Schools by area › Essex › St Mark's West Essex Catholic School
St Mark's West Essex Catholic School
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Academy
Tripton Road, Harlow CM18 6AA · st-marks.essex.sch.uk · 01279 421267
On the mapSearch near CM18 6AA
Overview
- Ofsted
- Good
- 2019 framework · inspected Feb 2023
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 46.3
- average Attainment 8 score. Essex 45.1, England 46
- Demand for places
- 1.1
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 1,099
- 98% of 1,120 places
- Local authority
- Essex
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 21%
- First language not English
- 24.3%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 197 families put the school first and 180 places were offered; 88% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 180 | 197 | 1.1▲ | 88% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 179 | 200 | 1.1▲ | 86% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 180 | 188 | 1▲ | 88% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 171 | 169 | 1 | 98% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 170 | 148 | 0.9 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 46.3, and 38.8% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Essex it was 45.1, and across England 46.
In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade D+ (22.3 points per entry).
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ●46.3 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼38.8% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼61.2% | 64.8% | ||
| ▲72.9% | 40.5% | ||
| ▲4.32 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 55.2 | +3.1 |
| Sixth form college | 0.6 | — |
| Further education | 37.2 | −0.7 |
| Apprenticeship | 2.3 | +1.1 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 3.5 | −0.6 |
| Activity not captured | 1.2 | +0.6 |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
A level average grade
| 2024/25 | Trend | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 99 students | D+ (22.3) | Below average -0.23 | |
| 99 students | D+ (22.2) | Below average -0.25 | |
| 18 students | Merit (24.8) | Average -0.38 |
| Earlier years: A level | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 92 | D+ (24) | -0.15 |
| 2022/23 | 84 | C- (27.4) | — |
| 2021/22 | 94 | C- (26.2) | — |
| 2018/19 | 72 | D- (16.7) | -0.38 |
| 2017/18 | 94 | D+ (23.9) | -0.20 |
| 2016/17 | 104 | D+ (23.7) | -0.32 |
| 2015/16 | 101 | D+ (22.2) | -0.37 |
Where sixth-form leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| University | 53.4 | −23.1 |
| Other education | 3.4 | −1.7 |
| Apprenticeship | 4.5 | +2.5 |
| Employment | 18.2 | +7 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 12.5 | +9.4 |
| Activity not captured | 8 | +6 |
Ofsted
St Mark's West Essex Catholic School was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 22 February 2023, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Good
- Inspected
- 22 Feb 2023
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Sixth form | Requires improvement |
Previously: Good, graded inspection, Jul 2013
Earlier inspections
Before September 2019
Oct 2017Monitoring visit
Safeguarding Effective Jul 2013Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Mar 2012Inadequate
Outcomes for pupils Inadequate Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement
What parents said
86% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (63 replies, to 1 January 2024).
- Recommend
- 86%
- Replies
- 63
- 6% · 1 Jan 2024
based on the 81% who raised concerns
based on the 41% who had a child bullied