Marish Primary School Review 2026: Elite KS2 outcomes, large-school breadth, strong wraparound

High attainment and a very large intake shape the day-to-day experience here. In 2024, 81.67% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at Key Stage 2, compared with an England average of 62%. The higher standard figure is also striking, at 40.67% versus 8% nationally. In FindMySchool’s primary performance rankings (based on official data), this places Marish 220th in England and 2nd in Slough, a level that sits among the highest-performing in England (top 2%).

The school is part of Marish Academy Trust, and is the lead school within the trust. Leadership roles are clearly structured, with Miss A. Court listed as Headteacher and Mrs G. Denham as Executive Headteacher.

Families also tend to notice the practical advantage: wraparound runs early and late, with Breakfast Club from 7:00am and after-school provision through Meerkats, alongside dedicated nursery timings. That breadth suits working households, although it also means routines and timings vary a little by phase.

Marish operates at a scale that feels closer to a small secondary than a typical primary. The published capacity is 806, and the school’s organisation reflects that, with multiple pastoral and inclusion roles alongside senior leaders. For some pupils, this creates welcome breadth, more friendship options, and a wide menu of opportunities. For others, especially those who prefer a smaller setting, it can take longer to feel fully “known” unless families engage actively with class staff and support teams.

The school’s tone is strongly shaped by personal development and wellbeing work that is described in practical terms rather than generalities. The trust states that Personal, Social, Health and Economic education is embedded across school life, taught through weekly lessons using the Jigsaw PSHE programme, with an emphasis on emotional literacy, relationships, diversity, and pupils’ wellbeing. That intent matters in a large setting, because shared language and routines become the glue.

Pastoral initiatives are presented as everyday, pupil-facing systems. Lunchtime Buddies is a good example: the school describes lunchtime as less structured for some children, and uses a volunteer buddy approach to help pupils join in positive play, support those feeling lonely, and build confidence. Over 100 children signed up in the year described in the school’s document, suggesting that leadership roles are normalised rather than reserved for a small group.

Marish’s strongest headline is Key Stage 2 attainment. In 2024, 81.67% reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with 62% across England. The scaled scores reinforce that picture: reading 110 and maths 110, both well above the usual England benchmark of 100. Grammar, punctuation and spelling is also high at 113.

The higher standard measure is where the school looks particularly distinctive. In 2024, 40.67% achieved the higher standard in reading, writing and maths, compared with an England average of 8%. For families with academically confident children, that gap signals plenty of stretch and a cohort where working at greater depth is common rather than exceptional.

Rankings add useful context for parents comparing across the borough. Marish is ranked 220th in England and 2nd in Slough for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), placing it among the highest-performing in England (top 2%).

Inspection judgement is a separate lens. The latest Ofsted inspection (10 May 2022) rated the school Good overall, with Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding, and Quality of education, Personal development, Leadership and management, and Early years provision all judged Good.

The attainment profile suggests a curriculum that is well sequenced and consistently taught across year groups, which is not trivial at this size. The school’s published PSHE intent also signals a focus on learning habits: resilience, responsible choices, relationships, and self-awareness are presented as teachable skills, not simply expectations. In practice, this is likely to show up in classroom routines, behaviour consistency, and how staff handle pupil friendships and conflict.

For pupils in the junior years, enrichment is structured rather than ad hoc. The Children’s University framework, adopted by the trust, is a good example of how learning beyond lessons is systematised. Children aged 7 to 14 can earn credits for out-of-hours learning and work towards Bronze, Silver, and Gold awards based on hours accumulated. That sort of structure suits pupils who respond well to clear milestones and recognition.

Nursery and Reception operate on clear published timings, which suggests a planned early years model rather than a generic wraparound approach. Nursery offers morning, afternoon and full-time options on defined session times, while Reception includes a soft start and a consistent dismissal time. Nursery fees are not published in the material reviewed, so families should check the school website directly; eligible families may be able to access government-funded early education hours.

As a primary school in Slough, most pupils will transfer to local state secondaries, with applications made through coordinated admissions in the usual way. The school’s admissions guidance also notes that some children go on to Slough grammar schools, but that Marish does not tutor for the 11-plus. The school points families to the Slough grammar consortium process, with tests taking place in September and results released before the common application deadline.

For families considering grammar routes, the key practical implication is timing. Decisions and preparation start earlier than many parents expect, and application windows are not aligned to primary routines. If grammar is a serious possibility, it is worth mapping out the Year 5 timeline early and being realistic about the level of independent preparation required, even if the school itself does not provide formal tutoring.

Reception entry is coordinated by Slough Borough Council, and the school explicitly notes that Reception places for September 2026 remain managed by the local authority. The council’s published timetable for 2026 to 2027 entry shows the application window opening on 1 September 2025, with the national closing date of 15 January 2026. Offers are scheduled for 16 April 2026, with an acceptance deadline of 30 April 2026.

