Marylebone Boys’ School Review 2026: Central London boys’ secondary with a mixed sixth form

A purpose-built school a short walk from Paddington, Marylebone Boys’ School combines inner-city pace with a clear emphasis on structure and personal responsibility. It opened in September 2014 and now runs from Year 7 to Year 13, with boys in the main school and a mixed sixth form.

The buildings and location shape daily life. Westminster’s own secondary admissions guide highlights two sports halls, a rooftop pitch and gym equipment, plus proximity to major transport links.

Academically, GCSE outcomes sit above England average by the measures available, with a positive Progress 8 score. A-level outcomes, by contrast, are weaker against England averages in the latest dataset provided. Taken together, the picture is of a school that is stronger up to GCSE, with sixth form choice needing closer scrutiny for fit and subjects.

The school’s culture is built around calm routines and explicit expectations. In the most recent inspection, pupils were described as polite and respectful, behaviour around the building was reported as calm, and students said bullying was rare and dealt with quickly when it occurred.

A distinctive pastoral feature is the “two nominated adults” approach, giving each pupil two named members of staff they can speak to if they are worried. That model matters in a busy, highly connected part of London where journeys are longer and pupils may be navigating crowded public spaces before and after school.

Westminster’s admissions booklet also signals the school’s own language around identity and habits, including an explicit “three Ps” culture of professionalism, positivity and productivity. The framing is straightforward: a warm welcome, paired with an expectation that pupils contribute to both their own outcomes and the wider community.

Marylebone Boys’ School’s GCSE performance sits above England average on the headline measures provided. Attainment 8 is 52.4 and Progress 8 is +0.16, indicating that, on average, pupils make above-average progress from their starting points.

Ranked 966th in England and 14th in Westminster for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data)

This places the school comfortably within the top 25% of schools in England for this measure, meaning outcomes are above England average overall.

The Ebacc average point score is 4.85 compared with an England average of 4.08 provided, suggesting relatively stronger performance in the combination of Ebacc subjects where entries are made.

The sixth form picture is more challenging. Ranked 2,210th in England and 20th in Westminster for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data). This places outcomes below England average overall by this ranking.

On grades, 26.85% of entries are A* to B, compared with an England average of 47.2% provided. At the very top end, A* plus A totals 11.11% (2.31% A* plus 8.8% A), compared with an England average of 23.6% for A* plus A.

Implication for families: if your priority is strong GCSE outcomes and a structured secondary experience, the data supports considering this school seriously. If sixth form is central to your plan, the numbers make it sensible to look closely at subject-level performance, support, and the likely outcomes for the pathways your child is targeting.

Teaching and curriculum intent come through clearly in the latest inspection evidence. The curriculum is described as ambitious and well designed, with careful thinking in most subjects about what pupils need to know, when they revisit it, and how that knowledge is secured over time. Where this is working well, it supports retention and confidence, particularly as content becomes more complex at GCSE and A-level.

Reading is treated as a whole-school priority. Pupils talk enthusiastically about books, and targeted support is in place for those who need to catch up, with the aim of improving accuracy and confidence.

There are, however, clear development points that matter for day-to-day learning. In a few subjects, curriculum end points are less clear and sequencing is not fully established, which can lead to weaker consolidation of knowledge. Separately, some teachers were identified as not communicating behavioural expectations consistently, which can affect classroom focus when routines are not reinforced in the same way across lessons.

Most pupils stay on into the sixth form, and the latest inspection notes that almost all of those students progress to universities of their choice.

Looking at published destination outcomes for the 2023 to 2024 leaver cohort (where available), 61% progressed to university, 13% entered employment, 3% progressed to further education, and 2% started apprenticeships.

Oxbridge outcomes provided are very small in volume. Two applications were recorded, one offer was made and one student accepted. With cohorts of this size, single students can materially change year-to-year rates, so it is best read as evidence that Oxbridge is possible, rather than a defining feature of the school’s destination profile.

For parents weighing sixth form options, the practical approach is to ask for subject availability, entry requirements, and recent outcomes in your child’s likely A-level combination. A strong GCSE profile does not automatically translate into the right sixth form fit for every student.

Year 7 entry is via the Pan-London coordinated admissions process through your home local authority. Westminster’s published timeline for September 2026 entry states that applications open on 01 September 2025 and close on 31 October 2025, with outcomes released on 02 March 2026.

