Marling School
Stroud, GL5 4HE · Gloucestershire · Grammar school
Check the area around this school
3rd of 41 secondary schools in Gloucestershire we can score. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to the 173 schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 5.9/10 among them, against 9.5/10 nationally. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 98.0 · 98 | 46% | 4.54 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | 0.64 · 89 | 38% | 3.42 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 73.2 · 98 | 15% | 1.50 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Marling School overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 98.1% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 73.9, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was +0.64 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did better than those nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to the schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 6.0 out of 10 among them, against 9.5 out of 10 nationally.
Beyond the classroom
Pupils can join the Duke of Edinburgh Award, play cross country, rugby, or athletics, and participate in music and drama. The school offers an after-school club. Trips include theatre visits, prison visits, university open days, science conferences, language experience days, industry days, and fieldtrips.
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,082 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,150. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
How does the school support pupils to maintain their high attainment levels throughout the year? What specific support is available for students aiming for university places?
What Ofsted said about Marling School
Overview
The report describes a school with "high expectations" where pupils are "positive about their learning" and uphold a motto focused on character. Inspectors found an "ambitious, broad and personalised curriculum" that prepares students well for future aspirations, supported by a "calm and purposeful atmosphere." Despite recent leadership changes, the school maintains high standards in education, behaviour, and personal development.
Strengths
- Pupils are "curious and apply their learning with careful thought," particularly enjoying "debate and discussion."
- The curriculum is "ambitious, broad and personalised," offering subjects beyond statutory requirements and ensuring knowledge is taught in an "appropriate order."
- Sixth-form students achieve "high outcomes" and are "well prepared to proceed to their choices of universities."
- The school embeds an "ambition for reading throughout the curriculum," using "ambitious, diverse and rich texts."
- Attendance is "high," maintained through "robust" procedures, while "poor behaviours are unusual."
Areas to improve
- The trust must ensure newly designed or re-sequenced key stage 3 curriculum content is "well embedded" as staff become familiar with it.
- The school must ensure "strong lines of communication with key stakeholders," as parents, pupils, and staff have expressed frustration over a "lack of communication" regarding important information.
Safeguarding
The report states that "the arrangements for safeguarding are effective."
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 71.3 |
| 2024/25 | 73.9 |
| 2025/26 | 73.2 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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