The Marches School
Catchment Area, Reviews and Key Information

Secondary
Post 16
PUPILS
1459
AGES
11 - 18
GENDER
Mixed
TYPE
Academy converter
SCHOOL GUIDE RATING
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Can I Get My Child Into This School?

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This pupil heat map shows where pupils currently attending the school live.
The concentration of pupils shows likelihood of admission based on distance criteria

Source: All attending pupils National School Census Data, ONS
0345 678 9008

This School Guide heat map has been plotted using official pupil data taken from the last School Census collected by the Department for Education. It is a visualisation of where pupils lived at the time of the annual School Census.

Our heat maps use groups of postcodes, not individual postcodes, and have naturally soft edges. All pupils are included in the mapping (i.e. children with siblings already at the school, high priority pupils and selective and/or religious admissions) but we may have removed statistical ‘outliers’ with more remote postcodes that do not reflect majority admissions.

For some schools, the heat map may be a useful indicator of the catchment area but our heat maps are not the same as catchment area maps. Catchment area maps, published by the school or local authority, are based on geographical admissions criteria and show actual cut-off distances and pre-defined catchment areas for a single admission year.

This information is provided as a guide only. The criteria in which schools use to allocate places in the event that they are oversubscribed can and do vary between schools and over time. These criteria can include distance from the school and sometimes specific catchment areas but can also include, amongst others, priority for siblings, children of a particular faith or specific feeder schools. Living in an area where children have previously attended a school does not guarantee admission to the school in future years. Always check with the school’s own admission authority for the current admission arrangements.

3 steps to help parents gather catchment information for a school:

  1. Look at our school catchment area guide for more information on heat maps. They give a useful indicator of the general areas that admit pupils to the school. This visualisation is based on all attending pupils present at the time of the annual School Census.
  2. Use the link to the Local Authority Contact (above) to find catchment area information based on a single admission year. This is very important if you are considering applying to a school.
  3. On each school page, use the link to visit the school website and find information on individual school admissions criteria. Geographical criteria are only applied after pupils have been admitted on higher priority criteria such as Looked After Children, SEN, siblings, etc.

How Does The School Perform?

Good
NATIONAL AVG. 2.09
Ofsted Inspection
(26/09/2023)
Full Report - All Reports
57%
NATIONAL AVG. 38%
5+ GCSEs grade 9-4 (standard pass or above) including English and maths



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Progress Compared With All Other Schools

UNLOCK Well Below Average (About 15% of schools in England) Below Average (About 18% of schools in England) Average (About 35% of schools in England) Above Average (About 16% of schools in England) Well Above Average (About 16% of schools in England)

School Results Over Time

2019 2022 2023 2020 Covid-19 2021 Covid-19 UNLOCK

% of pupils who achieved 5+ GCSEs grade 9-4
2019 2022 2023 2020 Covid-19 2021 Covid-19 UNLOCK

% of pupils who achieved GCSE grade 5 or above in both English and maths
2019 2022 2023 2020 Covid-19 2021 Covid-19 UNLOCK

% of pupils who achieved 3 A levels at AAB or higher
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Morda Road
Oswestry
SY11 2AR
01691664400

