Parkfields Middle School
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Parkfields Middle School is a converter academy in Dunstable for boys and girls aged 9 to 13. It has 460 pupils, 8 more than it has places for. About 11 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 48 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 20% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2024.
Park Road, Toddington, Dunstable, LU5 6AB01525 872555parkfieldsschool.co.ukMr James Hughes headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
Ofsted's last full inspection was on 8 May 2024, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.
Good overall.
Results
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
115 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2019† | 2018† | 2017† | Central Bedfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 115 | 118 | 117 | 113 | 111 | 113 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 50% | 36% | 50% | 69% | 67% | 54% | 53% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 3% | 3% | 1% | 12% | 5% | 4% | 3% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 104.0 | 105.0 | 105.0 | 105.0 | 106.0 | 105.0 | 104.4 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 103.0 | 104.0 | 101.0 | 106.0 | 105.0 | 104.0 | 102.9 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 102.0 | 104.0 | 103.0 | 106.0 | 105.0 | 106.0 | 103.6 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 73% | 78% | 75% | 78% | 80% | 74% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 72% | 72% | 59% | 92% | 87% | 72% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 61% | 38% | 64% | 82% | 74% | 77% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | -1.8 | -1.9 | -1.5 | -3.3 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | -4.7 | -1.2 | -1.8 | -4.0 | – | – |
| Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged | 40% | 8% | 11% | 53% | 53% | 50% | – | – |
| Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged | 52% | 40% | 54% | 71% | 69% | 54% | – | – |
There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.
† These results are for Parkfields Middle School, the school this one replaced in June 2020. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.
Does every child do well here?
A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. Every gap at this school is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.
At the end of primary school, 2025
Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.
Getting a place
Admissions policy not published.
The school is full, with 10 more pupils than it has places for. More families apply than can get in, so things like how close you live and whether an older brother or sister is already here decide who gets a place. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same since 2021/22.
Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Central Bedfordshire council's admissions booklet, send it to us.
Who goes here
Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.
Specialist SEND provision. Resourced provision (extra staff and funding within a mainstream school), for hearing impairment.
To get a place in the unit or resourced provision, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school. Other schools in Central Bedfordshire with hearing impairment provision.
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (35), language and communications needs (20), Moderate learning difficulty (19), Autistic spectrum disorder (14), Specific learning difficulty (13), Hearing impairment (7).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 460 | 467 | 460 | 458 | 472 | 467 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 11% | 11% | 10% | 9% | 7% | 6% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 4% | 3% | 3% | 4% | 4% | 5% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 19% | 21% | 16% | 15% | 15% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 6% | 5% | 4% | 4% | 4% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 93.6% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2018/19† | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 6.4% | 6.8% | 6.1% | 7.1% | 3.4% | 3.9% | 8.6% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 5.2% | 5.5% | 4.9% | 6.2% | 2.9% | 3.5% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 1.2% | 1.3% | 1.2% | 0.9% | 0.5% | 0.5% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 16.6% | 19.6% | 14.8% | 21.0% | 7.6% | 6.4% | 23.9% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 6.9 | 6.7 | 6.1 | 3.4 | 1.7 | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
† These attendance figures are for Parkfields Middle School, the school this one replaced in June 2020. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
Money
From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other secondary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.
Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.
The area around the school
Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.
Nearby schools
The closest secondary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toddington St George Church of England School | Academy | 240 m | 341 | Good 2022 | 55 | Compare |
| Harlington Lower School | Academy | 2.1 miles | 130 | Good 2023 | 54 | Compare |
| Chalton Lower School | Council | 2.3 miles | 65 | Good 2023 | 58 | Compare |
| Harlington Upper School | Academy | 2.4 miles | 1,156 | Good 2023 | 48 | Compare |
| Hockliffe Lower School | Academy | 2.5 miles | 67 | No overall grade 2025 | 57 | Compare |
| Eversholt Lower School | Academy | 2.6 miles | 68 | Good 2023 | 32 | Compare |
| Thornhill Primary School | Council | 2.6 miles | 516 | No overall grade 2025 | 74 | Compare |
| Sundon Lower School | Academy | 2.6 miles | 63 | Good 2024 | 13 | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares Parkfields Middle School with the 50 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 50 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher
Of those 50 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Parkfields Middle School, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brooklands Middle School | Academy | 5.3 miles | 598 | Good 2023 | 69 | Compare |
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 48 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 48% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 28 to 69. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.
| What we looked at | How much it counts | Against schools like it | Effect on the score | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results over three years | 0% | no data | – | |
| Ofsted inspection | 20% | in line | +0.04 | Ofsted grade, 2.3 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 0% | no data | – | |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | well below | -0.29 | results and attendance falling year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | above | +0.20 | 2024/25; 481 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 0% | no data | – | |
| What pupils do next | 0% | no data | – | |
| What parents say | 0% | no data | – |
Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.
Questions parents ask
Is Parkfields Middle School a good school?
It is about average. Parkfields Middle School scores 48 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 20% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 28 to 69, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.
What is Parkfields Middle School's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated Parkfields Middle School good at its last full inspection on 8 May 2024.
How good are Parkfields Middle School's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 50% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 3% went further and reached the higher level.
How many pupils does Parkfields Middle School have?
460 pupils aged 9 to 13 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 452 places, so it is 102% full.
Is Parkfields Middle School oversubscribed?
Probably. The school was full in 2024/25, with 10 more pupils than places. How close you live, and the school's other admissions rules, decide who gets in.
What is attendance like at Parkfields Middle School?
Pupils were in school 93.6% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 17% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at Parkfields Middle School?
The average class had 28.8 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. No class had more than 30 pupils.
Does Parkfields Middle School have specialist SEND provision?
Yes. It has resourced provision (extra staff and funding within a mainstream school) for hearing impairment. To get a place there, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school.
Does Parkfields Middle School have a sixth form?
No. Pupils leave after Year 11 for a sixth form elsewhere, a college or an apprenticeship.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- Park Road, Toddington, Dunstable, LU5 6AB
- Telephone
- 01525 872555
- Website
- www.parkfieldsschool.co.uk
- Headteacher
- Mr James Hughes
- Type of school
- Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
- Phase
- Middle school, ages 9-13
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- None
- Multi-academy trust
- The Pyramid Schools Trust (10 schools)
- Local authority
- Central Bedfordshire
- Ward
- Toddington
- Constituency
- Mid Bedfordshire
- Setting
- Larger rural: Nearer to a major town or city
- Opened
- 1 June 2020 (academy converter)
- URN
- 147804 · LAESTAB 8234054 · UKPRN 10086149
- Formerly
- Parkfields Middle School
Where these figures come from
- School details: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, refreshed daily (this page rebuilt 13 September 2026).
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, monthly; latest publication in our data 27 August 2026.
- Year 6 results: DfE key stage 2 tables, 2024/25.
- Attendance: DfE pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25 full year.
- Pupil characteristics: DfE school census, January 2026.
- Staff: DfE school workforce census, November 2025.
- Class sizes: DfE schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2026.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Money: DfE financial benchmarking and insights tool, academy accounts return 2024/25.
- Neighbourhood: police.uk street-level crime, HM Land Registry price paid data, NaPTAN bus stops, English Indices of Deprivation 2025.
- All under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full list and update calendar.