Marling School vs The Crypt School
Both are grammar schools in Gloucestershire, 6.5 miles apart. Side-by-side on official DfE, Ofsted and council admissions data.
Side by side
| Marling School | The Crypt School | |
|---|---|---|
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary |
| Gender | Boys | Mixed |
| Pupils on roll | 1,117 | 1,093 |
| Free school meals | 4.1% | 3.4% |
| Ofsted rating | Not judged | Outstanding |
| Attainment 8 — 2024/25 | 73.9 | 72.7 |
| A-level average points — 2024/25 | 38.34 | 40.18 |
| 11+ test board | GL Assessment (switched from CEM in 2024) | GL Assessment (switched from CEM in 2024) |
| Admission system | score-ranked (places allocated in score order, no fixed threshold) | score-ranked (places allocated in score order, no fixed threshold) |
| Places offered — 202627 | 149 | 147 |
| First preferences per place — higher means more competition for a first-preference place | 1.1 | 1.07 |
Qualifying scores
Marling School
Not published. Gloucestershire Grammar Schools Consortium uses GL Assessment (4 papers; switched from CEM in 2024). Each school sets its own qualifying standard after the test — not pre-announced. Places are rank-ordered by score within priority bands. No competitive cutoff is published before or after the test.
The Crypt School
Not published. Gloucestershire Grammar Schools Consortium uses GL Assessment (4 papers; switched from CEM in 2024). Each school sets its own qualifying standard after the test — not pre-announced. Places are rank-ordered by score within priority bands. No competitive cutoff is published before or after the test.
Who gets priority
Where a school is oversubscribed, these are the first criteria applied, in order. This is usually what decides an application.
Marling School
- Looked After Children / Previously Looked After Children who have met the qualifying standard
- Pupil Premium candidates (registered for free school meals in the 6 years before test day) who met the qualifying standa
- Other candidates who met the qualifying standard, in test rank order
Source: school admissions policy.
The Crypt School
- Looked After Children / Previously Looked After Children who have met the qualifying standard
- Candidates in receipt of Pupil Premium who have met the qualifying standard
- Children of permanent staff employed ≥2 years (or recruited to fill a demonstrable skills shortage)
- All other candidates who met the qualifying standard, in test rank order — tiebreaker: distance (closest first)
Source: school admissions policy.
Choosing between them
Marling School is a boys school and The Crypt School is a mixed school, so for many families the starting point is which one can admit their child. The figures on this page are the published ones — they describe intakes and results, not what either school would be like for your child. The right choice depends on your family's own priorities and circumstances.
Other Gloucestershire comparisons
- Denmark Road High School vs Marling School
- Denmark Road High School vs Pate's Grammar School
- Denmark Road High School vs Ribston Hall High School
- Denmark Road High School vs Sir Thomas Rich's School
- Denmark Road High School vs Stroud High School
- Denmark Road High School vs The Crypt School
- Marling School vs Pate's Grammar School
- Marling School vs Ribston Hall High School
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