School Description

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. Since the last inspection, there have been a number of significant leadership changes. You have become associate headteacher. The previous headteacher is now the executive headteacher of The Marches Multi-Academy Trust and many members of the leadership team are new. You have ensured that leadership responsibilities and lines of accountability are clear. This has strengthened the capacity of leadership. The school’s sixth-form provision is now well established. Leaders, including governors, are ambitious to achieve the very best for all pupils. You are committed to achieving this through the school’s ethos of ‘achievement through caring’. You display determination in securing continuous improvement and have accurately identified improvement areas. Staff are overwhelmingly supportive of your priorities. You have made sure that achievement is good for most pupils. Pupils follow a broad and balanced curriculum. A much higher proportion of pupils are entered for the English Baccalaureate than nationally. The proportion of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, achieving the English Baccalaureate in 2017 was above the national average. Alongside academic and vocational studies, the wider curriculum and the school’s employment and further education programme are supporting pupils to develop resilience and positive attitudes to learning. At the last inspection, leaders were asked to improve the progress of pupils in English. You have organised professional development to strengthen teachers’ knowledge of this subject. As a result, pupils’ achievement in English has improved and is now good. In addition, leaders were recommended to sharpen the quality of the school’s self-evaluation. The school’s self-evaluation is accurate and takes into account the performance of pupils over time. Discussions with leaders, including governors, indicate the clear view leaders have of how well the school is doing and what needs to improve further. Safeguarding is effective. The school’s arrangements for keeping pupils safe are fit for purpose. Records, including confidential records, are detailed and of a high quality. Policies and practice reflect the latest guidance. Leaders who have specific responsibilities for safeguarding are clear about their roles and responsibilities. You have ensured that staff, including staff new to the school, are aware of the risks pupils face and follow clear procedures when they have concerns. As a result, leaders and staff understand what to do if they have a concern about a pupil’s safety or welfare. School records show that, when staff have had cause to act, they have done so in a proportionate and timely manner. There is a positive, calm and orderly atmosphere in lessons and around the school. Pupils are confident that there is an adult to talk to if they have a worry or concern. Pupils who spoke to inspectors said that they feel safe and well cared for. They explained how teachers use tutor time to provide them with useful information and strategies to stay safe in a variety of settings. As a result, pupils have a good understanding of different types of abuse and how to stay safe online. The vast majority of parents and carers who responded to the Ofsted online survey Parent View believe their child is safe and well cared for. Inspection findings  Through effective self-evaluation, you have identified the progress of disadvantaged pupils as a priority area for improvement. You organised an external review of this area and leaders have responded swiftly to the recommendations in the report. For example, they have sharpened their focus on the key barriers to learning facing the school’s disadvantaged pupils. In addition, leaders have introduced new whole-school strategies to improve the progress and attainment of this group of pupils. You frequently check that these strategies are having an impact on the progress of this group of pupils. As a result, the difference between the progress of disadvantaged pupils and that of non-disadvantaged pupils nationally diminished in 2017. Current information provided by school leaders and work in pupils’ books indicate that the progress of disadvantaged pupils continues to improve across all year groups. You know that there is still some variability in this across different subjects and classes. You are keeping a careful eye on this and are taking appropriate actions to ensure that disadvantaged pupils make strong progress across the curriculum.  During the inspection, inspectors saw clear evidence of most teachers using effective approaches to ensure that disadvantaged pupils were engaged and challenged in lessons. For example, in a Year 10 business studies lesson, the teacher used questioning effectively to check pupils’ understanding. As a result, pupils developed their knowledge and understanding of how businesses recruit well.  You have taken effective action to further improve achievement across all subjects. This has included developing more rigorous systems for tracking and monitoring pupils’ progress. In addition, you have ensured that teachers make regular and accurate checks on how well pupils are doing. As a result, current performance information indicates that pupils are making strong progress in the subjects of their own choice.  You have introduced robust procedures for monitoring the quality of the sixthform provision. As a result, leaders of the sixth form have a comprehensive understanding of strengths and weaknesses. Teaching is strong is most subjects, with effective questioning and frequent assessment taking place. For example, in a Year 12 mathematics lesson, students were expected to think hard as their teacher asked them to give reasons for the use of confidence intervals. Current performance information provided by leaders shows that pupils are on track to achieve outcomes in line with national averages.  Students in the sixth form speak highly of the quality of provision they receive. They feel well supported by their teachers. For example, one student commented that, ‘teachers are always willing to help’. They appreciate and enjoy the wide range of extra-curricular opportunities provided for them.  Leaders have ensured that sixth-form students have received helpful information and advice about their future ambitions. As a result, most students in the sixth form are well prepared for the next stage of their education. Latest destination data presents a strong and improving picture, with all students going on to appropriate education, employment or training.  Pupils benefit from a variety of career-related activities provided for them. More pupils now have the opportunity to participate in work experience. Pupils in Year 11 spoke to inspectors about how their work experience placement in Year 10 had helped them to consider possible future careers. However, the quality of careers provision is variable across the school. A minority of pupils do not feel well prepared for the next stages of their education, training or employment. Leaders have recognised the need to improve this provision further. They have re-designed the careers curriculum to ensure that pupils make strong progress in their careers education throughout the school. However, it is too early to assess the impact of these changes.

