Marling School — Marling School

A WARM WELCOME TO OUR SCHOOL

At Marling School, we are ambitious for our students and they thrive in a vibrant academic environment that provides pace and challenge. They feel safe and supported to engage with new ideas, to think deeply, to take risks and be aspirational. We place an emphasis on the development of skills alongside knowledge so that our students become active learners prepared for both further education and for their place in an increasingly global society.

Our school motto is Abeunt Studia in Mores which we translate to mean “Let us go forward through study to character”. Our aim is to develop within all Marlingtonians character values including intellectual curiosity, resilience, respect and kindness. Marling students learn to be independent thinkers who take responsibility for their learning and their success, who believe in freedom and equality and who will join society as citizens of principle taking an interest in the world around them. We set out to achieve this through our mission statement: RAISING ASPIRATIONS, INSPIRING EXCELLENCE, SUCCEEDING TOGETHER.

When you visit us, I am sure that you will be impressed by the openness and warmth of welcome you receive. We want our students to enjoy school and I am confident that you will see how enthusiastic and engaged they are in their education and how proud they are of their school.

Glen Balmer, Headteacher

Raising Aspirations, Inspiring Excellence, Succeeding Together

We will

Raise Aspirations

Be ambitious for our students and encourage them to be adaptable and independent thinkers who take responsibility for their learning and strive to succeed, both now and in the future

Provide opportunities and experiences that empower each and every one of us to reach our potential

Inspire Excellence

Keep the pursuit of excellence at the heart of everything we do, demonstrating our commitment to continuous improvement

Recognise our achievements and celebrate our success at every opportunity

Succeed Together

Work together as one team to create a vibrant school, where staff and students embrace opportunities to learn and thrive in an environment of tolerance and respect

Develop partnerships that support learning and the personal and social development of our students and embrace local, national and global opportunities that enrich the school and the wider community

Promoting British Values

Marling School is committed to serving the community. The school recognises the multi-cultural, multi-faith and ever-changing nature of the United Kingdom, it also understands the vital role it has in ensuring that groups or individuals within the school are not subjected to intimidation or radicalisation by those wishing to unduly, or illegally, influence them.

It follows equal opportunities guidance which guarantees that there will be no discrimination against any individual or group, regardless of faith, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, political or financial status, or similar. Marling School is dedicated to preparing students for their adult life beyond the formal examined curriculum and ensuring that it promotes and reinforces British values to all its students.

The Government emphasises that schools are required to ensure that key ‘British Values’ are taught in all UK schools. The government set out its definition of British values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy.

The five British Values are:

Democracy
The rule of law
Personal responsibility and individual liberty
Mutual respect
Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs

The school uses strategies within the National Curriculum and beyond to secure such outcomes for students. The examples that follow show some of the many ways Marling School seeks to embed British values.

Democracy
The principle of democracy is consistently being reinforced at Marling School, with democratic processes being used for important decisions within the school community, for instance, elections being held for House Captains and House Council members. The principle of democracy is also explored in the History and Religious Studies curriculum as well as in form time and assemblies. E.g. The study of Parliament and the democratic process in the UK is studied by students in Year 8 during history lessons.

The Rule of Law
The importance of laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are consistently reinforced at Marling School.

Students are taught the rules and expectations of the school which are highlighted by the student code of conduct and student expectations. Students are taught the value and the reasons behind laws that govern and protect us through Life Skills lessons and assemblies. The responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken. Visits from authorities such as the local PSCO help to reinforce this message. E.g. In Year 10 English lessons the rule of law is taught through the book ‘A View from a Bridge’ and in Year 7 History the formation of Law and the Magna Carta is explored.

Individual Liberty
At Marling School, students are actively encouraged to make independent choices e.g. each student in Year 11 has an individual IAG meeting to help them make decisions about their future studies, with the knowledge that they are in a safe, secure and supportive environment. Staff at Marling School educate and provide boundaries for students to make informed choices, through a safe environment and an empowering education.

Students are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised on how to exercise these safely, for example through e-safety and Tutor Time work. The rule of law and democracy and individual liberty are specifically covered in RS at GCSE.

Marling has a robust anti-bullying culture and has in place a comprehensive Behaviour Policy.

