MARLING School has been selected by the the National College of Teaching and Leadership to be a Teaching School from September 2014.

As one of only 60 schools in England to be granted this prestigious status in the latest round, Marling School will now take a leading role in recruiting and training new entrants to the teaching profession as well as providing development opportunities for existing teachers, identifying leadership potential and providing support for other schools.

Introduced in 2011, Teaching Schools are all rated as “outstanding". They work with partner schools in an alliance to ensure high quality teacher training and professional development opportunities for teachers at all stages of their career.

They also raise standards through school-to-school support, engage in research and development, and ensure that the most talented school leaders are spotted and supported to become successful headteachers.

Dr Stuart Wilson, headteacher said: “This is an exciting opportunity for the school, on the back of our Outstanding Ofsted Inspection in November, and we are thrilled to have been recognised in this way. More importantly though, this is about working in partnership.

"Our Teaching School comprises an alliance of primary and secondary schools from the Stroud District, a university and other educational partners seeking to provide the very best education for all of our students.”

The NCTL has responsibility, in partnership with headteachers from the Teaching Schools Council, for the designation and quality of the teaching schools programme.

Charlie Taylor, the Chief Executive of NCTL, said: “Marling School should be very proud of this achievement. The school has been recognised as a centre of excellence in its area, with an outstanding performance and a track record of raising standards through supporting other schools.

“There are now 600 Teaching Schools around the country with more to follow. They are at the heart of an increasingly school-led system, leading the way in improving the quality of our teachers and helping the schools in their partnership to become even better.

"Like Teaching Hospitals, they have become centres of excellence across the country, conducting research and training teachers.”