The Marvell College
103%
Capacity
1,237
Pupils
2.1x
Demand
About The Marvell College
The Marvell College’s headline Progress 8 score of -0.56 places it below the Kingston upon Hull local authority average of -0.44, meaning that, on average, pupils here achieve nearly half a grade less per subject than their peers nationally, and a little less than the typical Hull secondary. This positions the school 8th out of 16 similar schools in the area, putting it in the middle of the pack locally but in the bottom half nationally. The school is significantly oversubscribed — 490 applications for 232 places in the 2025/26 intake, with 272 first-preference applications — which suggests it remains a popular choice for families despite the academic data. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2024, confirmed the school remains Good, an improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2015. The leadership and management were also graded Good, and the ungraded inspection noted the school continues to meet that standard.
Digging into the exam results, the picture is mixed. The Attainment 8 score of 40.3 is below the national average, and the school’s Progress 8 banding is classified as ‘Well below average’. The weakest subject area is maths, with a Progress 8 score of -0.87, while English is also below average at -0.68. The EBacc average point score is 3.41, and only 27.9% of pupils entered the EBacc combination of subjects. However, 50.2% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths, which is a solid baseline. The school’s ranking in Yorkshire and the Humber is 251st out of 306 schools, placing it in the bottom 20% regionally. For context, the top-performing school in Hull, St Mary’s College, has a Progress 8 score of +0.63, so there is a significant gap between The Marvell College and the strongest local options.
On the practical side, the school offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, astro turf, science labs, music rooms, and art studios, plus clubs like Model UN, choir, and gardening. Sports on offer include football, rugby, cricket, netball, and martial arts. The school has a high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 45.7%, well above the national average, and it provides SEND support for eight different needs including dyslexia, autism, and speech and language difficulties. Parent View responses are very positive: 96% of the 167 respondents would recommend the school, and 94% agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy. The school is oversubscribed by a ratio of 2.11 to 1, so families applying will need to have it as a strong first preference. It suits families who value a large, inclusive secondary with strong pastoral care and a broad range of activities, and who are comfortable with academic results that are below the local average.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Barham Road, Hull, Kingston upon Hull, City of, HU9 4EE |
| Headteacher | Damian Matthews |
| Local Authority | Kingston upon Hull, City of |
| Number of Pupils | 1,237 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 45.7% |
| School Capacity | 1,237 / 1,200 (103% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
3 Jul 2024Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (3 Jul 2024): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 30 Jun 2019. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.56)
2683rd of 3,141
Nationally
251st of 306
In Yorkshire and the Humber
8th of 14
In Kingston upon Hull, City of
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly 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.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/237%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 175 pupils).
- Sixth form college45%
- FE college17%
- Not sustained13%
- Employment9%
- Apprenticeship8%
- School sixth form (stay)7%
86% 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.
Ofsted Parent View
167 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
11Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed232
490
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
272 families put this school as their 1st choice (56% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:40 – 15:10
Source: themarvellcollege.com. 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
2024/25Among the highest-disadvantage schools.
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British84.0%
- White (other)6.0%
- Mixed1.4%
- Black0.4%
- Asian0.2%
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.
11
Total schools
10
Oversubscribed
9
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 Marvell 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
Barham Road, Hull
Kingston upon Hull, City of, HU9 4EE
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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