Marsden Heights Community College
100%
Capacity
1,048
Pupils
2.3x
Demand
About Marsden Heights Community College
Marsden Heights Community College stands out in Pendle for its academic progress, and the numbers back that up. The school’s Progress 8 score of 0.14 is well above the Lancashire local authority average of -0.11 for secondary schools, meaning pupils here make significantly more progress than their peers across the county. That positive figure places it 24th out of 90 similar schools in Lancashire, comfortably in the top third. In fact, within Pendle itself, Marsden Heights ranks first out of six secondary schools on this key measure. The school also achieves a strong Attainment 8 score of 40.1, and 57.6% of pupils secure a grade 4 or above in both English and maths. With 32% of pupils eligible for free school meals, these results are particularly impressive and suggest the school is effective at supporting pupils from a range of backgrounds.
The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in October 2023 awarded it a Good rating across the board, a notable improvement from its previous Requires Improvement judgement in 2019. Inspectors rated leadership and management, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and personal development all as Good. Parent feedback is overwhelmingly positive: 92% of respondents would recommend the school, and every parent who answered agreed that their child is happy and feels safe. Strong majorities also agreed that the school has high expectations (100% agree or strongly agree) and that their child does well (100%). The school’s maths Progress 8 score of 0.59 is particularly strong, while English and EBacc progress are close to the national average. Only 18.5% of pupils entered the EBacc, and the EBacc average point score of 3.44 reflects a narrower academic focus.
Marsden Heights is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16, with no sixth form, and it is heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26, it received 479 applications for 207 places, a ratio of 2.31 applicants per place, with 227 first-preference applications for 192 first-preference offers. Facilities are extensive and include a swimming pool, sports hall, astro turf, tennis courts, gymnasium, music rooms, art studios, and a chapel. The school offers a wide range of sports from rowing to martial arts, and clubs such as coding, drama, and Young Enterprise. SEND provision covers nine areas including dyslexia, autism, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities, though parent responses on SEND support were too few to report. This is a school that suits families looking for strong academic progress in a well-regarded local comprehensive, particularly those who value a broad extracurricular offer and a supportive, safe environment.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Edge End Lane, Nelson, Pendle, BB9 0PR |
| Headteacher | James Delve |
| Local Authority | Lancashire |
| Number of Pupils | 1,048 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 32.0% |
| School Capacity | 1,048 / 1,050 (100% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
3 Oct 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Source: Ofsted, 26 Nov 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.14)
1220th of 3,141
Nationally
126th of 445
In North West
1st of 6
In Pendle
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make similar progress to students nationally with the same starting point
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
Ofsted Parent View
12 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
11Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
20Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed207
479
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
227 families put this school as their 1st choice (47% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- Asian87.5%
- Mixed4.0%
- White British3.5%
- White (other)1.9%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
15
Total schools
11
Oversubscribed
11
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Marsden Heights Community College
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Edge End Lane, Nelson
Pendle, BB9 0PR
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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