A smaller 11 to 16 secondary in Bath, this is a school where relationships matter and expectations are rising. Since Mrs Clare England’s appointment in June 2024, the leadership message has centred on aspiration, resilience and community, with a practical focus on safeguarding, behaviour, and a curriculum designed to widen options rather than narrow them early.
Academically, the headline is very strong progress at GCSE, with a Progress 8 score of 0.74. In FindMySchool’s GCSE outcomes ranking, the school sits in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile), while also placing 8th locally among Bath secondaries.
Alongside mainstream provision, two named specialist resource bases, Orchard Lodge and Bay Tree Lodge, make inclusion a defining feature rather than an add-on.
The tone is best understood through the school’s own language. Matthew 5:16, Let your light shine, is used repeatedly as a guiding phrase, and it is tied to a values framework of Aspiration, Resilience and Community. That framing makes the Christian character explicit without implying a narrow intake, it is more about identity, service and belonging than about exclusivity.
Pastoral structures are unusually visible on the public-facing website. The Sanctuary, a named chaplaincy space, is positioned as a quiet place for reflection that is used by students and staff at break and lunch, and the chaplain is identified by name (Sam Packer) with an external youth-work link. That is a concrete indicator of how faith is expressed day-to-day, less through formal statements and more through routines, relationships and accessible support.
The wider feel, based on formal observations, is calm and purposeful. The February 2022 inspection describes students who feel safe, behave well in lessons and around the school, and experience lessons that are rarely disrupted. This matters because a small school only works when behaviour and relationships are consistent, otherwise the lack of anonymity amplifies every issue.
A final cultural marker is the stated improvement journey. Both the headteacher’s welcome and the inspection narrative reference progress over time and rising expectations, which points to a school that has deliberately reset its baseline and is working to sustain it.
The most helpful way to read the outcomes is as a blend of solid overall attainment and unusually strong progress.
Ranked 1,327th in England and 8th in Bath for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This places performance in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile), which is a useful reality check against both hype and undue pessimism.
Progress 8 is 0.74, which indicates students make well above average progress from their starting points by the end of Key Stage 4. Average Attainment 8 is 50.6.
The average EBacc APS is 4.51 and the percentage achieving grades 5 or above across the EBacc is 21.6. The EBacc language in formal reporting is also important: the February 2022 inspection noted that EBacc entry was increasing and that curriculum planning was carefully sequenced.
A practical implication for families is that the school’s strongest academic story is progress, not simply raw grades. That tends to suit students who respond to structure, steady expectations, and well-planned teaching, including those whose attainment at 11 is not yet where it could be.
England ranks and key metrics (where available)
GCSE 9–7
—
% of students achieving grades 9-7
Curriculum intent is presented as both academic and practical: qualifications matter, and so do employability, resilience, and preparation for adult life. The official narrative repeatedly ties learning to future readiness and to the habits that support it, such as self-control, sustained effort, and participation in wider opportunities.
The February 2022 inspection gives detail that goes beyond generic claims. It highlights an ambitious curriculum with carefully planned subject sequencing and teaching that is typically grounded in strong subject knowledge. That is the positive headline. It also identifies a specific development need that parents should take seriously: when teachers deliver lessons outside their subject specialism, explanations are not always as secure, which can limit learning in those lessons.
For families, the implication is straightforward. The core of the offer is coherent and improving, but consistency can vary by subject and staffing. A sensible next step is to ask, at open events, how the school deploys specialists, what support exists for non-specialist teaching, and how subject leaders quality assure curriculum delivery.
Careers education is positioned as a structured journey rather than a last-minute Year 11 add-on. The careers section sets an expectation that students will experience meaningful encounters with employers and will secure a post-16 destination in employment, education or training.
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
St Mark’s presents post-16 planning as a partnership model. Rather than relying on a single on-site route, students are directed towards a set of local options including Hayesfield Mixed Sixth, Beechen Cliff Sixth Form, and the New Sixth, alongside other local providers.
The New Sixth is particularly relevant locally because it is described publicly as a collaborative sixth form provision supported by Bath and North East Somerset and developed with a joint-build approach. For students who want A-levels, the partnership framing can be a strength, it widens subject and pathway choice beyond what a small secondary typically delivers alone.
Because detailed destination breakdowns are not consistently published in a single, standardised format on the school’s pages, families should ask for the most recent leaver pathways at the Year 11 transition stage. The best questions are specific: how many students progressed to A-level routes versus vocational courses, what local colleges are most common, and what support exists for competitive applications such as medicine, engineering apprenticeships, or selective sixth forms.
Admissions for Year 7 are coordinated through Bath and North East Somerset. The school’s own admissions page states a closing date of 31 October 2025 for September 2026 entry, which aligns with the local authority secondary admissions timetable. National offer day is 1 March for on-time secondary applications.
Demand indicators in the available dataset show the school as oversubscribed, with 155 applications recorded against 73 offers, which is about 2.12 applications per place. The practical implication is that families should not assume entry is a formality, even for local applicants.
Open events are clearly signposted and structured. For the 2025 cycle, the school advertised an Open Evening on 16 September (6:30pm to 8:30pm) and an Open Morning on 26 September (9:00am to 11:00am). For families planning ahead, this suggests a consistent early-autumn pattern.
