Keep Marling, Marling

For nearly 140 years, Marling School has been part of the identity, heritage and history of Stroud. Generations of pupils, parents, teachers and local families have passed through its doors, building the reputation and character that make the school what it is today.

We are deeply concerned by proposals to rename the school from “Marling School” to “Lift Marling” as part of its proposed merger into Lift Schools.

This is not just a minor administrative change. A school’s name carries history, pride, reputation and continuity. “Marling” means something to this community because it has stood independently for well over a century. That identity was not created by an academy trust, and it should not be diluted to promote one.

Academy trusts come and go. They merge, rebrand, restructure and change over time. Marling School will almost certainly outlast the current academy structure, which makes this proposed rebranding feel especially unnecessary. If the trust changes again in future, does the school name change again too? Our children’s school should not become a rolling branding exercise tied to whichever organisation happens to manage it at a particular point in time.

Many parents are also concerned that this proposal reflects the growing corporatisation of education, where historic institutions are increasingly treated as assets within large national structures rather than independent parts of their local communities.

We fully support investment in education, collaboration between schools and positive change where it benefits pupils. But there has been little clear explanation of what educational benefit is achieved by renaming a historic grammar school to foreground the academy’s brand.

Marling’s reputation has been earned over generations through academic excellence, strong teaching, dedicated staff and community support. It does not need a corporate prefix to validate it.

There are many ways for an academy trust to demonstrate partnership and involvement without altering the historic name of the school itself.

This issue extends far beyond current pupils and parents. Marling School is part of Stroud’s civic and educational heritage. Once historic identities are eroded, they are rarely fully restored.

We are therefore calling on Lift Schools, governors and decision-makers to:

• Retain the historic “Marling School” name in full
• Respect the school’s longstanding heritage and independent identity
• Consult meaningfully with parents, alumni and the wider Stroud community before any permanent branding changes are made

Please sign this petition to help preserve the identity, history and legacy of Marling School for future generations.