Academy sponsor led · Lancashire

Marsden Heights Community College

11–16Ages
1,047Pupils
SecondaryPhase
146276URN

Edge End Lane, Nelson, BB9 0PR · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Oct 2023 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.3per place

0.3 below Lancashire median (2.5)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in LancashireSelective

463 applications for 205 places · 55th of 81 in Lancashire

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

41.5of 90

Lancashire 43.8 England 46.0

56th of 81 in Lancashire

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 3 October 2023Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

2.3applications per place, Year 7

0.3 below Lancashire median (2.5) close to England median (2.2)

463 applications · 205 places offered · 209 named it first

HistoryEarlier years not shown: formed from, or split from, other schools.

2026 2.3; Lancashire median median 2.6
2025 2.3; Lancashire median median 2.7
2024 2.3; Lancashire median median 2.6
2023 1.9; Lancashire median median 2.6
2022 1.9; Lancashire median median 2.5
2021 2.0; Lancashire median median 2.6
2020 1.9; Lancashire median median 2.8; as the previous school
2019 1.9; Lancashire median median 2.7; as the previous school
2018 1.8; Lancashire median median 2.6; as the previous school
2017 1.8; Lancashire median median 2.7; as the previous school
2016 1.9; Lancashire median median 2.7; as the previous school
2015 2.0; Lancashire median median 2.7; as the previous school
2014 2.0; Lancashire median median 2.6; as the previous school

More applications per place than the Lancashire median in 0 of 6 years.

This school
Lancashire median

Dashed bars: as Marsden Heights Community College (URN 134990), the previous school.

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	205	463	2.3	209	1.02
Sep 2025	207	479	2.3	227	1.10
Sep 2024	206	472	2.3	209	1.01
Sep 2023	210	399	1.9	173	0.82
Sep 2022	208	389	1.9	163	0.78
Sep 2021	205	400	2.0	157	0.77
Sep 2020 *	208	397	1.9	141	0.68
Sep 2019 *	209	401	1.9	134	0.64
Sep 2018 *	206	372	1.8	127	0.62
Sep 2017 *	209	379	1.8	129	0.62
Sep 2016 *	209	391	1.9	147	0.70
Sep 2015 *	164	321	2.0	120	0.73
Sep 2014 *	192	384	2.0	165	0.86

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

209 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)41.556th of 81 in Lancashire

Lancashire 43.8 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths41%38th of 81 in Lancashire

Lancashire 39% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths57%

Lancashire 64% England 66%

This school
Lancashire median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)+0.14

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	209	41.5	41%	57%	–
2024/25	210	40.3	33%	54%	–
2023/24	205	40.1	34%	58%	+0.14
2022/23	208	41.5	39%	59%	+0.10

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Marsden Heights Community CollegeThis school
This school

Good2023

2.3applications per place 41.5Attainment 8
Pendle Vale College
2.5 km · Lancashire

2026

2.4applications per place 41.8Attainment 8
Sir John Thursby Community College
2.6 km · Lancashire

Good2023

1.9applications per place 40.3Attainment 8
Ss John Fisher and Thomas More Roman Catholic High School
3.1 km · Lancashire

2026

3.1applications per place 41.5Attainment 8
Colne Primet Academy
3.3 km · Lancashire

2026

3.7applications per place 37.1Attainment 8
Blessed Trinity Roman Catholic College, A Voluntary Academy
3.7 km · Lancashire

2026

3.1applications per place 40.1Attainment 8
Unity College
5.0 km · Lancashire

Requires improvement2024

2.5applications per place 38.0Attainment 8
Burnley High School
5.8 km · Lancashire

2026

4.6applications per place 38.9Attainment 8
Shuttleworth College
6.0 km · Lancashire

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.3applications per place 38.0Attainment 8

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Academy sponsor led
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 146276 · 888/4023
Trust: United Learning Trust
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 1,050 pupils · 1,047 on roll
Free school meals: 35.4% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 November 2020
Replaced: Marsden Heights Community College (URN 134990)
Address: Edge End Lane, Nelson, BB9 0PR
Local authority: Lancashire · Pendle

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources