The Mark Way School

Special school · Secondary, ages 11 to 16 · Mixed

Batchelors Barn Road, Andover, SP10 1HR

01264 351835 · School website · Map and directions

OfstedOutstandingInspected 25 February 2020; confirmed 2025
Grade 5 or above in English and maths0%England 45% · 2024/25
Pupils118Room for 112 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 77 in 2019, 83 in 2021, 84 in 2022, 93 in 2023, 107 in 2024, 118 in 2025, 118 in 2026. Across England, special state school pupil numbers were up 39% from 2019 to 2025.
Free school meals56%of pupils eligible now

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at the inspection that started on 25 February 2020.

This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.

AreaGrade
Quality of educationOutstanding
Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
Personal developmentOutstanding
Leadership and managementOutstanding
SafeguardingEffective

Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 12 March 2025: Ofsted found the school had maintained its standards.

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

What parents say

20 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 3 September 2024 and 1 September 2025.

StatementThis schoolEngland
My child is happy at this school 100% 89%
My child feels safe at this school 100% 90%
The school makes sure pupils are well behaved 95% 84%
Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOf 11 parents whose child had been bullied 55% 51%
Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 17 parents who had raised a concern 82% 76%
My child with SEND gets the support they needOf 20 parents of children with SEND 90% 68%
I would recommend this school to another parent 95%said yes 84%

Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families (Ofsted puts the response rate at 17%). Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. This survey used Ofsted's previous Parent View questions, which changed in November 2025. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.

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Results

GCSEs (key stage 4, age 16), 2024/25

19 pupils in this year group.

0% — 45 points below the Hampshire average, and 45 points below the England average.

MeasureThis schoolHampshireEngland
Grade 5 or above in English and maths 0% 45% 45%
Attainment 8 scoreAverage of each pupil's grades across 8 GCSE-level subjects, with English and maths counted twice. Around 50 means grade 5s on average. 8.1 45.5 46.1
EBacc average point scoreAverage points across the English Baccalaureate subjects: English, maths, sciences, a language and history or geography. 0.1 4.0 4.1
Grade 5 or above in English and maths, over time
0% 20% 40% 60% England 2022/23: 45%England 2023/24: 46%England 2024/25: 45% This school 2022/23: 0%This school 2023/24: 5%This school 2024/25: 0% This school England 45% 2022/23 0% 2023/24 5% 2024/25 0%

Progress 8 isn't shown. DfE didn't publish it for 2024/25 because this year group's key stage 2 tests in 2020 were cancelled, and older progress scores aren't comparable.

Source: DfE key stage 4 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.

After Year 11

Where pupils went next. DfE measures this for pupils who finished in an earlier year, so these figures describe a previous year group.

11 pupils in this year group.

82% — 10 points below the Hampshire average, and 10 points below the England average.

MeasureThis schoolHampshireEngland
Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or workPupils recorded in sustained education, apprenticeship or employment in the year after finishing Year 11. 82% 92% 92%
School sixth form 0% 6% 34%
Sixth form college 0% 40% 13%
Further education college 73% 38% 37%
Apprenticeship 0% 3% 3%
Work 0% 4% 3%

Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or work, over time

2023/242024/25
75%82%

Source: DfE key stage 4 destination measures, 2024/25 performance tables. England figures are for state-funded schools.

Admissions

Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Hampshire. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.

Admissions dates and schools in Hampshire

Pupils, staff and SEND

This is a special school for children with an education, health and care plan (EHCP). Places are arranged through the council's SEND team, not the normal admissions round. It caters for: Moderate learning difficulties.

PupilsThis schoolHampshireEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 57.6% 45.4%* 51.9%
With an education, health and care plan 100.0% 99.3%* 99.5%
Receiving special educational needs support 0.0% 0.7%* 0.5%
English as an additional language 6.8% 7.3%* 14.4%
Overall absence (sessions missed) 6.5% 12.6%* 12.8%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 17.4% 34.3%* 35.3%
Suspensions per 100 pupils 4.2 19.1 12.3
Pupils suspended at least once 2.5% 7.4% 5.1%
Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils 0.00% 0.08% 0.08%
Pupils per teacher 7.6 6.1 6.6
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) 3.5 2.3 2.3
Teachers who left during the year 18.4% 14.5%* 14.3%*

Comparisons are with special schools. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.

SEND provision: Get Information about Schools (DfE).

Nearby special schools

Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.

Questions parents ask

What is The Mark Way School's Ofsted rating?

The Mark Way School was rated Outstanding by Ofsted at its inspection in 25 February 2020. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 12 March 2025, Ofsted found the school had maintained its standards.

How did The Mark Way School do in its GCSEs?

In 2024/25, 0% of pupils grade 5 or above in English and maths, 45 points below the England average of 45%.

Would parents recommend The Mark Way School?

95% of the 20 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 3 September 2024 and 1 September 2025 said they would recommend The Mark Way School to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.

Sources

Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.

Page updated 26 September 2026.