Marsden Heights Community College
Edge End Lane, Nelson, BB9 0PROpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Marsden Heights Community College is a secondary school in Nelson for ages 11 to 16. It is one of the 692 schools in Lancashire. It ranks 53rd of 81 secondary schools in Lancashire. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in October 2023.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 3 October 2023, report published 26 November 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 3 October 2023
Pupils feel happy and safe at this friendly and welcoming school. They spoke enthusiastically about how they champion the diversity of their school community. For example, pupils explained that various flags decorate learning spaces to reflect the different backgrounds and cultures of pupils. Pupils and staff are immensely proud of the improvements made to this school in recent years. The school has high expectations of pupils' learning and behaviour. Pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), benefit from learning the same ambitious curriculum. Pupils enjoy their lessons and work hard. They achieve well in many subjects. Most pupils attend school regularly and engage with their learning enthusiastically. For example, pupils appreciate the opportunity to attend school on Saturdays for additional events, including revision classes and rehearsals for the school show. Pupils enjoy the wider opportunities on offer to them, such as hill climbing in the local area. They take part in a range of clubs and activities. For example, pupils play in sports teams and get involved in a range of arts and crafts. Pupils and staff also work closely with the local community, including raising money for local charities.
What the school should improve
- In a few subjects, the school is finalising the knowledge that it wants pupils to learn. This sometimes hinders teachers in checking how well pupils have secured the knowledge that they require for subsequent learning. The school should ensure that, as these curriculums are finalised, teachers are equipped to identify and address pupils' misconceptions before they move on to new learning.
- The school does not ensure that some pupils receive timely enough information about their next steps. This hinders some pupils from being fully informed about the extent of opportunities available to them when making post-16 choices. The school should ensure that the programme of careers education is designed to prepare pupils sufficiently well to make considered decisions about the next stage of their education, employment or training.
Exam results
GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25
210 pupils in the year group
Pupil numbers and mix
1,047 pupils on roll, with places for 1,050
Schools near Marsden Heights Community College
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edenfield Girls' High School | 0.7 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Attainment 8: 50.1 |
| Pendle Vale College | 2 miles | Report card: Expected standard | Attainment 8: 42.5 |
| Sir John Thursby Community College | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 41.0 |
| Ss John Fisher and Thomas More Roman Catholic High School | 2 miles | Report card: Expected standard to strong standard | Attainment 8: 44.1 |
| Colne Primet Academy | 2 miles | Ofsted: Requires improvement | Attainment 8: 35.4 |
School details
- School type
- Academy sponsor led
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- UNITED LEARNING TRUST
- Age range
- 11 to 16
- Gender
- Mixed
- Sixth form
- No
- Headteacher
- Mr James Delve
- Phone
- 01282683060
- Address
- Edge End Lane, Nelson, BB9 0PR
- Local authority
- Lancashire
- URN
- 146276
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.