Academy converter

The Marlborough Science Academy

Mixed · ages 11–18 · with sixth formHertfordshire, East of England · St Albans AL1 2QATrust: The Marlborough Science Academy LimitedSchool website
Pupils on roll
1,337of 1,250 places
Free school meals
21.2%
Year 11 cohort 2025
217
Ofsted
Good, 29 November 2023Read the Ofsted report

Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: Marlborough School (URN 117586, until 1 April 2012).

What the data says

Of the 202 pupils who finished Year 11 at The Marlborough Science Academy in 2023, 62% stayed on in The Marlborough Science Academy’s own sixth form (Hertfordshire average 58%), 28% went to a further education college and none started an apprenticeship.

Among the 81 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 57% went to university (Hertfordshire 42%, England 37%), and 13% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.

Fine Art is unusually popular at GCSE: 22% of the year group took it, against 9% of pupils across England.

GCSE results in 2025 were below the national picture: Attainment 8 of 43.4 against 46.1 across England and 50.6 in Hertfordshire, with 36% of pupils getting grade 5 or above in both English and maths (England 45%).

Where pupils went after Year 11

Destinations of the 2023 Year 11 leavers, measured the following year: the share in a sustained place for at least two terms. Compared with all state-funded schools in Hertfordshire and England.

This school
Hertfordshire
England
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
MeasureThis schoolHertfordshireEngland
Pupils in the cohort20214,400607,348
Any sustained destination94%95%92%
Stayed in education92%92%86%
— school sixth form62%58%34%
— sixth form college0%2%13%
— further education college28%31%37%
— other education1%1%2%
Apprenticeship0%2%3%
Employment2%2%3%
No sustained destination5%3%6%
Destination unknown1%2%3%

Where students went after sixth form

Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.

This school
Hertfordshire
England
University (higher education)Further educationOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
MeasureThis schoolHertfordshireEngland
Students in the cohort8114,189541,441
Any sustained destination94%82%79%
University (higher education)57%42%37%
— most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students13%24%19%
Further education4%5%5%
Apprenticeship7%6%7%
Employment25%28%28%
No sustained destination4%13%16%

GCSE results 2025

MeasureThis schoolHertfordshireEngland
Attainment 8 (average points per pupil)43.450.646.1
Grade 5 or above in English and maths36%53%45%
Grade 4 or above in English and maths60%72%65%
Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects40%47%41%
EBacc average point score3.804.564.09
Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort18%18%28%
Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils29.934.234.9
Attainment 8 — other pupils46.254.150.4
Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2)
English as an additional language7%16%19%

Progress 8 is not available for 2025 and 2026: these cohorts had no Key Stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021, so there is no baseline. Attainment 8 shows results without taking pupils’ starting points into account.

Subjects taken at GCSE

Entries in 2025 as a share of the Year 11 cohort, and the share of entries graded 7–9 and 4–9, compared with all entries in England.

SubjectEntriesShare of cohortEnglandGrades 7–9EnglandGrades 4–9
English Language217100%89%13%20%68%
Mathematics217100%88%14%22%66%
English Literature21599%86%13%21%66%
Combined Science16275%65%1%9%41%
History11653%41%18%26%50%
Geography8941%41%15%25%65%
Biology5525%23%36%45%95%
Physics5224%23%40%46%98%
Chemistry5224%23%40%47%100%
French5023%18%18%29%70%
Business Studies4822%18%4%20%50%
Fine Art4722%9%40%28%98%
Spanish4219%19%29%27%64%
Media Studies3315%4%15%20%82%
Physical Education3114%11%13%24%68%
Computer Science2913%13%3%30%38%
Classical Civilisation2913%1%14%40%62%
Food Preparation and Nutrition2813%8%43%21%93%
Drama2210%7%0%27%68%
Music157%5%7%33%87%
Graphic Communication146%1%21%23%93%
Design and Technology126%11%42%23%75%
Religious Studies105%31%30%32%80%
Dance63%1%0%27%50%
Polish21%1%84%
Turkish10%0%71%
Portuguese10%0%50%
Art and Design10%7%24%
Film Studies10%1%20%

Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications

SubjectEntriesShare of cohortEngland
Sports Studies2624%
Manufacturing Engineering2422%
Computer Appreciation / Introduction1817%
Health Studies1514%
Beauty Care / Services44%

A levels and other level 3 courses

MeasureThis schoolHertfordshireEngland
Students at the end of 16–18 study225
— of whom A level students1078,082261,341
Average A level gradeCB-B-
Average points per A level entry28.8536.8235.00
Average grade, best 3 A levelsC-B-B-
AAB or better with two facilitating subjects7%19%18%
Average grade, applied general courses
Average grade, T levels

A level subjects

Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.

SubjectEntriesShare of cohortEngland
Psychology4441%23%
Business Studies2221%13%
Media Studies2120%4%
Geography2019%10%
Sociology1918%13%
Biology1716%20%
English Literature1514%11%
Mathematics1312%31%
Film Studies1312%2%
Photography1211%3%
Politics1110%6%
Chemistry1110%17%
Graphic Communication1110%2%
History98%13%
Product Design98%2%
Classical Civilisation98%1%
Physics87%12%
Computer Science77%5%
Fine Art66%3%
Dance0%
D and T Textiles Technology0%
Economics13%
French1%
History of Art0%
Italian0%
Further Mathematics5%
Spanish2%

Applied, technical and other level 3 courses

SubjectQualificationEntriesShare of cohortEngland
Applied BusinessVRQ Level 31211%
Sports StudiesBTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D*109%
Study SkillsExtended Project (Diploma)109%
Speech and DramaVRQ Level 3
Business StudiesGCE AS level (All)
Business StudiesGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)
Health StudiesOCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3

Other secondary schools in Hertfordshire

Ashlyns School

Foundation school · sixth form · 1,561 pupils

94% stayed in education · Attainment 8 57.9

Barclay Academy

Academy sponsor led · sixth form · 1,044 pupils

91% stayed in education · Attainment 8 49.5

Barnwell School

Foundation school · sixth form · 1,270 pupils

88% stayed in education · Attainment 8 41.5

Beaumont School

Academy converter · sixth form · 1,722 pupils

98% stayed in education · Attainment 8 62.6

Birchwood High School

Academy converter · sixth form · 1,417 pupils

85% stayed in education · Attainment 8 46.1

Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.