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Mark Hall Academy

SecondaryHarlow
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Reviews

2.8

Based on 26 reviews and 234 answers

Ratings by area

Average of 26 reviews with area ratings

  • Food3.4
  • Outdoor environment3.0
  • Communication2.9
  • Education2.8
  • Indoor environment2.8
  • Activities2.8
  • Safety2.6
  • Staff2.5
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  • Student
    1.0
    16 October 2026

    Hate the school

    Racist students , teachers give bad effort with teaching , teachers threatened me , do not reccomend

  • Student
    1.0
    4 February 2026

    DO NOT GO!!

    awful school the teachers are so rude and they are so lazy how do they expect the children to learn and be kind when they aren’t even teaching the class properly and they are being rude for no reason

  • Student
    2.0
    3 May 2025

    I guess I have to be there

    Really bad school. Teachers need to learn how to be a teacher and not some lazy person being there because it pays them. Poor staff. Only about 3-5 teachers care about the students and lessons are Easy to get distracted in. Drama section of the school is. Stunning. Way to strict. A 30 minute after school for your tie not touching your top button and many more ridiculous rules.

  • Student
    1.0
    10 December 2024

    work on your decisions

    It appears that there is room for improvement in the manner in which teachers, particularly English instructors, engage with students. Often, detentions are assigned without adequate explanation or verification of whether the assigned work has been completed or is accurately reflected in the worksheet. Furthermore, the negative demeanor exhibited by some teachers can adversely affect the learning environment, hindering students' educational experiences.

  • Student
    1.0
    14 August 2024

    DON'T SEND YOUR CHILD HERE. 3:

    honestly, don't send your child here. I'm a student here and I've been excluded so many times for my mental health struggles as they force me around and talk to me like I'm the bully, not the victim. I am currently at risk of being beaten up and they're not doing anything about it. it's a horrible school. the teachers honesltly need to be taught themselves, they don't know how to teach and I bet that year 11s have bad results due to the lack of skill in their teaching. the safeguarding lead (...

  • Parent
    1.0
    8 July 2024

    Not the best school

    This school is terrible or at least it was for my daughter, always being told they will sort the bullying out but never did,always being made to feel like I was a bother and they didn’t have time to talk to me in person for 10 minutes, always being told ‘how busy’ the teacher was. Finally took my daughter out

  • Former Student
    1.0
    15 June 2024

    do not let your child attend!

    Couldn’t get a worse school coming from a “naughty student” you get targeted. They treat you like there so much better , which they may held more power and responsibility that does not give them the excuse to belittle children! The teacher there are not helpful. they care more about your education the. your wellbeing when in my opinion wellbeing is far more important as if your have a good relationship with school then your bound to do better in your educational but mark hall doesn’t care . It’s all a show for ofsted to be seen as this “well improved school” but is far far off it over then course of a couple years. there’s been multiple head teacher sent from different school around the trust but no teacher can change of how bad this school is . they make new rules every day , your will get detention for literally anything. do not attend!! stear clear if you want a good education for your child

  • Student
    1.0
    16 May 2024

    Absolutely disgusting school.

    If you’re a person of colour, DONT ATTEND THIS SCHOOL!!! They don’t take care of racial bullying whatsoever. A child called called me the n word and I told the head of year and they did absolutely nothing about it. They don’t teach well either some teachers actually. And also the fact that the place isn’t diverse at all. I was one of the very few black children in that school. 100% don’t recommend

  • Other
    1.0
    15 April 2023

    needs to be closed

    The school is terrible and as a student this is why. the teachers behave like children and when things dont go their way they demand respect and become stricter. they think getting more and more strict will control some of the students it wont. One occasion a teacher had told a student to “get a life” because they didnt take their coat off inside. Now, they have made a rule that we only have 1 minute to get to lesson. if you don’t see how chaotic that is then you should join mark hall staff. i dont know where they find these teachers but i hope they come with a receipt. Dont get me wrong there are some amazing teachers and you wonder why students get very little, close to none, detention in their classrooms rather than the ones that get complaints. lastly, teachers preach that they care about our mental health, unfortunately you have to do more than just say that and make a few powerpoints you actually need to listen. if you want whats best for your child do not send them to mark hall. Honestly. When theirs vistors, inspectors and ofsted the school suddenly turns amazing and the teachers are really nice. when you attend the school, its nothing like it was when u visited. the school needs to improve no student is happy there. They dont deal with bullying at all. horrible school.

  • Student
    1.0
    21 November 2022

    Inadequate

    DO NOT SEND TOUR CHILD HERE. My child feel frustrated, inadequate and I am so angry at how he is being treated. He is unseen unheard and school ignores communication.

  • Student
    5.0
    11 November 2022

    good but 1 -

    everything is gut but there is 1 bad teacher but everything else is good though

  • Student
    5.0
    9 November 2022

    Mark Hall isn’t the bad place people make it out to be.

    Mark Hall has a lot of support for the students who need it. you build relationships with students and staff. People say how bad this school is when it actually isn't that bad. Mark Hall Academy builds character and helps you with what you want to do even if you don't like school, and no ofsted report will ever truly show you what a school is like. Ofsted have just been in today and yesterday, so the results will prove…

  • Student
    5.0
    12 October 2022

    Re. Review on Mr A

    amazing head of science who gets amazing results out of people as stated on yourharlow website. Don’t listen to the other person, they are just mad they didn’t get the job. Thanks Mark Hall Student.

  • Student
    5.0
    3 August 2022

    Getting a lot better

    Getting better from when it was in the old trust a few years ago.