The school’s published admission number for September 2026 is 150.

Oversubscription criteria, after pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school, are set out in Westminster’s brochure and follow a standard pattern: looked-after and previously looked-after children first, then children of staff in specific shortage roles, then siblings, and then distance. The distance measure is unusual in its reference point: distance is measured in a straight line from the home address point to a specified main entrance point used by Westminster for this process, with random allocation used as a tie-break where distances are equal.

Demand varies year to year. In Westminster’s “how places were offered” summary for 2025, total applications submitted were 226 and all applicants were offered a place. This is useful context for families who assume central London schools are always heavily oversubscribed, although it should not be relied on as a predictor for later years.

Open events are typically scheduled in late September and early October. For 2026 entry information, Westminster listed an open evening in late September and open mornings in the following week, with registration encouraged but not compulsory. Dates change annually, so it is sensible to check the school’s website for the current cycle.

Parents considering the school should use the FindMySchool Map Search to check realistic travel times and how location may play into distance-based allocation in years when demand is higher.

Pastoral care is more than an add-on here. The inspection evidence points to pupils feeling safe and well looked after, supported by clear safeguarding culture and staff alertness to risk. The latest Ofsted inspection confirmed safeguarding arrangements were effective.

The “two nominated adults” model is a practical mechanism that can make disclosure easier for pupils who may not want to raise concerns with a form tutor or a single known member of staff. Combined with calm corridors and reported trust that staff will act when bullying occurs, it suggests a culture where issues are expected to be surfaced and addressed rather than normalised.

The school also positions wider development as a deliberate programme, including teaching about healthy relationships and resilience through challenging academic habits such as redrafting, handling setbacks, and engaging with demanding texts.

The co-curricular offer is unusually specific for an inspection document, which helps parents assess what pupils actually do after the last bell. Activities named include Ancient Greek, choir, cooking, guitar, jazz, Manga and pottery, alongside sport such as badminton.

Two features stand out. First, the school uses enrichment as a vehicle for both breadth and identity, which matters in a boys’ school where motivation can be helped by practical, creative and performance outlets alongside traditional academics. Second, the provision appears to be well attended, with the inspection report stating that almost all pupils attend the wide range of after-school and enrichment activities.

The physical environment supports this broader programme. Westminster’s admissions guide points to two sports halls, a rooftop pitch and gym equipment, which is a meaningful advantage for an urban site with limited ground space.

For families comparing opportunities across local schools, the FindMySchool local hub and Comparison Tool can be useful for benchmarking GCSE outcomes and post-16 performance side by side.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Families should still plan for the usual costs, including uniform, trips, and optional extras such as music tuition or enrichment-related activities, where applicable.

Travel is a genuine strength. Westminster highlights Paddington and Edgware Road as the nearest Underground stations, with extensive public transport connectivity in the immediate area.

The school day start and finish times are not published in the official sources reviewed for this profile. For families planning childcare, travel and after-school commitments, it is sensible to confirm the timetable directly with the school.

• Sixth form outcomes are weaker than GCSE outcomes. The A-level ranking and grade distribution sit below England averages provided, so families should check subject availability, support and progression routes carefully for post-16 plans.

• Distance rules can be hard to intuit. In oversubscription years, allocation uses a straight-line distance measure to a defined reference point, with random allocation as a tie-break for equal distances. This can make outcomes feel less predictable than a simple “nearest school” assumption.

• A boys’ main school with a mixed sixth form is a specific social model. Some students thrive with boys-only learning through GCSE, then benefit from a broader peer mix post-16; others prefer co-education throughout.

• Open events and deadlines move each year. Westminster’s dates show the typical cycle, but families should verify the current year’s open events and any supplementary requirements via official channels.

Marylebone Boys’ School offers a structured, high-expectations secondary experience in a modern setting, with behaviour, safeguarding culture and enrichment standing out as clear strengths. GCSE outcomes and progress measures support the view that pupils can achieve well here, particularly when they respond positively to clear routines and ambitious teaching. The sixth form picture is less compelling on published outcomes, so post-16 fit merits careful checking by subject and pathway.

Best suited to families who want a boys’ secondary through GCSE in central London, value calm behaviour and pastoral clarity, and are prepared to engage actively with post-16 options rather than assuming the sixth form is automatically the best route.