The Marsh Academy
92%
Capacity
1,017
Pupils
1.5x
Demand
About The Marsh Academy
The Marsh Academy sits within the Kent local authority, a large and varied secondary landscape that includes 106 schools of the same type. In terms of Progress 8, the school is ranked 54th in the county, placing it in the middle of the pack. The top-performing peers in Kent are selective grammar schools such as Dartford Grammar School, The Judd School, and Dartford Grammar School for Girls, each with Progress 8 scores well above 0.8. The Marsh Academy, by contrast, operates as a non-selective 11-18 mixed state school in Folkestone and Hythe, and its Progress 8 score of -0.25 sits below the Kent local authority average of -0.13. This places the school in the bottom 50 nationally by this measure, though it is ranked 3rd out of 6 schools within its immediate Folkestone and Hythe area, suggesting it is a relatively strong option locally.
Academically, the school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022 rated it Good across all categories, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision. This is consistent with its previous Good rating from 2013. At KS4, the school’s Attainment 8 score is 36.6, and 46.1% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate is low at 13.2%, and only 3.3% of pupils achieved the EBacc at grade 5 or above. Progress 8 is below average at -0.25, with English dragging the figure down at -0.52, while maths progress is close to average at 0.02. In the sixth form, the school’s value-added score is -0.25, and the average points per entry is 24.48, equating to a D+ grade. The best three A-levels average a C- grade.
The school is oversubscribed for 2025/26, with 292 applications for 191 places and 177 first-preference offers, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.53. Facilities are broad and include a theatre, art studios, science labs, music rooms, a swimming pool, a sports hall, and a dedicated sixth-form centre. The school offers a wide range of sports and clubs, including the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Model UN, and Young Enterprise. SEND provision is comprehensive, covering specific learning difficulties, speech and language needs, autistic spectrum disorder, and physical disabilities, with a resourced provision on site. The Marsh Academy is best suited to families in the Folkestone and Hythe area looking for a well-resourced, inclusive secondary with a Good Ofsted rating and a sixth form, though they should be aware that academic outcomes are below the Kent average.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Station Road, New Romney, Folkestone and Hythe, TN28 8BB |
| Headteacher | Shaun Simmons |
| Local Authority | Kent |
| Number of Pupils | 1,017 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 38.4% |
| School Capacity | 1,017 / 1,110 (92% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
15 Nov 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 12 Jan 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.25)
2129th of 3,141
Nationally
319th of 461
In South East
3rd of 6
In Folkestone and Hythe
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less progress than similar students nationally
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.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
30.6
'22/23
22.6
'23/24
24.5
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2348%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 151 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)48%
- FE college27%
- Not sustained8%
- Employment6%
- Apprenticeship5%
91% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2331%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 64 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
3%
Russell Group
3%
Top-third HE
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- Employment36%
- University (HE)31%
- Not sustained11%
- Other education6%
- Further education3%
- Apprenticeship3%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Sociology19
- Psychology12
- Business Studies:Single10
- Mathematics10
- Geography9
- Biology7
- Computer Studies / Computing6
- History6
- Chemistry5
- Media/Film/Tv Studies4
- English Literature3
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Resourced ProvisionSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
11Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed191
292
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
177 families put this school as their 1st choice (61% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:40 – 15:00
Source: marshacademy.org.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% 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.
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British90.8%
- Mixed2.6%
- White (other)1.8%
- Asian1.7%
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.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this 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.
2
Total schools
2
Oversubscribed
1
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 The Marsh Academy
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
Station Road, New Romney
Folkestone and Hythe, TN28 8BB
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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