The Marlborough Church of England School

About The Marlborough Church of England School

The Marlborough Church of England School holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained across its two most recent graded inspections, with the latest full inspection in 2018 and a subsequent ungraded visit in 2023 confirming the school remains on an improving trajectory. The most telling academic metric is its Progress 8 score of 0.3, which places it well above the national average and significantly ahead of the Oxfordshire local authority average of -0.07. This means that pupils at Marlborough, on average, achieve nearly a third of a grade more per subject than students with similar starting points across the country. The school ranks second in West Oxfordshire out of six schools on this measure, and sits in the top 30% nationally. Its Attainment 8 score of 52.4 further underscores solid academic performance, while 58.4% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths, comfortably above the national benchmark.

At sixth form level, the school’s performance is particularly strong. Its value-added score of 0.44 is rated as well above average, meaning A-level students make significantly more progress than expected. The average points per entry of 41.56 equates to a B grade, and 32.9% of entries achieved AAB or higher in at least two facilitating subjects. The sixth form provision itself was judged as Requires Improvement by Ofsted in 2018, which appears at odds with these strong outcomes, though the 2023 ungraded inspection noted the school is improving overall. The Progress 8 breakdown shows the strongest gains in the EBacc subjects (0.47), with English and maths also positive at 0.17 and 0.2 respectively. A quarter of Key Stage 4 pupils entered the EBacc, and 19.1% achieved it at grade 5 or above.

The school is heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, there were 394 applications for 167 places, with 213 first-preference applications and 163 offers made to first-preference families. This suggests strong local demand. Facilities include a swimming pool, sports hall, chapel, and dedicated sixth form centre, with clubs ranging from gardening and chess to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and Model United Nations. The school has a broad SEND offer, including a resourced provision and support for autistic spectrum disorder, dyslexia, and speech and language needs. With 13.2% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the intake is broadly representative of the national average. This is a school that suits families looking for a Church of England secondary with strong academic progress, a well-regarded sixth form, and a wide range of extracurricular opportunities, though those considering the sixth form may want to explore how the Requires Improvement rating for that phase sits alongside its impressive outcomes.

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