Mutual Respect
Respect is a strong part of Marling School and is part of its Core Values. Students learn that their behaviours have an effect on their own rights and those of others. All members of the school community treat each other with respect and this is reiterated through teaching and learning environments. We write reports to the students and ensure all students take responsibility for their own actions.

Mutual respect is embraced throughout the curriculum by providing the opportunity for students to express their views in a safe environment with Marling’s ethos being that the thoughts and answers of all are respected. This can be seen through lesson observations and during class discussions where the opinions of all students are taken into account.

Tolerance of those of different Faiths and Beliefs
This is achieved though equipping students with the ability to understand their place in a culturally diverse society and by giving the opportunities to experience such diversity within the school community. Students benefit from a number of international visitors, including students from other countries and cultures. Additionally, students are actively encouraged to share their faith and beliefs within the school and celebrate festivities throughout the calendar year. The Religious Studies curriculum, which is compulsory for all students up to KS4, provides a broad and balanced education on a range of faiths, religions and cultures. We are very proud of our multi-faith day in Year 8 which gives our students the opportunity to experience a range of differing religions and the British cultures associated with these religions.

Marling School strives endlessly to ensure that its students leave with the strongest foundation of values upon which to build a successful life and a successful contribution to our society.

Policies

All schools are required to have a clear set of policies and procedures. Some are a statutory requirement for schools and some are designed to ensure we follow best practice in all aspects of our operation. These policies and procedures provide a firm foundation for the day-to-day running of the school and enable students, staff, governors and parents to work together for the benefit of the education of our students.

As an academy, Marling School is also required to publish an annual report, annual audited accounts, a memorandum of association, articles of association, names of charity trustees and members and a funding agreement. In September 2016, Marling School became a member of the Cotswold Beacon Academy Trust and ceased to publish separate documents. These documents can be found on the Documents page of the Cotswold Beacon Academy Trust website, www.cbat.academy

Please click on the links below to view our policies.

If you would like to see a copy of the Annual Report and Financial Statement, please refer to www.cbat.academy

READ OUR LATEST OFSTED REPORTClick Here

Marling School Governors

Marling School’s governing body, and the leadership team, share a challenging vision for the school of raising aspirations, inspiring excellence and succeeding together.

We want Marling School to be an exceptional and inclusive school which is the destination of choice for able students in the local area and beyond. We aim to provide unique opportunities for every student to excel, and we encourage, challenge and support them to achieve their full academic potential and become lifelong independent learners. As future citizens, we wish to imbue the moral values, confidence and resilience needed to define and achieve their life aspirations through both future employment and as members of the society in which they live.

Through rigorous governance of the school’s improvement plan and budget, and through support and challenge of the leadership team, we will help the school to achieve its potential in a cost effective and sustainable way. We believe that school improvement is underpinned by sharing best practise and we will proactively seek opportunities to grow our capability and capacity through alliances and partnerships.

Our Governors are:

Mr Chris Baldwin - Chair (Pupil Premium & Attendance)
Mr Glen Balmer - Headteacher
Mrs Holly Bedford - Staff Governor
Mrs Alison Campbell-Black - Parent Governor (Pupil Premium)
Mrs Rebecca Castledine - Parent Governor (Curriculum)
Mr David Hayward (Pastoral care)
Mr Nick Lythgoe (Health & Safety)
Mr Rob May (Careers & Equality)
Mrs Clare Steel (Safeguarding & SEN)
Mr Ian Townsend (IT inc online safety)

If you would like to contact any member of the School Development Board, please email Hannah Kelly, the Clerk to the Governors, at hjk@marling.school

Key Information

Please click on the documents below for further information on Marling's School Development Board:

Governing Body Public Minutes

From September 2018, ratified minutes of the School Development Board meetings will be published on the website for approx. 18 months, owing to space restrictions. If you would like to see a copy of the ratified SDB minutes prior to this, but after Academy conversion, please contact the Clerk to Governors at Marling School: Hannah Kelly (HJK@marling.school).

Marling School Parent Staff Association

The Marling Parent and Staff Association (Marling PSA) is a voluntary organisation entirely made up of parents of Marling School students and a number of very dedicated School staff.

We have the interests of our students at heart and take great pride in our School. A number of times a year we run activities that raise money to assist the School with the funding of educational items that fall outside normal funding mechanisms. Over the last year the PSA has spent over £10,000 on extra equipment such as new Library books, IT for the PE department, stage lighting for the School Hall, camera equipment for the Art department and Art display units. The PSA also pay for the School Minibus, a vital resource for the School.

