Marlborough School is a council-run special school in Sidcup, Bexley, for children and young people aged 11 to 19. It supports autism, severe learning and PMLD.
- Ages 11–19
- 92 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
School details
- Type
- Council special school
- Ages
- 11 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 92 (places for 85)
- Headteacher
- Dr Elizabeth Smith (Head Teacher)
- Opened
- 1 January 1900
- Free school meals
- 33.9% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Bexley
- School reference (URN)
- 101487
Needs it supports
3 needs: autism, severe learning and 1 more
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
Cognition and learning
- Severe learning difficulty Other schools for this in Bexley (2)
- Profound and multiple learning difficulties
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places at schools like this usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. If your child doesn’t have one yet, you can ask the council for an assessment yourself.
- Visit and ask questions
See whether the school feels right and whether it can meet your child’s needs. Our list of questions below can help.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often Bexley council) that this is the school you want, and ask them to consult it.
- Named in the plan
If the school is named in your child’s plan, it must admit your child. Free home-to-school transport is often part of the arrangement.
Questions to ask when you visit
8 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them on the day.
Ofsted
Rated Good, January 2013; improved significantly (June 2025)
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in January 2013. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementGood
Since then: Improved significantly (ungraded inspection, June 2025).
Contact and getting there
Marlborough Park Avenue, Sidcup, DA15 9DP
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
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The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- Sherwood Park Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.5 miles
- Blackfen School for Girls Mainstream + base · Ages 11–18 0.6 miles
- Alderwood Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted report card (2025) 0.8 miles
By need in Bexley: Autism (21) · Speech and language (10) · Physical (5) · SEMH (4) · Moderate learning (4) · Severe learning (3) · Hearing (2) · Vision (2)
Questions about Marlborough School
How do I get a place at Marlborough School?
There’s no catchment area or application round. Places usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult Marlborough School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does Marlborough School support?
Autism, severe learning difficulty and profound and multiple learning difficulties. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does Marlborough School take?
Aged 11 to 19, boys and girls.
What is Marlborough School’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Good by Ofsted in June 2025 at its last graded inspection. Newer inspections no longer give a single overall grade, so read the latest report for the full picture.
Where is Marlborough School?
Marlborough Park Avenue, Sidcup, DA15 9DP, in Bexley.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.