Marlwood School
Vattingstone Lane, Alveston, Bristol, BS35 3LAOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Marlwood School is a secondary school in Bristol for ages 11 to 18. It is one of the 122 schools in South Gloucestershire. It ranks 34th of 44 secondary schools in Bristol. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in November 2023.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 7 November 2023, report published 12 December 2023
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 7 November 2023
Pupils enjoy their time at Marlwood School. Staff know pupils well and build positive relationships with them. Pupils have a trusted adult they can talk to about any worries they have. This helps them to feel safe in school. The school has high expectations of pupils' behaviour and achievement. Pupils respond well to these. They work hard and are keen to do well. The atmosphere around school is calm. Pupils are sensible and show maturity, both in and out of lessons. Pupils relish leadership roles, such as being Year 7 'buddies', running performing arts clubs and being sports captains. These boost pupils' confidence and help them to 'live' the school value of responsibility. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are disadvantaged are well represented in leadership roles. Pupils appreciate the clubs that are available to them. These include a range of sports and performing arts. The annual 'Marlwood's Got Talent' event enables pupils to showcase a diverse range of interests. The school checks that all pupils take part in the range of opportunities available to them.
What the school should improve
- Some teaching activities do not allow pupils to deepen their understanding or apply the knowledge they have. This means that they do not always learn as well as they could. The trust should ensure that the curriculum enables pupils to consolidate and apply their knowledge over time and in a variety of contexts.
- The school does not use the information it collects about behaviour and wider personal development effectively. Therefore, it does not always identify or address the root causes of issues that affect groups of pupils. The trust needs to ensure that the school uses available information to identify issues and to address them promptly.
Exam results
GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25
109 pupils in the year group
Pupil numbers and mix
510 pupils on roll, with places for 750
Schools near Marlwood School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tockington Manor School | 1 mile | No Ofsted inspection | Not published |
| The Castle School | 2 miles | Report card: Expected standard | Attainment 8: 52.4 |
| Patchway Community School | 4 miles | Ofsted judgements: Requires improvement to good | Attainment 8: 37.0 |
| Bradley Stoke Community School | 4 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 50.6 |
| Winterbourne Academy | 5 miles | Report card: Expected standard | Attainment 8: 52.0 |
School details
- School type
- Academy sponsor led
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- PATHWAY TRUST
- Age range
- 11 to 18
- Gender
- Mixed
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Mrs Helen Simmons
- Phone
- 01454862525
- Address
- Vattingstone Lane, Alveston, Bristol, BS35 3LA
- Local authority
- South Gloucestershire
- URN
- 141341
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.