The Mark Way School
The Mark Way School is a community special school in Andover for pupils aged 11 to 16. It has 118 pupils on roll. The latest Ofsted rating for The Mark Way School is Outstanding, from an inspection in May 2025.
Ofsted inspection: May 2025.
| Type | Special School / Community special school |
| Age Range | 11-16 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | Batchelors Barn Road Andover Hampshire SP10 1HR |
| Phone | 01264351835 |
| Reference Number | 116641 |
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 118 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 76.27%
Girls: 23.73% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 55.9% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 8.5% |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 15 | 5 | 20 |
| 8 | 23 | 11 | 34 |
| 9 | 18 | 4 | 22 |
| 10 | 19 | 5 | 24 |
| 11 | 15 | 3 | 18 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 83.9% |
| White, Other | 5.1% |
| African | 2.5% |
| Asian, Other | 2.5% |
| Chinese | 0.8% |
| White & Asian | 0.8% |
| White & Black (African) | 0.8% |
| Mixed, Other | 0.8% |
The Mark Way School has been rated as outstanding in all areas of performance, reflecting its effective support and preparation of pupils for future challenges. The school effectively integrates personal development, academic skills, and emotional support, ensuring that pupils develop independence, resilience, and a positive attitude towards learning. The careful planning and organization of the curriculum, alongside highly skilled staff, enables pupils to thrive and achieve meaningful qualifications, preparing them for further education.
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Outstanding |
| > Quality of education | Outstanding |
| > Behaviour & Attitude | Outstanding |
| > Personal Development | Outstanding |
| > Leadership & Management | Outstanding |
| Last Report Date | 11 Mar 2025 – no overall grade published for this inspection |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 11 Mar 2025 | School inspection |
| 25 Feb 2020 | School inspection: |
| 23 May 2018 | Short inspection |
| 07 May 2014 | Full inspection: |
| 25 Jun 2012 | Full inspection: |
| 07 Mar 2012 | Monitoring visit |
| 02 Nov 2011 | Monitoring visit |
| 05 Jul 2011 | Monitoring visit |
| 03 Feb 2011 | Monitoring visit |
| 05 Jul 2010 | Full inspection: |
| 06 Feb 2007 | Full inspection: |
| 29 Apr 2002 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Exceptional preparation for future lives of pupils.
- Highly effective communication and support systems.
- Impressive personal development programs that include diverse activities.
- Staff maintain high expectations and foster a collaborative atmosphere.
- Pupils develop independence and resilience through tailored support.
- A broad range of accreditation options and functional skills focus.
Destinations after GCSE's
| Staying in Education | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| > Further Education | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| > School Sixth Form | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| > Sixth Form College | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| > Other Education | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Apprenticeships | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Employment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Not in education or employment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Unknown | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
In 2024–25 pupils at The Mark Way School attended 93.5% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 17.4% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).
Sessions missed
Pupils persistently absent
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Authorised absence | 5.8% | 5.0% | 4.2% | 5.1% | 5.1% | 4.9% | 19.6% | 5.8% | 5.2% | 5.0% | 5.1% |
| Unauthorised absence | 2.0% | 2.5% | 0.8% | 2.3% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 1.7% | 1.8% | 2.9% | 3.6% | 1.4% |
| Severely absent pupils | 2.7% | 2.7% | 0.0% | 1.4% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.2% | 0.0% | 3.1% | 4.6% | 2.5% |
Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.
In 2024–25, 2.5% of pupils at The Mark Way School were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.
Pupils suspended at least once
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspensions per 100 pupils | 62.7 | 32.4 | 0.0 | 4.3 | 15.5 | 19.2 | 15.3 | 7.0 | 2.7 | 2.6 | 5.1 | 8.4 | 6.0 | 4.3 | 7.5 | 4.2 |
| Permanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.
In 2025–26 The Mark Way School had 7.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 18.4% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.5%).
Pupils per teacher
Teachers who left the school within a year
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils per adult | 7.6 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| Teachers who left state teaching | 20.4% | 18.5% | 20.4% | 23.3% | 18.6% | 20.0% | 17.0% | 9.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 8.1% | 0.0% | 12.6% | – |
| Teachers who took any sick leave | 40.0% | 50.0% | 10.0% | 30.0% | 25.0% | 27.3% | 50.0% | 69.2% | 50.0% | – | 61.5% | 53.8% | 73.3% | 68.4% | 70.0% | – |
| Sick days per teacher | 0.8 | 9.6 | 12.8 | 18.9 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 1.8 | – | 1.8 | 1.2 | 3.1 | 4.3 | 13.3 | – |
Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.
