Teachers sometimes do not check understanding effectively.
• Some pupils do not find the work challenging enough.
• Inconsistent high expectations for all pupils' learning.

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 Parkfields Middle School attended 93.6% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 16.6% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

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, 4.7% of pupils at Parkfields Middle School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). One pupil was 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 Parkfields Middle School had 18.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 3.9% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

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, 17.6% of pupils at Parkfields Middle School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 5.9% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

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 secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Parkfields Middle School received £7,618 and spent £7,797 for each of its 468 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £133,000 (£284 per pupil).

Across all 10 schools of The Pyramid Schools Trust, income was £6,877 and spending £6,932 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Dunstable · Central Bedfordshire local authority: places and applications

Parkfields Middle School is part of The Pyramid Schools Trust, which runs 10 schools. The nearest others:

• Harlington Lower School Dunstable
• Harlington Upper School Dunstable
• Sundon Lower School Luton
• Westoning Lower School Bedford
• Beecroft Academy Dunstable
• Redborne Upper School and Community College Bedford
• Arnold Academy Bedford
• Ramsey Manor Lower School Bedford
• Brooklands Middle School Leighton Buzzard

What is Parkfields Middle School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Parkfields Middle School is Good, from an inspection in June 2024.

When was Parkfields Middle School last inspected by Ofsted?

Parkfields Middle School was last inspected in June 2024.

How many pupils does Parkfields Middle School have?

Parkfields Middle School has 460 pupils on roll.

What age range does Parkfields Middle School cover?

Parkfields Middle School for pupils aged 9 to 13.

What are Parkfields Middle School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 50% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Parkfields Middle School?

Parkfields Middle School is at Park Road, Toddington, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, LU5 6AB.