Mrs Carolyn Knight, principal. Part of The 3-18 Education Trust.
The four grades, in plain English
Outstanding
Much better than the minimum.
Good
Meets every standard well.
Requires improvement
Not yet good. Ofsted will be back soon.
Inadequate
Serious problems that must be fixed.
GCSE results
How pupils do in their GCSEs
Pupils take their GCSEs at the end of Year 11, aged 16. Latest results: summer 2026.
About 6 in 10 pupils got a strong pass in English and maths
A strong pass is grade 5 or above. 77% got a standard pass (grade 4 or above). 2026 GCSEs.
57 out of every 100 Year 11 pupils
The Priory School57%
Shropshire35%
England46%
The typical pupil gets about a grade 5 in each subject
Attainment 8 adds up a pupil's grades in 8 subjects. A score of 52.6 is about a grade 5.3 on average.
The Priory School52.6
Shropshire41.2
England46.2
Attainment 8 score, out of 90
Pupils took 23 GCSE subjects and 2 technical awards
Each subject with how many Year 11 pupils took it in summer 2026, and the share who got a standard pass (grade 4 or above) and a top grade (7 or above). Small subjects swing a lot from year to year.
Subject
Pupils
Grade 4+
Grade 7+
English Language
167
81%
23%
Mathematics
167
80%
23%
English Literature
162
87%
31%
Combined Science
133
72%
25%
History
103
65%
17%
Geography
75
84%
39%
Art and Design
65
85%
29%
Religious Studies
50
76%
34%
French
48
83%
25%
Business Studies
39
85%
38%
Design and Technology
37
70%
35%
Biology
30
87%
30%
And 13 more subjects.
Attainment 8, year by year
There were no published GCSE results in 2020 and 2021. The black line is Shropshire.
53
55
55
55
54
53
53
'18'19'22'23'24'25'26
167 pupils took GCSEs in 2026, so one pupil is about 0.6 percentage points.
Against 710 secondary schools with a similar share of pupils on free school meals (8% to 18%), it's ahead of about 60% on Attainment 8 over recent years.
Every result, year by yearEach England row is the figure for the same year.
2026
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
Pupils taking GCSEs
167
167
167
167
168
–
–
164
164
Attainment 8
52.6
52.7
54
55.1
55
–
–
54.6
53.4
England
46.2
46.1
45.9
46.3
48.8
46.7
46.5
English and maths, grade 5+
57%
56%
59%
62%
60%
–
–
57%
52%
England
46%
45%
46%
45%
50%
43%
43%
English and maths, grade 4+
77%
78%
83%
81%
78%
–
–
83%
75%
England
65%
65%
65%
65%
69%
65%
64%
Entering the EBacc
–
45%
32%
37%
28%
–
–
46%
41%
England
41%
40%
39%
39%
40%
38%
Disadvantaged pupils
–
24
18
26
14
–
–
13
14
Disadvantaged, Attainment 8
–
39.1
31.1
40.7
34.3
–
–
46.7
50.4
England
34.9
34.6
35
37.6
36.7
36.7
Other pupils, Attainment 8
–
54.9
56.8
57.8
56.9
–
–
55.3
53.7
England
50.4
50
50.3
52.8
50.3
50.1
Progress 8
–
–
+0.38
+0.37
-0.05
–
–
+0.34
+0.35
Attainment 8 adds up a pupil's grades across 8 subjects, with English and maths counted twice, so the top score is 90. Grade 4 is a standard pass and grade 5 a strong pass. The EBacc is English, maths, science, a language and history or geography.
Grades in 2022 were set more generously than in 2019 and 2023 as exams returned, so compare those years with care.
2026 figures are provisional, and DfE revises them early the next year. Disadvantaged figures aren't out yet.
Disadvantaged pupils are those on free school meals in the last 6 years, or in care. Each group's England row is the same group across England. Small groups swing a lot from year to year, and a dash means DfE published no figure, often to protect small groups.