In 2025–26 The Mark Way School had 118 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).
It says it provides for: moderate learning difficulty.
Pupils by main type of need
| EHC plan | |
|---|---|
| Moderate learning difficulty | 39 |
| Speech, language and communication needs | 28 |
| Autistic spectrum disorder | 24 |
| Social, emotional and mental health | 14 |
| Severe learning difficulty | 6 |
| Specific learning difficulty | 4 |
| Down's syndrome | 2 |
| Multi-sensory impairment | 1 |
Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded special school schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.
In 2025–26 The Mark Way School received £22,211 and spent £19,957 for each of its 118 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £725,000 (£6,145 per pupil).
Income per pupil
Spending per pupil
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue reserve | £94,000 | £57,000 | £119,000 | £230,000 | £356,000 | £306,000 | £459,000 | £725,000 |
| per pupil | £1,218 | £723 | £1,430 | £2,741 | £3,824 | £2,864 | £3,891 | £6,145 |
| In-year balance | £19,000 | -£37,000 | £62,000 | £112,000 | £125,000 | -£49,000 | £153,000 | £266,000 |
| per pupil | £250 | -£464 | £742 | £1,328 | £1,348 | -£459 | £1,294 | £2,254 |
Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).
| Name | Distance |
|
Norman Gate School
Vigo Road, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 1JZ |
0.13 miles |
|
Vigo Primary School
Vigo Road, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 1JZ |
0.19 miles |
|
Andover Church of England Primary School
East Street, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 1EP |
0.44 miles |
|
Wolverdene Special School
22 Love Lane, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 2AF |
0.51 miles |
|
Anton Junior School
Barlows Lane, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 2HA |
1.01 miles |
|
Anton Infant School
Wellesley Road, Anton Infant School, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 2HF |
1.02 miles |
|
Knights Enham Nursery and Infant School
King Arthurs Way, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 4BS |
1.13 miles |
|
The Knights Enham Junior School
King Arthur's Way, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 4BS |
1.15 miles |
|
Pilgrims' Cross CofE Aided Primary School
Picket Twenty Way, Picket Twenty, Picket Twenty Way, Andover, Hampshire, SP11 6TY |
1.21 miles |
|
Roman Way Primary School
Roman Way, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 5JY |
1.26 miles |
|
Endeavour Primary School
East Anton Farm Road, Andover, Hampshire, SP11 6RD |
1.31 miles |
|
St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School, Andover
Floral Way, Salisbury Road, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 3PF |
1.57 miles |
|
Balksbury Infant School
Floral Way, Salisbury Road, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 3QP |
1.58 miles |
|
Balksbury Junior School
Floral Way, Salisbury Road, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 3QP |
1.59 miles |
|
Portway Junior School
Upper Drove, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 3NA |
1.79 miles |
|
Portway Infant School
Ashfield Road, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 3PE |
1.79 miles |
|
Clatford Church of England Primary School
Village Street, Goodworth Clatford, Andover, Hampshire, SP11 7RE |
2.32 miles |
|
Wherwell Primary School
Wherwell, Andover, Hampshire, SP11 7JP |
3.01 miles |
|
Abbotts Ann Church of England Primary School
Duck Street, Abbotts Ann, Andover, Hampshire, SP11 7FE |
3.27 miles |
|
Longparish Church of England Primary School
Longparish, Andover, Hampshire, SP11 6PB |
3.5 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Lift Winton
London Road, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 2PS |
0.13 miles |
|
Icknield School
River Way, Andover, Hampshire, SP11 6LT |
0.55 miles |
|
Rookwood School
Weyhill Road, Andover, SP10 3AL |
1.15 miles |
|
Harrow Way Community School
Harrow Way, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 3RH |
1.55 miles |
|
John Hanson Community School
Floral Way, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 3PB |
1.63 miles |
|
Farleigh School
Red Rice, Andover, SP11 7PW |
3.27 miles |
All schools in Andover · Hampshire local authority: places and applications
What is The Mark Way School's Ofsted rating?
The latest Ofsted rating for The Mark Way School is Outstanding, from an inspection in May 2025.
When was The Mark Way School last inspected by Ofsted?
The Mark Way School was last inspected in May 2025.
How many pupils does The Mark Way School have?
The Mark Way School has 118 pupils on roll.
What age range does The Mark Way School cover?
The Mark Way School for pupils aged 11 to 16.
Where is The Mark Way School?
The Mark Way School is at Batchelors Barn Road, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 1HR.