Marden Vale CofE Academy

Marden Vale CofE Academy is a small, inclusive Church of England school that is performing securely overall. Safeguarding standards are met and all inspected areas meet the expected standard. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils, make positive progress from their starting points, and the school's work in early years, reading, behaviour, pastoral support and inclusion is notably strong. Leaders have a clear vision, staff feel well supported, and trust and local governors know the school well and hold leaders to account effectively. The main areas for development concern assessment precision and curriculum delivery. Checks on pupils' understanding are not always precise enough to address misconceptions promptly, and some pupils who are ready for more complex work are not moved on. Learning activities are not always sharply matched to curriculum goals. Published outcomes remain below national averages in several measures, disadvantaged pupils' gaps are still evident, and attendance and persistent absence remain above national averages despite concerted action. Important context includes the school's small size, high proportions of pupils eligible for free school meals and pupils with SEND, and its resourced provision. These factors help explain why published outcomes do not consistently reflect the quality of learning and progress pupils make.

Strengths

• Inclusive culture ensures pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils access support and enrichment.
• Broad, ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum across subjects.
• Strong early years provision with nurturing relationships and clear routines.
• Effective phonics and reading support helps pupils catch up quickly.
• Pupils behave well in calm, purposeful classrooms with consistent routines.
• Extensive oracy opportunities build vocabulary and confident communication.
• Strong pastoral support improves pupils' wellbeing, confidence and attendance habits.
• Leaders set the right priorities and provide high-quality professional development.
• Trust and local governors know the school well and hold leaders to account.
• Personal development curriculum teaches safety, health, British values and responsibility.
• Pupils feel safe and bullying is not tolerated.
• Leaders have rebuilt relationships with parents and the local community.

Areas for Improvement

• Assessment checks are not always precise enough to address misconceptions promptly.
• Some pupils who have secured learning are not moved on to more complex concepts.
• Learning activities are sometimes not well matched to intended curriculum goals.
• Published outcomes remain below national averages in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Disadvantaged pupils' performance gaps remain, particularly in reading and mathematics.
• Attendance and persistent absence remain above national averages despite leaders' efforts.
• Some pupils join with low attendance and need ongoing support to build positive habits.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Marden Vale CofE Academy attended 93.0% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 21.7% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

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, 0.7% of pupils at Marden Vale CofE Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

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 Marden Vale CofE Academy had 14.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 37.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

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, 33.6% of pupils at Marden Vale CofE Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 16.4% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

The school has resourced provision with 17 pupils.

Pupils by main type of need

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 primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Marden Vale CofE Academy received £10,663 and spent £10,774 for each of its 146 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £24,000 (£166 per pupil).

Across all 28 schools of Diocese of Salisbury Academy Trust, income was £7,549 and spending £7,556 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Calne · Wiltshire local authority: places and applications

Marden Vale CofE Academy is part of Diocese of Salisbury Academy Trust, which runs 28 schools. The nearest others:

• The Trinity Church of England Primary Academy Devizes
• Southbroom St James Academy Devizes
• St Bartholomew's Primary Academy Royal Wootton Bassett
• Shrewton CofE Primary School Salisbury
• St Nicholas Church of England Primary School Salisbury
• St. Peter's CE Primary Academy Salisbury
• Wilton CofE Primary School Salisbury
• St Martin's CofE Primary School Salisbury
• Whitesheet Church of England Primary Academy Warminster
• Broad Chalke CofE Primary School Salisbury

What is Marden Vale CofE Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Marden Vale CofE Academy is Expected standard, from an inspection in October 2026.

When was Marden Vale CofE Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Marden Vale CofE Academy was last inspected in October 2026.

How many pupils does Marden Vale CofE Academy have?

Marden Vale CofE Academy has 146 pupils on roll.

What age range does Marden Vale CofE Academy cover?

Marden Vale CofE Academy for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Marden Vale CofE Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 48% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Marden Vale CofE Academy?

Marden Vale CofE Academy is at William Street, Calne, Wiltshire, SN11 9BD.