Marling outstanding :)

[monkeymouse]

Boy home from school today with news that Marling have been rated outstanding in their recent OFSTED. Confirms what we knew: it's an ace school. Well done to all staff and boys

[stroudydad]

Couldn't agree more. Also nice for those starting in 2014, who don't have everyday experience of the school, to have an up y
To date view

[Phrenetic]

I suspect this would have influenced preference orders on the CAF form if this OFSTED result had been announced a few weeks earlier!

[Amber]

I suspect this would have influenced preference orders on the CAF form if this OFSTED result had been announced a few weeks earlier!

Given that just about every rival school is also supposedly 'outstanding', I doubt it. Then again, I am not the biggest fan of OFSTED, and take any of these ratings with a massive pinch of salt. If you like the school, I wouldn't take any notice either way.

[stroudydad]

Amber I hope your suspicions are true and agree with your sentiments, but I think sadly there will have been more than a few that will have paid a lot of attention to the previous ofsted... Maybe to their detriment? But I am pleased for those that went with their instincts and chose it ahead of other 'outstanding' schools.

[Alice in Underland]

Marling's Outstanding rating is well deserved.

I have a son at Marling in Year 9 and daughter at SHS in year 10.
Right now I would rate Marling as the better school.
SHS seems to be resting on its Laurels and its all a bit fluffy. Will be interested to see what the new Headmaster make of it in 2014.

Just wait until they have finished building the new science block and classrooms at Marling and people will be queuing up to send their sons there.......

[Teach]

I have a daughter at SHS, with boys at Marling. I cannot fault SHS, way ahead of Marling in terms of target setting and motivation and expectation. Marling over the last two years has had to pull itself up considerably and certainly a huge achievement to get outstanding in every category. Most local schools have lost their 'outstanding'.

[Guest55]

These days the judgements depend on how good the team are ... I've seen some mad ratings in the last year.

[NancyB]

I suspect this would have influenced preference orders on the CAF form if this OFSTED result had been announced a few weeks earlier!

They couldn't have announced it a couple of weeks earlier as they hadn't actually had the OFSTED at that point (or at least, were in the middle of it). Do parents really choose a school purely on the strength of an OFSTED?

When Archway was put into Special Measures 3 years ago, there was a sudden spate of parents wanting to transfer their children to Marling & Stroud High from there - that was despite there being no problems with the teaching & progress of brighter children at Archway found in the OFSTED. I wonder if those parents considered moving their children back when Archway got a 'Good' 5 weeks ago?

[NancyB]

I have a son at Marling in Year 9 and daughter at SHS in year 10.
Right now I would rate Marling as the better school.
SHS seems to be resting on its Laurels and its all a bit fluffy. Will be interested to see what the new Headmaster make of it in 2014.

Strangely a friend with a son in Y11 and duaghter at SHS says exactly the opposite - she's always moaning about son not being pushed enough.