Schools by area › Lancashire › Marsden Heights Community College
Marsden Heights Community College
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–16 · Sponsored academy
Edge End Lane, Nelson BB9 0PR · marsdenheights.co.uk · 01282 683060
Overview
- Ofsted
- Good
- 2019 framework · inspected Oct 2023
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 40.3
- average Attainment 8 score. Lancashire 45.1, England 46
- Demand for places
- 1.0
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 1,047
- 100% of 1,050 places
- Local authority
- Lancashire
- Sixth form
- No
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 35.4%
- First language not English
- 84.8%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 209 families put the school first and 205 places were offered; 89% 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 | 205 | 209 | 1▲ | 89% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 207 | 227 | 1.1▲ | 85% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 206 | 209 | 1▲ | 87% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 210 | 173 | 0.8 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 208 | 163 | 0.8 | 97% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 40.3, and 33.3% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Lancashire it was 45.1, and across England 46.
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▼40.3 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼33.3% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼53.8% | 64.8% | ||
| ▼15.7% | 40.5% | ||
| ▼3.35 | 4.09 |
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 134990)
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 0.5 | 0 |
| Further education | 90.2 | −0.7 |
| Apprenticeship | 0.5 | −0.5 |
| Employment | 0.5 | −0.5 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 5.4 | +2.4 |
| Activity not captured | 2.9 | −0.1 |
Ofsted
Marsden Heights Community College was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 3 October 2023, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Good
- Inspected
- 3 Oct 2023
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, Jan 2019
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 134990), which Ofsted links to this one.
Before September 2019
Jan 2019Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 134990)
Dec 2016Inadequate
Outcomes for pupils Inadequate Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Leadership and management Inadequate Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 134990)
Oct 2012Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 134990)
What parents said
92% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (12 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 92%
- Replies
- 12
- 1% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 33% who raised concerns
based on the 17% who had a child bullied