Marlborough Road Academy

About Marlborough Road Academy

Marlborough Road Academy in Salford has turned a significant corner. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, the school was rated Good overall, a marked improvement from its previous Inadequate rating in 2018. The inspection report highlights personal development as Outstanding, with Good grades across quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, leadership, and early years provision. On the key academic metric of KS2 reading, writing and maths combined at the expected standard, 57% of pupils achieved this benchmark. That places the school just below the Salford local authority average of 61%, and ranks it 40th out of 65 primary schools in the borough. While the proportion reaching the higher standard in all three subjects is just 2%, individual subject results show 75% of pupils met the expected standard in writing, 70% in maths, and 68% in reading.

The school's exam results from the 2023/24 academic year paint a mixed but improving picture. Average scaled scores sit at 104 for reading and 103 for maths, both close to the national average of 100. However, the percentage of pupils reaching the higher standard in reading is 18%, in maths 16%, and in writing just 5%. Nationally, Marlborough Road ranks in the bottom 50% of primary schools, sitting at the 65th percentile. The school has a high proportion of disadvantaged pupils, with 70.2% eligible for free school meals, which provides important context for these outcomes. The leadership team under headteacher Jancie Garratt has clearly driven the turnaround from the previous inadequate rating, with inspectors noting strong personal development and good behaviour across the school.

Marlborough Road Academy is a three-form entry primary with nursery provision for children aged 3 to 11. It is oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake, there were 35 applications for 26 places, with 19 first-preference offers made. The school offers a broad range of facilities including art studios, music rooms, a sports hall, ICT suite, and playing fields. Sports on offer include tennis, athletics, cricket, gymnastics, and football, while clubs range from drama and choir to coding and gardening. The school has identified SEND provisions for pupils with specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. For families prioritising personal development and a supportive environment alongside improving academic outcomes, this school represents a solid local option, particularly given its recent trajectory of improvement.

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