Gloucestershire / Gloucestershire 11+
Cainscross Road, Stroud, GL5 4HE
Marling School
1
A selective boys grammar school in Stroud, Gloucestershire, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,117 pupils on roll.
At a glance
At a glance
A selective boys grammar school in Stroud, Gloucestershire, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,117 pupils on roll. Families looking at Stroud, Gloucestershire will usually see Marling School as a selective option for boys aged 11-18, with sixth form continuing the academic journey on the same site. Current published roll and admissions data point to around 1,117 pupils on roll and 150 Year 7 places.
For parents thinking about the 11+, the admissions picture is one of the clearest differentiators here. The current route includes GL Assessment, with 150 places available in Year 7 and demand that currently looks high by grammar-school standards. Catchment or distance rules still matter at allocation stage, so this is the kind of school where families need to read the admissions policy carefully rather than rely on headline scores alone.
On current official measures, the school offers a clear academic profile for parents to weigh up. The latest published Ofsted judgement is Outstanding. Recent official performance measures show Progress 8 at 0.64 and Attainment 8 at 71.3. 98.1% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths in the latest stored GCSE figures. In the sixth form, 17.6% of entries were awarded AAB or better at A level. Destinations data also suggest strong progression after sixth form, with 51% moving into higher education.
Published school information highlights facilities such as Library. The wider offer currently includes Drama. For many parents, the presence of a sixth form is part of the attraction, because it gives able pupils the option to stay in a familiar academic setting through to A level. Marling School is likely to appeal most to families who want strong academic expectations but also need the practical details, culture, and selective route to line up sensibly.
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Gloucestershire and England.
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Gloucestershire and England.
Latest 2024/25 Year 11 destination mix compared with Gloucestershire and England.
Marling uses the shared Gloucestershire grammar-school entrance test. There is no fixed numeric pass mark; candidates are considered once the qualifying standard has been set from the ranked standardised scores.
There is no catchment area. If candidates are tied on score, Marling first checks whether they attended a Cotswold Beacon Academy Trust primary school from registration until at least the December break of Year 6, then uses straight-line distance, and finally random allocation.
Looked-after and previously looked-after children who meet the qualifying standard
This includes children previously in state care outside England who were adopted after leaving care.
Pupil Premium candidates who meet the qualifying standard
Priority applies to children who have been registered for free school meals at any point in the six years before the test day.
Other candidates who meet the qualifying standard in rank order
If scores are tied, Marling first gives priority to pupils who attended a Cotswold Beacon Academy Trust primary school from registration until at least the December break of Year 6, then uses straight-line distance from the main home address, and finally random allocation.
Marling uses the shared Gloucestershire grammar-school test provided by GL Assessment. Candidates sit two multiple-choice papers on the same day: one covering verbal skills including comprehension and verbal reasoning, and a second covering non-verbal reasoning and mathematics.
This school uses the shared Gloucestershire consortium route. The consortium page brings together the common test format, key dates and official papers used across that route.
Open Gloucestershire guidePaper 1
English, VR
Paper 1
Verbal skills paper covering comprehension, vocabulary and verbal reasoning.
Paper 2
NVR, Maths
Paper 2
Non-verbal reasoning and mathematics paper.
English, Maths, Verbal reasoning and Non-verbal reasoning are included in the published format.
Science and Creative writing are not listed in the current published format.
English
Maths
Verbal reasoning
Verbal skills paper covering comprehension, vocabulary and verbal reasoning.
Non-verbal reasoning
Non-verbal reasoning and mathematics paper.
Science
Creative writing
Registration opens
18 May 2026
Registration closes
26 June 2026
Test centre information
8 September 2026
Entrance test
12 September 2026
Results issued
Mid October 2026
CAF deadline
31 October 2026
National offer day
1 March 2027
Read the policy and Gloucestershire booklet
Use Marling's admissions policy and the county booklet together so you have both the school rules and the shared test timetable.
Open admissions bookletRegister for the entrance test
Registration opens at 12 noon on 18 May 2026 and closes at 12 noon on 26 June 2026.
Open registration detailsSit the Gloucestershire grammar test
Candidates sit the shared Gloucestershire grammar school test on 12 September 2026.
Open test bookletSubmit the CAF
List Marling School on your home local authority secondary application by 31 October 2026.
Latest official destinations data currently covers 2022/23 study leavers.
Recent trend
This follows the school's published overall GCSE score across the subjects pupils take. Higher is better.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 71.9 | 74.2 | 49.4 |
| 2022/23 | 68.3 | 71.8 | 47.0 |
| 2023/24 | 71.3 | 72.1 | 46.7 |
| 2024/25 | 73.9 | 72.3 | 46.8 |
Recent trend
This follows the published average A-level result for the school's sixth form. Higher is better.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | B average (38.6 points) | 44.0 points | 37.5 points |
| 2022/23 | B- average (38.1 points) | 40.5 points | 33.7 points |
| 2023/24 | B average (40.1 points) | 41.3 points | 34.5 points |
| 2024/25 | B average (38.3 points) | 41.8 points | 35.0 points |
Recent trend
This follows the share of pupils moving into a sustained destination after Year 11, such as education, apprenticeships, or employment.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 99% | 99.1% | 94.1% |
| 2022/23 | 99% | 98.9% | 93.9% |
| 2023/24 | 98% | 99.0% | 93.3% |
| 2024/25 | 97% | 97.8% | 91.4% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 96% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 2% |
| In employment | 0% |
Latest inspection: 13 November 2013
Local rivals first, then nearby alternatives that still fit the same shortlist-building context.
Same Gloucestershire area and similar boys' selective route
Closest comparable alternatives with a similar academic profile, so parents can weigh local fit and results together.
Similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Best Grammar Schools in Gloucestershire
Compare the best grammar schools in Gloucestershire for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. Much of Gloucestershire sits within the Gloucestershire route, so shared testing still matters alongside each school's own admissions rules.
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Best Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county, school type, and Ofsted. Useful for broad searches like top UK grammar schools, grammar school rankings, and 11+ school shortlists.
Best Grammar Schools by A-level Results
Explore the best grammar schools by A-level results in the UK, ranked by the published share of students achieving AAB or better at A level.
Best Grammar Schools in Gloucestershire
Compare the best grammar schools in Gloucestershire for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. Much of Gloucestershire sits within the Gloucestershire route, so shared testing still matters alongside each school's own admissions rules.
Best Boys' Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best boys grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county and Ofsted before comparing realistic shortlist options.
Best Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county, school type, and Ofsted. Useful for broad searches like top UK grammar schools, grammar school rankings, and 11+ school shortlists.
Best Grammar Schools by A-level Results
Explore the best grammar schools by A-level results in the UK, ranked by the published share of students achieving AAB or better at A level.
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Marling School currently uses GL Assessment.
1. Read the policy and Gloucestershire booklet: Use Marling's admissions policy and the county booklet together so you have both the school rules and the shared test timetable. 2. Register for the entrance test: Registration opens at 12 noon on 18 May 2026 and closes at 12 noon on 26 June 2026. 3. Sit the Gloucestershire grammar test: Candidates sit the shared Gloucestershire grammar school test on 12 September 2026. 4. Submit the CAF: List Marling School on your home local authority secondary application by 31 October 2026.
Registration opens: 18 May 2026. Registration closes: 26 June 2026. Test centre information: 8 September 2026. Entrance test: 12 September 2026. Results issued: Mid October 2026. CAF deadline: 31 October 2026. National offer day: 1 March 2027
Marling School is currently rated Outstanding following the latest published inspection dated 13 November 2013.