Marlborough School

About Marlborough School

Marlborough School is a state primary in Cornwall that currently has 213 pupils on roll against a published capacity of 210, meaning it is effectively full. The school serves a relatively less deprived intake compared with the national average for primary schools, with 10.3% of pupils eligible for free school meals. Demand for places is high: for the 2025/26 reception intake, the school received 111 applications for just 30 places, with 43 of those coming as first preferences, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.7. The school is non-denominational and is led by headteacher Abigail Squibb. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in 2022, rated the school Good across all five categories — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. This represents a clear improvement on its previous inspection in 2018, when it was rated Requires Improvement overall.

Academically, Marlborough performs well above the local authority average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 73% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Cornwall average of 58%. That places the school 36th out of 208 primary schools in the county, putting it in the top 25% nationally. Reading scores were particularly strong, with an average scaled score of 107 and 33% of pupils reaching the higher standard. Maths followed with an average score of 104 and 17% at the higher level. Writing was slightly lower, with 10% achieving greater depth. The school’s overall ranking score of 73 places it 39th in Cornwall and 3,132nd nationally out of 13,686 primaries. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is Mawnan CofE VA Primary School, 4.3 km away, so for families who prioritise a Good rating with strong results, Marlborough is a solid local option.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including a sports hall, playing fields, a library, an ICT suite, a forest school area and a chapel. Sports provision covers gymnastics, swimming, cross country and football, while clubs extend to eco club, chess, choir, science club, gardening and coding. SEND support is in place for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, speech, language and communication needs, social, emotional and mental health challenges, hearing impairment and physical disability. With no nursery or sixth form, the school focuses entirely on the primary years. Given its oversubscription, families living closest to the school will have the strongest chance of securing a place. Marlborough suits families who want a well-regarded local primary with above-average outcomes and a wide range of enrichment activities, but they should be prepared for a competitive admissions process.

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