Marlborough School, Sidcup

Good
Special
Community special school
Mixed
Ages 1119

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Dr Elizabeth Smith
Pupils:92 / 85 capacity
LA:Bexley
Phone:02083006896
Address:Marlborough Park Avenue, Sidcup, DA15 9DP
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open
Opened:1 January 1900

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 1 year ago
-

Overall

Inspected 10 June 2025View full report
URN:101487
UKPRN:10017876
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Old Bexley and Sidcup
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Marlborough School excels at understanding and meeting each pupil's unique needs through carefully planned, individualised learning. Staff are highly trained experts who teach communication skills in practical, everyday situations - from choosing snacks to using switches to request activities. The school goes far beyond academics, preparing pupils for independence and adulthood through life skills, enriching visits, and work experience opportunities.

Key Strengths

  • Exceptionally high quality, tailored education that meets each pupil's individual needs and starting points
  • Expert staff who use a wide range of communication strategies adapted to individual pupils, including symbols, photographs, gestures and speech
  • Outstanding approach to behaviour management with thoughtfully adapted classroom environments and well-established routines
  • Extensive enrichment activities including creative arts weeks, residential stays, work experience at local park, football club and café
  • Strong leadership that has improved standards through staff development and training

Safeguarding

Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with leaders prioritising pupil safety and creating an open and positive safeguarding culture.

Extracurricular Activities

Creative arts weeks, residential overnight stays, work experience at local park/football club/café, theatre visits, museum visits

Marlborough School is a wonderfully nurturing special school where pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties and autism are kept safe by well-qualified and caring staff. Evidence suggests the school's work has improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection.

At a Glance

33.9%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

Yes

Sixth Form

ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder, SLD - Severe Learning Difficulty, PMLD - Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty

SEN Provision

No

Special Measures

Class Sizes

0.0

Avg class size

0

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Train Stations

Sidcup Station (Entrance)
806m · 13 min walk
Sidcup Rail Station
852m · 14 min walk

Bus Stops

Marlborough Park Avenue (Stop T)
307m · 5 min walk
Oaklands Avenue (Stop U)
386m · 6 min walk
The Oval (Stop S)
414m · 7 min walk
Burnt Oak Lane / The Oval (->W)
467m · 8 min walk
Sherwood Park Avenue Surgery (->E)
476m · 8 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

108%

Over capacity

92 pupils

85 capacity

7 places over capacity

Area Demand Pressure - Sidcup

Low pressure
New homes approved:334
Projected new pupils:60

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Sidcup

Admissions Demand - Bexley

Low demand0.91x oversubscription

Places available

3,303

Applications

2,996

Got 1st preference

70.7%

Got preferred school

96.3%

Secondary admissions across Bexley (2025/26)

Inspection History(7)

10 June 2025
15 January 2020
12 January 2016

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

13.52368%

Overall absence

34.04255%

Persistent absence

47

Enrolments

Authorised10.23382%
Unauthorised3.28986%
Persistent (10%+)34.04255%
Severe (50%+)6.38298%

Absence trend

5.68895%
18/19
8.95372%
20/21
10.74438%
21/22
8.92412%
22/23
12.07417%
23/24
13.52368%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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