Ofsted: Good trending_up Popular

Parley First School

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMr J Bagwell

corporate_fareCASTLEMAN ACADEMY TRUST

location_onFerndown, BH22 8QE

language Visit Website phone 1202874400

verified

Ofsted

Good

Inspected 2023

groups

Students

315

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Demand Ratio

1.3x

summarize

Parley First School is a Academy converter primary school in Ferndown, serving ages 4-9. Rated Good by Ofsted. Demand is above capacity (1.3×) — apply through your local authority on time.

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School Summary

Parley First School is an academy converter in Ferndown, Dorset, admitting pupils aged 4-9. It is part of CASTLEMAN ACADEMY TRUST. The school has approximately 308 pupils on roll, of whom 12% are eligible for free school meals.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2023. The school's current overall rating is Good. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Good, behaviour and attitudes Good, personal development Good, and leadership and management Good.

The school is oversubscribed — in the most recent cycle, there were 1.3× as many applications as places, making a successful application competitive.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 21.0:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 0.3 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

03 July 2023

Inspection Report

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07 January 2021

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

3 Evaluations

2023-07-03

S5 Inspection EIF

Good

Education

Good

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Good

2016-02-09

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 1 EIF

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

2013-10-01

None EIF

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Requires improvement

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

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Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

0.3%per term

sentiment_satisfied Below Average (Good)

National average: 0.8% for this term (primary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

0.3%(1 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 1.225% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 308 pupils. During this period, there were 1 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 0.3%, which is below the termly national average of 0.8%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg
2024/25 (Spring term)	308	1	0.3%	0.8%
2024/25 (Autumn term)	309	1	0.3%	0.9%
2023/24 (Summer term)	311	0	0.0%	0.8%
2023/24 (Spring term)	312	0	0.0%	0.7%
2023/24 (Autumn term)	310	2	0.6%	0.8%
2022/23 (Summer term)	314	0	0.0%	0.7%
2022/23 (Spring term)	315	3	1.0%	0.6%
2022/23 (Autumn term)	314	0	0.0%	0.6%
2021/22 (Summer term)	315	1	0.3%	0.5%
2021/22 (Spring term)	314	0	0.0%	0.5%
2021/22 (Autumn term)	313	0	0.0%	0.5%
2020/21 (Summer term)	313	0	0.0%	0.4%
2020/21 (Spring term)	311	0	0.0%	0.1%
2020/21 (Autumn term)	312	4	1.3%	0.4%

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Speech, Language & Communication 30 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 7 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 5 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 5 pupils

Physical Disability 3 pupils

Hearing Impairment 1 pupils

Multi-Sensory Impairment 1 pupils

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Parent View on Pastoral Care

Results from the official Ofsted Parent View survey, reflecting direct parent sentiment regarding the school environment.

My child is happy at this school.

99.0%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

100.0%Positive

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

16.0%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree74%

agree25%

disagree1%

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

strongly agree71%

agree24%

disagree5%

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

strongly agree53%

agree18%

disagree1%

not applicable28%

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

yes18%

no82%

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

strongly agree81%

agree19%

The school has high expectations for my child.

strongly agree56%

agree38%

disagree5%

don't know1%

My child does well at this school.

strongly agree74%

agree24%

disagree2%

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

strongly agree63%

agree34%

disagree1%

strongly disagree1%

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

strongly agree72%

agree25%

don't know2%

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

strongly agree82%

agree17%

strongly disagree1%

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

strongly agree67%

agree33%

I would recommend this school to another parent.

yes99%

no1%

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School Summary

Academic Performance

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Distance to School

School Capacity

Primary Admission Trends

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Parent View on Pastoral Care

My child is happy at this school.

My child feels safe at this school.

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

My child does well at this school.

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

I would recommend this school to another parent.

Funding & Staffing

School Funding Allocation

Funding Breakdown

Staffing

Teacher Turnover

Top Primary Schools in Dorset

Bovington Academy

St Nicholas and St Laurence Church of England Primary School

Conifers Primary School

St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Swanage

Trent Young's CofE Primary School

St Ives Primary & Nursery School