Demand is material. For the school’s primary entry route data, 137 applications were recorded for 64 offers, and the route is described as oversubscribed, at 2.14 applications per place. This does not by itself tell you the precise cut-off distance in a given year, and no last distance offered figure is available here, so families should treat proximity as helpful but not rely on assumptions.

In-year admissions are handled differently from before. The school states that from September 2025, the local authority no longer coordinates in-year admissions, and directs families to read the admissions policy and apply via the school’s process for the 2025 to 2026 academic year. This is a practical detail that matters if you are moving into the area mid-year.

For pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan, the school’s admissions guidance directs families to apply via Slough’s SEND team.

As with most popular primaries, families should use tools that remove guesswork. FindMySchool’s Map Search can help households understand travel time and practical route options, and the Saved Schools feature is useful if you are shortlisting several Slough-area primaries and want to keep key dates in one place.

Pastoral work is framed as a set of practical interventions rather than a single system. The school’s wellbeing section lists Learning Mentors, Nurture, Sensory Play, Therapies, and Zones of Regulation resources, indicating multiple entry points for support depending on need.

The Learning Mentor document describes support for behavioural, social and emotional needs through one-to-one, in-class, and group work, with monitoring and targets linked to identified concerns. This is the kind of model that suits a large school, where early identification and consistent follow-up help stop small issues escalating.

Reading With Charlie is a distinctive offer. The school describes a Border Collie who listens to children read, with benefits including confidence, reduced anxiety, and improved self-esteem. While this is not a substitute for structured phonics and reading teaching, it can be a powerful way to help reluctant readers practise without pressure, particularly for pupils who are self-conscious.

Enrichment is a genuine pillar here, and it is described with more specificity than many primary websites provide. Through the Children’s University scheme, the school lists activities that include cookery, basketball, Latin dance, yoga, astronomy, choir, computing and maths, with credits accumulating toward Bronze, Silver and Gold awards. That breadth matters for families with children who thrive when learning is not limited to the classroom.

The published Autumn Term 2025 club menu gives a helpful sense of what this looks like week-to-week. Options listed include Boxing Club, Sewing Club, Marish Choir club, Marish School Band, Hockey Club, Netball Club, Just Dance club, Chess Club, and Rock with the numbers, with sessions typically running after school and a stated club fee of £10 per club, per child.

Pupil leadership also shows up in environmental and community roles. Eco Warriors (Years 3 to 6) are described as helping keep the environment tidy and “resourceful”, with responsibilities such as encouraging recycling bin use, reducing paper use, and keeping playground spaces tidy and safe.

Lunchtime Buddies complements that leadership culture in a more pastoral direction. The school positions it as a way to make lunchtimes less daunting for some children, and to build relationships across year groups through play and peer support.

The school publishes detailed timings by phase. Nursery sessions run 8:00am to 11:00am (morning), 12:00pm to 3:00pm (afternoon), and 8:30am to 2:30pm (full-time). Reception has a soft start 8:15am to 8:30am, with dismissal at 3:15pm, while Key Stage 2 dismissal is 3:25pm.

Wraparound is substantial. Breakfast Club runs from 7:00am Monday to Friday, priced at £25 per half term per child, with an additional £3 per child per day for attendance between 7:00am and 7:30am.

After-school care is provided through Meerkats, with booking by session. The school describes a £2 daily charge for sessions until 4:00pm, and £5 for sessions after 4:00pm, alongside late fees of £5 for every 15 minutes beyond the booked time. Mini Meerkats is also described for Nursery and Reception, running until 5:00pm.

The published opening hours run from 7:00am to 5:45pm on weekdays, aligning with the wraparound offer.

• Oversubscription pressure. Demand data shows 137 applications for 64 offers on the primary entry route, so admission can be competitive and plans need contingencies.

• A very large-school feel. The scale brings breadth and lots of structured opportunities, but it can feel busy; pupils who prefer smaller settings may need time and additional reassurance to settle.

• Wraparound costs and rules. Breakfast Club and Meerkats are clearly organised, but parents should read the latest booking and fee rules carefully, including late-fee structures and session booking expectations.

• Inspection and performance measure different things. Ofsted’s overall judgement is Good (May 2022), while KS2 outcomes are among the strongest in England. Families should weigh both lenses and consider what matters most for their child.

Marish combines elite Key Stage 2 outcomes with a large-school breadth that many primaries simply cannot offer. The strongest fit is for families who value high attainment, clear routines, and a busy extracurricular and leadership culture, and who will make use of wraparound care. The main trade-off is scale: the opportunities are wide, but children who need a small, quiet setting may find the environment more demanding at first.