The Marches School Parent Reviews



unlock % Parents Recommend This School
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree Don't Know {"strongly_agree"=>32, "agree"=>44, "disagree"=>12, "strongly_disagree"=>11, "dont_know"=>1} UNLOCK Figures based on 160 responses up to 02-02-2024
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree Don't Know {"strongly_agree"=>30, "agree"=>43, "disagree"=>13, "strongly_disagree"=>13, "dont_know"=>1} UNLOCK Figures based on 160 responses up to 02-02-2024
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree Don't Know {"strongly_agree"=>22, "agree"=>40, "disagree"=>23, "strongly_disagree"=>14, "dont_know"=>2} UNLOCK Figures based on 160 responses up to 02-02-2024
My Child Has Not Been Bullied Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree Don't Know {"my_child_has_not_been_bullied"=>49, "strongly_agree"=>8, "agree"=>11, "disagree"=>11, "strongly_disagree"=>13, "dont_know"=>8} UNLOCK Figures based on 160 responses up to 02-02-2024
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree Don't Know {"strongly_agree"=>21, "agree"=>42, "disagree"=>24, "strongly_disagree"=>11, "dont_know"=>3} UNLOCK Figures based on 160 responses up to 02-02-2024
I Have Not Raised Any Concerns Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree Don't Know {"i_have_not_raised_any_concerns"=>18, "strongly_agree"=>23, "agree"=>24, "disagree"=>19, "strongly_disagree"=>14, "dont_know"=>2} UNLOCK Figures based on 160 responses up to 02-02-2024
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree Don't Know {"strongly_agree"=>16, "agree"=>32, "disagree"=>23, "strongly_disagree"=>23, "dont_know"=>6} UNLOCK Figures based on 31 responses up to 02-02-2024
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree Don't Know {"strongly_agree"=>29, "agree"=>38, "disagree"=>18, "strongly_disagree"=>8, "dont_know"=>8} UNLOCK Figures based on 160 responses up to 02-02-2024
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree Don't Know {"strongly_agree"=>25, "agree"=>45, "disagree"=>19, "strongly_disagree"=>6, "dont_know"=>6} UNLOCK Figures based on 160 responses up to 02-02-2024
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree Don't Know {"strongly_agree"=>19, "agree"=>47, "disagree"=>18, "strongly_disagree"=>14, "dont_know"=>2} UNLOCK Figures based on 160 responses up to 02-02-2024
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree Don't Know {"strongly_agree"=>32, "agree"=>64, "disagree"=>2, "strongly_disagree"=>1, "dont_know"=>1} UNLOCK Figures based on 160 responses up to 02-02-2024
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree Don't Know {"strongly_agree"=>42, "agree"=>50, "disagree"=>3, "strongly_disagree"=>3, "dont_know"=>3} UNLOCK Figures based on 160 responses up to 02-02-2024
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree Don't Know {"strongly_agree"=>21, "agree"=>40, "disagree"=>18, "strongly_disagree"=>10, "dont_know"=>11} UNLOCK Figures based on 160 responses up to 02-02-2024
Yes No {"yes"=>64, "no"=>36} UNLOCK Figures based on 160 responses up to 02-02-2024

Responses taken from Ofsted Parent View

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