Head: Duncan Cook (acting Principal)
A competitive boys' grammar school in Gloucestershire with a Good Ofsted rating.
0
Year 7 Places
0.0:1
Applicants/Place
0
Pupils
Max Score
141
Distance Cutoff
5.4 mi
Applications
410
Offers Made
150
Score, then Distance
Places by test score. Equal scores broken by distance.
The school's catchment area includes the town of Stroud and surrounding villages.
Local Authorities
Postcode Areas
Max distance: 4 miles
Sibling Priority
Pupil Premium
Out-of-Area
Process
Appeals are heard by an Independent Appeals Panel. Request to appeal must be made in writing to the Clerk to the Appeals Panel, c/o the school.
Waiting List
A waiting list of qualified candidates will be held until December 31st of Year 7
1. Register
1 May 2026
2. Take Test
Gloucestershire 11+
3. Results
19 Oct 2026
4. Offer Day
1 Mar 2027
A shared 11+ entrance exam used by 7 grammar schools, testing English, Mathematics, Reasoning. Each school sets its own test. No common consortium exam. Marling School is a selective boys' grammar school with a co-educational Sixth Form. Uses Gloucestershire Grammar Schools Entrance Test provided by GL Assessment. Students are ranked in order of result. Places allocated by Local Authority on National Allocation Day. Priority given to looked after children and Pupil Premium candidates. Distance used as tie-breaker for equal scores.
Registration Opens
Registration opens for the 11+ exam
1 May 2026
Registration Deadline
Final day to register for the 11+ exam
15 Jul 2026
Exam Date
11+ entrance exam
19 Sep 2026
9:00am
Open Evening
We will be holding an autumn Open Evening on 2 October 2026
2 Oct 2026
Results Released
11+ results released to parents
19 Oct 2026
CAF Deadline
Common Application Form deadline (all LAs)
31 Oct 2026
National Offer Day
National Offer Day — places confirmed
1 Mar 2027
73.6
Attainment 8
97.5%
Grade 5+ Eng & Maths
The school's 2025 results at a glance — GCSE (Key Stage 4) and A-Level (sixth form) shown separately. Each tile shows the latest figure and how it moved on the year before.
73.6
Attainment 8
Average achievement across 8 qualifications
98%
English + Maths 5+
Grade 5 or above in both
100%
English + Maths 4+
Grade 4 or above in both
41%
EBacc Entry
Entered the English Baccalaureate suite
6.56
EBacc APS
Average points across EBacc subjects
B
Avg A-Level Grade
Average grade achieved across all A-Level entries
38.3
A-Level avg points
Average point score per entry (A* = 60, A = 50, B = 40)
17.6%
AAB+ at A-Level
Achieved AAB or better in their best three A-Levels — a key benchmark for Russell Group entry
The same numbers in context — against the England state-funded average, the typical grammar school, and grammars with a similar intake.
Bar shows this school. Ticks mark the England state-funded average (grey) and the typical grammar-school average (indigo).
Grammar median computed from up to 163 grammars.
Strong averages can hide gaps. These tiles split the same cohort by disadvantage and by sex — a small gap means the school delivers for everyone, not just the strongest intake.
| Metric | Disadv. | Non-dis. | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 | 65.7 | 73.9 | +8 |
| E+M grade 5+ | 100% | 97% | -3pp |
| EBacc entry | 29% | 41% | +13pp |
Disadvantaged = pupils eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years, looked-after, or adopted from care. A small or zero gap is the goal — it means the school helps every pupil reach the same outcomes.
Whether pupils choose to stay on after GCSEs, and which way the headline results have been moving over recent years.
98%
continued to sixth form
% of pupils who stayed on after GCSEs
High retention is a positive sign — pupils choose to stay and the sixth form supports them through. Low retention can indicate weaker post-16 provision or curriculum mismatch.
The end of the journey — what leavers do after sixth form, and how this school's university record compares.
53%
Continued in education
HE + FE + other
50%
Higher Education
−18pp vs grammar avg
Cohort destination breakdown
Destinations trend
Zooming in from whole-school figures to individual subjects — where entries concentrate, and which departments stand out in either direction.
Bar = entries · chip = grade 4+ pass rate
Bar = entries · chip = A*–E pass rate
Strongest at
English Language
159 entries
100%
+1.4pp vs school
Mathematics
159 entries
100%
+1.4pp vs school
Chemistry
140 entries
100%
+1.4pp vs school
Watch list
Music
14 entries
93%
-5.7pp vs school
Latin
14 entries
93%
-5.7pp vs school
Strongest at
Biology
48 entries
100%
+1.5pp vs school
Psychology
48 entries
100%
+1.5pp vs school
History
48 entries
100%
+1.5pp vs school
Watch list
Physics
49 entries
92%
-6.7pp vs school
Sociology
17 entries
94%
-4.4pp vs school
Entry Requirements
Minimum of 38 'points' across best 6 GCSE grades in separate subjects. Minimum of Grade 5 in both English Language and Mathematics. Individual subject requirements for chosen subjects.
