Valley Park School

bro this school sucks man. If you are around the area, do not attend this school because it will be the biggest mistake of your entire life. It will stop you from doing so many things in life because you literally do not learn anything. Not even teachers want to work here anymore, which is why they all moved to SST. If you join the school, you will have so many cover teachers that sit there and tell you what to do and then do nothing. They allow for children to throw things around the classroom, bully other students in front of them with no consequence and their punishments do not deter anyone from being misbehaved. It is appalling and in my class for example, people are legitimately stupid. I will get 30/50 on a test and still be upset with my score, whilst others will get 7/50 and be happy like ‘Oh I got a mark!’ Like no. You are not improving. They had to lower the grade boundaries. I would leave this school, before it’s too late. Litter everywhere also.

I have a daughter in Yr11, working through her GCSE courses and have closely watched the school's progress during her time there. None of the comments take note of the fact that the present management took over a school that failed to tackle serious behaviour and attendance issues. The decisive steps taken over the last four years have changed the situation considerably. An ongoing system of rewards for achievement in class and sanctions, including same~day detentions, for poor behaviour and attendance is part of school life for all the children. Staffing has been an issue for some years now and there is no doubt that it has affected achievement in all subjects, though some more than others. However, staffing is a problem across the South East, not just at Valley. The reasons have as much to do with house prices as the problems at individual schools. In short, Valley management and staff are working hard to turn the school into the best it can be. They are working within a selective system which labels the 25% who pass 11+ as the 'best', while the schools educating the majority inevitably confront the problems associated with some children and parents whose attitudes are not conducive to high achievement in school.

Used to work there. Management are some of the most out of touch and delusional people I've ever met in my entire career. Both the new headteacher and his SLT team allow students to walk all over the teachers. Behaviour is atrocious in the classroom and no students are learning really because of it. Teaching staff put up with horrible abuse daily from students with no support from headteacher or leadership team. A lot of the leadership team are hired through nepotism ie. They get their friends into the job rather than getting the job on their own merits. Please if your a parent who wants your child to do well or you're a teacher looking for employment please, please avoid this place at all costs. It's a terrible place to work in let alone send your child to be educated in.

Used to work there. Was a horrible, toxic culture of threat. Got out as soon as I could!

Sorry, but no. Teachers are more focused on uniform than education, supply teachers are seen more than the teachers, we practically learn nothing and when it comes to exams we also know almost nothing! Don’t get me wrong, this school used to be good, great in fact, but it’s gone down hill hugely! If you are reading this review I just want to let you know that this school is not all great like it may sound. It’s awful. What teachers need to do to improve: -Stop focusing so much on uniform -Actually handle bad students -Handle school situation better -GET.MORE.TEACHERS I don’t even know what to say about this school anymore. I’ve tried to move, but was unsuccessful. So, I now have to go back to this school and I’m telling you, I am not looking forward to IT! Thank you very much for your time.