Please join us to support the School as much as we can. To contact the PSA, please email marlingpta@gmail.com

Easyfundraising The PSA are registered with easyfundraising. This means that if you buy items from websites such as Amazon, M&S and Tesco Direct through the easyfundraising website the PSA will automatically receive a charitable contribution. This works for personal purchases and can also be used to purchase items for your business or workplace. This is a very simple and easy way to raise money for the School so please make use of the easyfundraising link whenever you purchase online.

Second Hand Uniform

The 2nd hand uniform store exists to provide affordable 2nd hand items for Marling parents and carers. All money raised goes towards funding school projects.

The stock will change frequently as items are sold and new items donated.
If you need an item of uniform, please contact the school office on reception@marling.school or marlinguniform@btinternet.com.
If you have any items to donate, please bring them to the school office or leave them in a labelled, sealed bag in the plastic crate in the school porch, outside Reception.

If you have any queries, please email marlinguniform@btinternet.com.

Thank you for your support.Marling PSA

PSA Standing Order & Gift Aid Form

If you are making a contribution to the PSA and you are a UK taxpayer, please complete the form below so that we can make up your contribution with a valuable tax rebate. Thank you.

Old Marlingtonians' Association

The Old Marlingtonians' Associaton (OMA) was formed in 1925 by the former Head of Marling School H.W. Carter (1919-1944) who was also the Association's President for its inaugural ten years.

One of the functions he wished the OMA to serve was "the providing for old boys and the School of opportunities for mutual service".

Through annual subscriptions and fundraising activities, the OMA have contributed several items towards the School including:

the World War I and II memorial boards in the School Hall
the lectern and oak chair in the School Hall
the Clock Tower on the Cricket Pavillion
the portrait of H.W. Carter to celebrate its Jubilee in 1975

More recent contributions include:

funding the re-mounting of the stone balls on the pillars which punctuate the railings
funding resources to protect the School archives
paying for the restoration of the Sir Samuel Stephens Marling portrait
funding equipment for the School Gym
paying for the specialist IT equipment needed to support the Music curriculum

Keep up to date with what is happening at Marling School by joining the Old Marlingtonians' Association. Please complete the form below and return to Jennie Varley, Membership Secretary (jennievarley@hotmail.com)

To contact the chair of the OMA, please email John Payne - johndurleypayne@gmail.com

OMA Sign Up Form

OMA Sign Up Form242.84 Kb

Marling History

The School was founded in 1887 through the generosity and public spirit of Sir Samuel Marling, Sir Francis Hyett, Mr S S Dickinson, and other local benefactors. Its roots, however, go much further back into the past, for it inherited the endowments of the Red Coat School which was founded in Stroud in 1642 by Thomas Webb, the St Chloe School founded at Amberley by Nathaniel Cambridge in 1699, and the educational charities established in the 17th and 18th centuries by William Johns, Robert Aldridge, and others.

By the Education Act of 1944 the School was constituted a Voluntary Controlled Grammar School under the Gloucestershire Education Committee. In 1965 the School was amalgamated with the Stroud Secondary Technical School for Boys which had itself been founded on a neighbouring site in 1910. The School thus became fully selective, four-form entry and Voluntary Controlled. Marling adopted Grant Maintained Status in 1990, converting to Foundation status under the aegis of the LEA in September 1999.

Marling School is an 11 to 18 boys' school with a current student population of 965. In 1996, Marling and Stroud High School collaborated at Sixth Form level, thereby enriching the curriculum and options available to their students. As both schools have grown significantly in student numbers, this collaboration now comes to an end as both schools embark on offering their own co-educational 6th forms from September 2019. The School has a wide range of clubs and activities for all year groups, covering educational and cultural opportunities in addition to leisure and recreational based interests. In recent years school expeditions and trips have visited the continents of Africa, Asia and the Americas in addition to Modern Language exchange visits to Europe, Geography trips to Iceland and Skiing in Europe and Canada.

Marling has always had a significant role to play in the community and intends to further these links in the future.

House System

The Marling School House System was established in 1966 with four houses: Carter, Elliott, Fuller and Greenstreet. The houses were named after previous Headteachers of the School. Bennett house was introduced in 2015, named after a student Marlingtonian, Eugene Bennett, who was awarded a Victoria Cross during the First World War.