  • Student
    5.0
    6 June 2022

    Good teacher

    great school and very helpful teacher

  • Student
    1.0
    6 June 2022

    From a Mark Hall Academy Student

    As a student of this school for 5 years, Mark Hall Academy used to be a enjoyable school until 2018 when the former headteacher left. Since then the school has been falling more into a great disappointment. Through the first couple of years in the school I was struggling with mental health issues which the school was known about and didn’t do much about it. I asked for a counsellor and waited three years to finally have one which was too late as was already leaving for GCSEs. Mark Hall Academy doesn’t handle anything the students put forward they tell the female students about how they present themselves and about lengths of skirts, skorts, sock lengths and how their hair is presented. At the beginning of 2021 Academy year all year 11 students were taken into the hall to be told about The skirt lengths and about how boys could easily take photos of what’s up their skirts and male teachers could see up there as well so instead of The teachers teaching the male students about what’s right and wrong with that statement they would rather tell the female students on how they should dress themselves. The students who wore skorts also got banned because of this skorts being too short and distracting the boys. One of the former male teachers at Mark Hall Academy took a whole class of year 8 female students outside of their classroom and made them line up against the wall to check their skirt lengths. Walking around Mark Hall Academy as a female student makes you feel uncomfortable and disturbed by any male teachers or male students because of how the school represents male figures around the school. Although Mark Hall Academy has sports facilities they are never used properly it is always the same PE lessons every week. Bullying is a massive factor that happens in the school and nothing ever happens about it when you go to tell a teacher about anything they will ever ask you to go talk to your head of year, guidance manager or form tutor instead of helping themselves. Through their lessons you learn little to nothing the classrooms always have distractions by other pupils or the teacher doesn’t understand what they’re teaching. Through year 11s doing GCSEs this has been one of the hardest things to go through and most year 11 students don’t see The point on going into school anymore because they aren’t learning anything. Throughout my five years at that dreadful school I have watched many people throughout my year leaving To go to other schools because of how poor Mark Hall Academy is. The school gives stupid sanctions for no particular reason such as wearing your coat inside the academy when the teachers that are giving the sanction are wearing their coats. Also when you go into the academy during lunch and break which is not allowed and will be given a 45 minute detention no matter what your excuse is. You are not allowed to sit inside the cafeteria until your year has been called out it doesn’t matter what’s the weather is like they will still make you stand outside. Even teachers that have left Mark Hall Academy have said on the last Day how shocking the school really is and feels sorry for us to stay for A full five years.

  • Student
    5.0
    8 May 2022

    Nice school

    Nice school, very strict

  • Student
    1.0
    13 January 2022

    Zero freedom, uncomfortable learning environment

    This place is more like a military camp rather than a school. They’re raising their children to all be exactly the same, and care more about the length of their skirts than their education and wellbeing. How is anyone supposed to feel comfortable speaking to the safeguarding team when all they do is patrol the place like police officers and sanction students for every small mistake? The system is terrible. They’re made to line up outside every morning, lunch, and break, and are given a 90 mi...

  • Other
    1.0
    13 August 2021

    Horrible school

    Horrible school, do not send your child here. The school has just been declining since 2018 when that principal left. They don't have good teachers that care about students well-being and mental health. The discrimination for sexuality and gender is awful. Trans or any type of LGBT is not accepted there by other students and it's never delt with. Sexist comments towards female students and teachers is horrible and not much happens for punishment. The verbal bullying is another thing too! So don't bring your child here.

  • Other
    1.0
    19 July 2021

    Absolutely horrible school

    Horrible school, if you think you're child will do well here I'm sorry to say your wrong. Most teachers here don't take into consideration of students feelings or mental health. They take forever when dealing with problems and the behaviour is God awful. The students are beyond rude, and I've heard some of them being sexist and homophobic. The school has gradually crumbled to the ground in the past 4 years and I'm sure bmat is not going to be able to fix much. They say they care about students well-being and mental health yet my sons friend has constantly gone home in tears cause of this place and how they are treated. So once again if you think this school is good I can assure you now it's nowhere near good. Burnt mill or passmores is a better option.

  • Parent
    5.0
    18 May 2021

    Good School

    Great teachers working their best to achieve their Ofsted AFI’s. However, students are horrible and their parents need to learn to parent them and not expect the school to do it for them. Very strict and preparing students for workplaces

  • Parent
    1.0
    10 May 2021

    Teachers are nothing but bullies and hypocrites.

    Avoid at all costs if you can. When it comes to bullying its the teachers you need to look out for. All they are interested in is their own interests. Constantly ignore parents and pupil concerns and requests for help. If there is an issue between 2 pupils they blame and punish the victim and reward the bully. Have no empathy or compassion and since becoming part of BMAT are all on a power trip excluding children left right and centre just for the fun of it. The headteacher just buri...

  • Student
    1.0
    16 April 2021

    Absolutely terrible.

    Absolutely terrible, the school doesn't deal with physical bullying, verbal bullying, or cyber bullying whatsoever, had to file a police report because the school did absolutely nothing, the teachers are so harsh. This school lead me to be on antidepressants and long time mental health struggles. I wouldn't recommend this school for lgbt+ teens, the students are homophobic and of course, teachers do nothing. Only had one good teacher already he left sadly.

  • Student
    5.0
    5 January 2021

    I love it here

    I love it here it’s the best school ever I started here in year 8 because my old school was really bad and the teachers couldn’t teach, but this it the best school ever!

  • Student
    2.0
    4 December 2020

    No ❤️

    Terrible - most teachers are horrible.

  • Student
    5.0
    29 September 2020

    Lovely School

    Great School! I love It here and would definitely recommend it!