James Marks Academy is a special free school in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, for children and young people aged 11 to 18.
- Ages 11–18
- 62 pupils
- Ofsted report card (2026)
School details
- Type
- Special free school
- Ages
- 11 to 18
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 62 (places for 60)
- Headteacher
- Mr Scott Martin
- Part of
- James Marks Academy Trust
- Opened
- 1 September 2023
- Free school meals
- 21.4% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Hertfordshire
- School reference (URN)
- 149736
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 Hertfordshire 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
Report card, June 2026: Strong standard in every area
Inspected in June 2026 under Ofsted’s new report cards, which grade each area separately, from Exceptional to Urgent improvement, instead of one overall grade.
- InclusionStrong standard
- Curriculum and teachingStrong standard
- AchievementStrong standard
- Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
- Personal development and wellbeingStrong standard
- Post-16Strong standard
- Leadership and governanceStrong standard
- SafeguardingMet
Contact and getting there
The Commons, Welwyn Garden City, AL7 4RZ
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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
- Swallow Dell Primary and Nursery School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 0.8 miles
- Lakeside School Special school · Ages 2–19 · Ofsted: Outstanding 1.9 miles
- Southfield School Special school · Ages 4–11 · Ofsted: Good 2.6 miles
All SEND schools in Hertfordshire
By need in Hertfordshire: Autism (26) · Speech and language (22) · SEMH (10) · Moderate learning (10) · Severe learning (9) · PMLD (5) · Physical (4) · Hearing (3) · Multi-sensory (3)
Questions about James Marks Academy
How do I get a place at James Marks Academy?
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 James Marks Academy. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What ages does James Marks Academy take?
Aged 11 to 18, boys and girls.
What is James Marks Academy’s Ofsted rating?
There’s no overall grade to show. Read the school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Where is James Marks Academy?
The Commons, Welwyn Garden City, AL7 4RZ, in Hertfordshire.
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.