Marsden Heights Community College, Nelson

In 2026, pupils at Marsden Heights Community College averaged an Attainment 8 score of 41.5, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.2 in Lancashire and 47 across England.

41% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 44% in Lancashire and 47% in England.

That is up from 40.3 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.14: pupils made above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 40.5, against 42.1 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 1.6 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 23 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and Art and Design.

For September 2026 entry, 209 families put Marsden Heights Community College as their first choice and 463 named it as one of their preferences, for 205 places offered. That is slightly more first choices than places. 23 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Marsden Heights Community College are Pendle Vale College (1.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 41.8); Sir John Thursby Community College (1.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 40.3); Ss John Fisher and Thomas More Roman Catholic High School (1.9 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 41.5); and Colne Primet Academy (2.1 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 37.1).

Marsden Heights Community College's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

Marsden Heights Community College is one of 98 schools run by United Learning Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 49 in 2024/25.

12 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Marsden Heights Community College (as of September 2025): 92% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that they would recommend the school (92%).

Of the 205 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 91% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 90% to a further education college, 1% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.

35.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 84.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 154 pupils (14.7%) received SEN support and 32 (3.1%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is a moderate learning difficulty.

Marsden Heights Community College had 45 teachers in 2026, one for every 23 pupils: fewer teachers per pupil than a typical secondary school, at about one for every 17.

The nearest railway station is Brierfield Rail Station, about 960 metres away (roughly a 12-minute walk).

7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Mansfield Crescent (opposite), 280 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 270 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Lancashire (109), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Marsden Heights Community College issued 127 suspensions, 12.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Marsden Heights Community College are Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy (0.3 miles); Nelson St Paul's Church of England Primary School (0.3 miles); St John Southworth RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy (0.4 miles); and Marsden Community Primary School (0.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.