Marlwood School

Academy in Alveston, Gloucestershire, England

51°35′35″N 2°32′21″W / 51.5931°N 2.5391°W / 51.5931; -2.5391InformationTypeAcademyMottoWorking Together For Excellence (originally Disce Aut Discede, Latin for "Learn or Leave")Established1606; 418 years ago (1606)
(converted to academy in 2014)TrustCastle School Education TrustDepartment for Education URN141341 TablesOfstedReportsHeadteacherSeema PurewalGenderMixedAge11 to 16Enrollment441Capacity1,365Colour(s)Bottle green and maroon (grey blazer), House Colours: Blue, Red, Yellow, PurpleFormer nameThornbury Grammar SchoolWebsitemarlwood.com

5km
3miles

Marlwood School

Marlwood School (founded 1606) is a state-funded secondary school currently part of the CSET academy chain. Located at Alveston, South Gloucestershire, it is situated on the B3561 on the outskirts of the south-west of the village.

Marlwood School has around 500 pupils aged 11–16.

In its most recent Ofsted inspection, Marlwood was rated ‘Requires Improvement’ overall and ‘Good’ in 3 out of 4 measures, with the report noting that the school ‘is enjoying a new lease of life.’^[1]

History

Grammar school

The school was founded in 1606 as Thornbury Free School. In the following centuries, it was housed in a number of buildings throughout Thornbury. In 1879 the school merged with Attwell’s Free School to become Thornbury Grammar School, moving to buildings on Gloucester Road.^[2]

Comprehensive

Thornbury Grammar School was relocated to new buildings on the outskirts of neighbouring Alveston in 1972 where it received its first comprehensive intake and was renamed Marlwood School under the headship of Terry Fazey.^[2]

Academy

Marlwood School converted to academy status on 1 November 2014 and is now independent of local authority control. However, the school continues to coordinate with South Gloucestershire Council for admissions. The school is now part of the education trust CSET (Castle School Education Trust).^[3]

It was formerly a Beacon school and had attained the status of Science College, due to excellence at science.

Sixth form provision is shared with The Castle School and based in the old Thornbury Grammar School buildings.

News about the school is shared fortnightly through the Marlwood School Bulletin.

Notable alumni

Tony Britton – Actor
Sally Conway – Olympic medalist judoka^[4]
Paul Nicholls – Champion National Hunt Trainer^[5]
Miles Normandale – Rugby player ^[6]
Rhys Oakley – Welsh rugby player^[7]
John Pullin – England rugby captain^[8]
Wayne Thompson – Rugby player

Media

Marlwood School featured in the BBC Two series, School in November 2018.^[3] The head explained the impossible nature of improving a school, with declining numbers, a poor Ofsted judgement and annual cuts to an inadequate budget. He was filmed writing his resignation letter. This act was received favourably and with sympathy by fellow headteachers.^[9]

References

^ "Marlwood School Ofsted Report: January 2020". Ofsted.gov.uk.
^ ^a ^b "History - Thornbury Grammar School". Thornbury Grammar School. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
^ ^a ^b Weale, Sally (2 November 2018). "BBC film crew documents England's school funding crisis". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
^ Sims, Aaron (22 November 2016). "Olympic medallist Sally Conway inspires pupils in Thornbury and Alveston with school visits". Gazette Series. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
^ Iles, Rob (17 March 2011). "Interview with champion trainer Paul Nicholls ahead of the 2011 Cheltenham Festival". Gazette. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
^ www.uprisevsi.co.uk, upriseVSI. "Cardiff Blues cement relationship with Cardiff Met through Miles Normandale signing". upriseVSI. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
^ Cotton, Steven (13 March 2017). "Where are they now? The 15 familiar faces Bristol Rugby could come up against next season". Bristol Live. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
^ "Schoolfriends are reunited". Gazette. 20 January 2006. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
^ Ferguson, Donna (27 November 2018). "BBC headteacher tells of outpouring of sympathy after he resigned on TV". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 November 2018.

Histories

Taylor, L.G. (1979). THE HISTORY OF MARLWOOD SCHOOL (PDF). Stapleford.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
STAFFORD MORSE, B (1950). THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COUNTRY SCHOOL (PDF). Alveston, Gloucestershire.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)