Great Marlow School
Bobmore Lane, Marlow, SL7 1JEOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Great Marlow School is a secondary school in Marlow for ages 11 to 18. It is one of the 268 schools in Buckinghamshire. It ranks 21st of 36 secondary schools in Buckinghamshire. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in April 2013.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 18 April 2013, report published 25 May 2013
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 9 November 2022
The school delivers on its vision to create opportunities that enable all pupils to fulfil their potential. Pupils gain a good all-round education, where academic success and well-being are equally valued. They enjoy learning across a broad range of subjects and take part in an impressive range of clubs and activities. The opportunity for all pupils to take part in Olympic sports such as rowing is a very distinctive feature of this school. Pupils are actively encouraged to take responsibility for their learning and behaviour. They conduct themselves well in lessons and around the school. There is a studious atmosphere in many classrooms. Pupils move promptly to lessons at the end of breaktimes without the need for bells. Pupils are respectful to their peers and the adults who they work with. Bullying is rare and is dealt with promptly if it does occur. Pupils appreciate the help and support they receive from staff. They trust the school's student support officers to keep them safe and help them if they have any problems. Pupils are extremely proud to attend their friendly and inclusive school. Pupils from different backgrounds, including many Ukrainian pupils, are warmly welcomed. Staff make great efforts to ensure that these pupils are fully involved in school life and access the whole curriculum.
What the school should improve
- The number of pupils taking a modern foreign language is well below national averages and well below the government's national ambition. This means that too few pupils gain the qualifications to achieve the English Baccalaureate. Leaders should continue their efforts to promote languages, to ensure that more pupils achieve the English Baccalaureate and benefit from the future opportunities that studying a language provides.
- Leaders do not have a sufficiently precise understanding of what they want pupils to know and remember in PSHE lessons. This means that pupils do not have a secure understanding of some aspects of this curriculum. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum for PSHE is of the same high quality as that in other subjects.
Exam results
GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25
231 pupils in the year group
A level results (key stage 5), 2024/25
121 students
Average A level grade C, England average B-
Pupil numbers and mix
1,395 pupils on roll, with places for 1,180
Schools near Great Marlow School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sir William Borlase's Grammar School | 1 mile | Ofsted: Outstanding | Attainment 8: 72.4 |
| Cressex Community School | 3 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 50.7 |
| John Hampden Grammar School | 3 miles | Ofsted: Outstanding | Attainment 8: 72.3 |
| E-Act Bourne End Academy | 3 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 38.0 |
| St Michael's Catholic School | 3 miles | Report card: Expected standard to strong standard | Attainment 8: 49.1 |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- MARLOW EDUCATION TRUST
- Age range
- 11 to 18
- Gender
- Mixed
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Mr Guy Pendlebury
- Phone
- 01628483752
- Address
- Bobmore Lane, Marlow, SL7 1JE
- Local authority
- Buckinghamshire
- URN
- 136964
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.