Our houses lie at the centre of our school. New members of the school community are allocated to a house tutor group which they remain in for the duration of their time at school. In keeping with the school’s traditions, all siblings and children of former students will be allocated to the same house.

Each of our houses is a small community - together they make up our Marling community. In our houses we celebrate achievement, encourage creativity and value cooperation, so that we can develop our collective strength and talent. Through our house system students engage with and have a say on school life. Each tutor group elects a Student Council representative, who then participates in Student Council meetings with fellow house reps across the school. In addition, each tutor group nominates a sports rep; an environment rep, who takes part in the Eco Committee; and a Culture & Diversity rep, who is part of a group working to celebrate diversity and make our school an inclusive community.

We also take part in a wide variety of house activities, such as House Music and House Drama. Throughout the year students compete in a range of sporting competitions from cross country to house rugby to Sports Day athletics, culminating in the award of the House Cup in the summer term.

Each house has an associated colour, worn by students on their individual ties and PE uniforms. In 2020 we launched House Crests, thanks to the work of student Arthur Early and the staff Heads of House team. Wyatt Sell, a current student, also designed Varsity Style logos as an alternative to the crests. Based on the historical significance of the names of the houses, the symbols represent the houses as follows:

Bennett - represented by the colour purple and the Victoria Cross
Carter - represented by the colour blue and symbolised by a greyhound
Elliott - symbolised by an elephant and represented by the colour yellow
Fuller - represented by the colour red and a beacon on fire
Greenstreet - a swift is the house symbol and green is, of course, their colour

Each house has a member of staff as House Leader, whose role is to support the running of events, encourage fundraising for the annual house charities, and celebrate students’ achievements. This year’s house charities are local charities Stroud District Foodbank, The Long Table and Teens In Crisis

Our Houses

Motto: Vestigia Nulla Retrorsum which translates as Never a Backward Step

Bennett house was founded in 2015 and was named after a Marlingtonian, Eugene Bennett, who was awarded the Victoria Cross during the First World War. Being part of Bennett house, our values reflect that of Eugene Bennett: Bravery, Leadership, and Integrity. Each member of the house will reflect these values in everything that they set out to do.

Head of House - Mr Koller

Motto: Aut viam inveniam aut faciam, Ex nihilo nihil which translates to I will either find a way or make one, nothing comes from nothing.

Each member of Elliott house embraces their mantra, as it reflects the attitude they hold: they are masters of their own destiny. Every member of Elliott takes pride in working hard and helping their peers achieve their potential through teamwork.

“As a house we embrace every opportunity and make sure we fully commit to the excellent academic and extra-curricular opportunities available at Marling. We take part in all the house competitions and always compete well.’

Head of House - Miss Dyke

Motto: Carpe Diem which translates to Seize the Day

The fuller motto embodies the Fuller attitude of resilience, dedication and effort. Fuller is the house that focuses on togetherness and a strong sense of community. A great emphasis is placed on the importance of mutual respect and high standards.

‘’Our aim is to do the best we can, in whatever we can. We are proud of who we are and what we do.’

Head of House - Mrs Bailey-Yip

Motto: Diligentia, Virtus, Patientia, Communitas translates to Hard work, Strength, Perseverance and Teamwork

Greenstreet students and staff embody the motto. Greenstreet pupils wear their uniform and green tie with pride. Our aim is to perform the best we can in and outside the classroom. We take part in all the house competitions competing with determination and always with a full team for events.

“You will be welcomed into the house and very quickly learn the house chant … GREEN - STREET. We look forward to seeing our new students wearing the legendary green tie when you start on your journey at Marling School’

Head of House - Mr Smith

Motto: Victoria Concordia Crescit which translates as Victory Through Harmony

Carter’s house philosophy is about recognising the importance of working together, helping each other and trying to get the best results possible through teamwork and application.

Head of House - Miss Warner

Cotswold Beacon Academy Trust

Marling School is a member of the Cotswold Beacon Academy Trust, a multi-academy trust currently including Berkeley Primary School, Cam Woodfield Junior School and Marling School.

The trust is also working on plans with the DfE and the Local Authority to open a new secondary school in the south of Gloucester.

Further details about the trust, its governance arrangements, and statutory documentation can be found on its website at www.cbat.academy