Subjects Offered
Largest group: White British (66.9%)
Pupils of White British heritage
Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Chinese and other Asian heritage
More than one heritage — e.g. White & Asian, White & Black Caribbean
Black Caribbean, Black African and other Black heritage
A single heritage outside the groups above — e.g. Arab, White non-British
England avg ≈ 24%
≈ 20 pts below the England average — proportion of pupils whose family qualifies for free school meals (a measure of catchment affluence).
England avg ≈ 18%
≈ 7 pts below the England average — proportion of pupils whose first language is not English.
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Sixth Form
Good
Scale: Inadequate → Requires Improvement → Good → Outstanding
Per-pupil funding
2025/26≈ £335 (-5%) below the English average
Share of total spend going on staff
Typical English secondary: 75–80% on staff.
Spend per pupil per year
Most English state secondaries spend 75–80% of their budget on staff. Higher figures usually mean smaller class sizes; lower figures mean more spent on premises, supplies, or capital projects.
£4,084
Teaching Staff / pupil
£598
Educational Supplies / pupil
£443
Premises / pupil
Revenue reserve / pupil
-£698
The school is operating in deficit — current spend exceeds income on a per-pupil basis. Common when intake or funding shifts; worth asking the school how they’re planning to bring this back into balance.
Total grant: £5,165,937 · 777 pupils funded
How the 2025/26 allocation broke down. Each stream is a signal about the school's intake — bigger deprivation / EAL / SEN top-ups indicate a school serving a more challenging cohort.
Basic entitlement
£4,458,259
The school's core allocation — pupil numbers × the basic per-pupil rate — before any top-ups.
Pupil Premium
£35,475
Targeted funding for 33 disadvantaged pupils.
Deprivation top-up
£100,539
Aggregates FSM, FSM6 and IDACI deprivation bands.
EAL top-up
£13,377
English-as-additional-language premium — paid for pupils whose first language isn't English.
Prior attainment top-up
£17,506
Funding for pupils arriving below age-related expectations.
Notional SEN
£128,963
Earmarked SEN budget inside the schools block.
Lump sum
£146,053
Fixed per-school grant — size-independent.
Schools budget support grant
£46,727
Government pay-and-pension support grant.
National Insurance grant
£60,430
Compensation for the increase in employer NI contributions.
1,117 / 1,150(97%)
Subjects Offered
Entry Requirements
Minimum of 38 'points' across best 6 GCSE grades in separate subjects. Minimum of Grade 5 in both English Language and Mathematics. Individual subject requirements for chosen subjects.
1:17.9
Staff:Pupil Ratio
100%
Qualified Teachers
3.33%
Absence Rate
5.86%
Persistent Absence
Modern teaching facilities across multiple buildings, extensive sports facilities including swimming pool, large playing fields, well-equipped science laboratories, technology workshops, music facilities, drama studio, and comprehensive library
Sports
Astroturf pitch, sports hall, gym, swimming pool
STEM
Science labs, IT suites, technology workshops
Arts
Drama theatre, music rooms, art studios
Library
Well-stocked library with extensive book collection, digital resources, study spaces, and computer access. Open for independent study and research with qualified librarian support
Capital Projects
Sports
Football, Rugby, Netball, Hockey, Tennis
Music & Performing Arts
School orchestra, Choir, Music groups
Clubs & Societies
Debating society, Robotics club, Chess club
Duke of Edinburgh
Offered
Trips & Exchanges
The school organizes regular trips to Europe and the UK
Community Service
Community Service Programme, Local charity fundraising, Reading support at primary schools, Environmental projects, Volunteering with elderly residents
Uniform
Marling School branded uniform is supplied by Bateman's Sports in Stroud. Pre-loved uniform can be purchased from the PSA via Reception.
School Meals
The school offers a hot meal service, with options for vegetarian and halal meals.
Homework Policy
Homework is set regularly across all subjects with clear expectations. Years 7-8 receive approximately 60-90 minutes per night, Years 9-11 receive 2-3 hours per night, and Sixth Form students are expected to undertake independent study equivalent to their timetabled hours
Behaviour Policy
High expectations of behaviour and conduct. Positive reinforcement through house points system and rewards. Clear sanctions for poor behaviour including detentions, isolation, and in serious cases, suspension. Strong emphasis on respect, responsibility and personal excellence
Mobile Phone Policy
Mobile phones are allowed in designated areas during breaks only.
SEND Provision
Access arrangements available for students with EHC Plans, Statements or on SEN Support register. Panel meets to agree appropriate arrangements.
Priority area: within 4 miles of Marling, straight-line. Always confirm exact boundaries with the school — distance is measured by each admissions authority's own method.
Enter your postcode to see directions to Marling
Bus routes information available
Nearest Station: Stroud railway station
Transport Info
Bus routes information is available. Transport will only be provided to children who are attending their nearest school, in line with Gloucestershire County Council's policy.
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