In addition, the school lists tour dates in 2026, including 10 March, 5 May and 23 June, with tours starting at 9:00am. When schools publish tours this late in the year, it is usually targeted at in-year applicants and families who are still deciding or relocating, rather than the main September intake.
A practical tip for parents is to use FindMySchool’s Map Search to sense-check travel time and daily logistics. Even without a published last-distance figure, the commute often decides whether a school works for a child over five years.
Applications
155
Total received
Places Offered
73
Subscription Rate
2.1x
Apps per place
Pastoral support is framed as a mix of formal structures and accessible spaces. The Sanctuary functions as a named chaplaincy and reflection space and is described as well-used by students and staff during unstructured times, which is when many pupils most need a quiet reset or an informal conversation.
The February 2022 inspection supports a positive picture of relationships. It describes constructive staff-student relationships, a productive working environment, and a culture where students report bullying as unusual and dealt with effectively when it occurs.
There is also a clear inclusion thread. Formal reporting describes a school that notes diversity, discourages sexist and homophobic language, and expects students to challenge it when it arises. In a mixed comprehensive setting, that kind of explicit norm-setting tends to be a meaningful day-to-day safeguard.
A smaller school can sometimes struggle to offer breadth. Here, the evidence suggests a deliberate attempt to provide signature experiences, plus a menu of clubs and enrichment that tie into confidence and character.
The school offers Bronze and states that Silver is being offered for a second year, with a named coordinator (Mr C Quirk). A practice expedition write-up describes a two-day walk with overnight camping and skills development such as navigation, teamwork and first aid. The implication is that outdoor challenge is used as a structured confidence-builder, not just a trip.
Students took part in the Bath Philosothon in February 2025, described as a discussion-based competition exploring philosophical ideas, hosted that year by Hayesfield. For families with verbally able students, that points to opportunities beyond standard classroom debate.
The school advertises an annual end-of-year Activities Week and, in one published example, set dates of 15 to 18 July 2024. The trips page references recent overseas destinations such as Barcelona, Paris and Madrid, plus regular UK trips including Kilve Court in Somerset and Morfa Bay.
A First Give programme is referenced in school news, and local partners are also visible through careers activity updates. This matters for students who gain motivation from real-world purpose and structured service.
A distinctive feature is the way specialist provision is not isolated from school life. Orchard Lodge and Bay Tree Lodge have named facilities including The Canopy sensory space, kitchen areas and an allotment patch, which suggests a practical, life-skills dimension alongside academic learning.
School opening hours are published as 8:00am to 4:00pm, with the taught day running from 8:30am to 3:00pm. The school advises students to arrive by 8:20am for registration readiness.
Transport-wise, the school highlights good train connections, proximity to Bristol International Airport, and access to the M4 and M5 motorway networks, which is most relevant for staff recruitment but also signals the broader connectivity of Bath for commuting families.
Competition for places. Demand data indicates oversubscription, around 2.12 applications per place in the recorded cycle, so families should apply with realistic expectations and a sensible back-up plan.
Subject consistency. Formal reporting identifies that lessons taught outside a teacher’s subject specialism can be less secure, which may affect experience in some subjects. Ask how the school mitigates this through staffing, coaching and curriculum support.
Post-16 is a partnership route. Students typically move on to sixth form or college options through local partnerships rather than a single, guaranteed on-site pathway. This suits students who are ready to choose among routes, but it does require planning and travel realism.
Faith character is real. The Sanctuary, chaplaincy, and spirituality-focused programming mean the Church of England identity has a visible footprint. Most families will find it inclusive, but it is worth checking fit if you prefer a fully secular approach.
St Mark's CofE School is a smaller Bath secondary with an improving trajectory, unusually strong GCSE progress, and a clear, practical approach to inclusion. The school’s identity is rooted in Christian values and a calm behavioural culture, with named pastoral spaces and well-signposted enrichment. It best suits families who want a structured, community-oriented comprehensive with strong progress measures, and who are comfortable with post-16 planning through local sixth form partnerships.
It has a Good judgement from its most recent graded inspection (February 2022) and a strong progress measure at GCSE, with Progress 8 at 0.74. The school’s FindMySchool GCSE outcomes ranking places it in line with the middle 35% of schools in England, and it ranks 8th locally in Bath.
Applications are made through Bath and North East Somerset’s coordinated secondary admissions process. The school’s admissions page lists 31 October 2025 as the closing date for September 2026 entry, and national offer day for on-time secondary applications falls on 1 March.
The headline strength is progress. Progress 8 is 0.74, indicating students make well above average progress from their starting points. Average Attainment 8 is 50.6, and EBacc indicators include an average EBacc APS of 4.51.
In addition to mainstream support, the school has named specialist resource bases, Orchard Lodge and Bay Tree Lodge, designed for students with Education, Health and Care Plans. The published description emphasises specialist teaching and targeted support, alongside opportunities to integrate into mainstream lessons where appropriate.
Post-16 progression is described as a partnership route. The school signposts local sixth form options including Hayesfield Mixed Sixth, Beechen Cliff Sixth Form, and the New Sixth, so students typically move on to the route that best matches their courses and aspirations rather than relying on a single on-site pathway.
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