Progress 8 compares pupils with others who started from the same point, and 0 is average. Later years have no score, because the Year 6 tests it's measured from were cancelled in Covid.
Exams were cancelled in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid, so no school results were published.
The Priory School among secondary schools in Shropshire
Each dot is one school, placed by its Attainment 8 score.
The Priory School is higher than 19 of 19 other Shropshire state secondary schools in 2026.
After 16
Where pupils go next
Where pupils were 6 months after leaving: staying in education, in work or training, or not. No lasting destination means they didn't stay in education or work for those 6 months.
After GCSEs
Pupils who left in 2024, against England.
Staying in education92%England 86%
Apprenticeships2%England 3%
In employment1%England 2%
No lasting destination3%England 6%
Destination unknown2%England 3%
Getting in
Could your child get a place?
In 2026 some families who put The Priory School first didn't get a place.
724 families applied and 168 were offered Year 7 places
Families list several schools, so this counts every family who listed it, not only those who put it first. 231 families put it first, and 66 of them didn't get a place.
● 168 places: each figure is about 20◌ 66 first choices without a place
Over the last 3 rounds, 499 of 782 families who put it first got a place (64%). In 2026, 3 of the 168 places went to families who put it lower or didn't list it, because they came first under the admissions rules. Room for 840 suggests about 168 places a year. The exact number is in the school's admissions policy.
Demand has nearly doubled in 12 years
Applications each year. The black line is how many places were offered. Applications rose from 605 in 2025 to 724.
402
415
464
505
551
581
560
553
621
723
656
605
724
'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
ApplicationsPlaces offered
Who gets a place first
When there are more children than places, most schools give places in an order like this. Check the school's own policy.
1Children in care, or who used to be
2Children with a brother or sister already at the school
3Everyone else, closest first
How close do you need to live? Ask the council for Shropshire for the last distance offered. Many councils publish it each year, but there's no national file, so we don't hold it.
If you don't get a place: you can appeal. In Shropshire, 19 of the 60 appeals heard for places from September 2025 succeeded. Across England, 19% did.
Applying for September 2028
These dates are for the next round. The figures above are for children who started in September 2026. Applications for September 2027 closed on 31 Oct 2026. Ask the council for Shropshire about applying late.
Now
Open evenings run in the autumn. Ask the school for dates.
31 Oct 2027
Deadline to apply to the council for Shropshire.
1 Mar 2028
Offers day. You'll hear from the council.
Sep 2028
Your child starts Year 7.
Applications and offers, year by yearEach England row is for the same year and kind of school.
2026
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
Applications
724
605
656
723
621
553
560
581
551
505
464
415
402
First choices
231
264
287
272
257
226
220
229
238
211
228
188
193
Offers made
168
168
168
176
167
165
165
163
162
165
166
162
162
Offers to first choices
165
166
168
173
164
165
161
160
160
163
161
161
158
First choices who got a place
71%
63%
59%
64%
64%
73%
73%
70%
67%
77%
71%
86%
82%
England
84%
84%
83%
83%
83%
81%
82%
81%
82%
84%
84%
84%
85%
Each year is the September children started. A first choice is a family who put the school first on their form. Offers are those made on national offer day, so later moves aren't counted. They can differ from the school's full number of places, which is in its admissions policy.
That's 6.6% of the school year, for any reason including illness. And 1 in 6 pupils (17%) missed at least 1 day in 10, which counts as persistently absent. Shropshire: 24%. England, secondary schools: about 23%.
In schoolMissed
5% of pupils were suspended at least once in 2024/25
108 suspensions in all, 12.6 for every 100 pupils. Across England, similar schools: 7.3%. No permanent exclusions.
Before and after schoolWe don't hold club times. Ask the school.
Pupils
Who goes to The Priory School
A steady school: 838 pupils in 2018, 852 now.
172
172
174
168
166
Y7Y8Y9Y10Y11
Year 11, in darker blue, is the year group that sits the GCSEs.
50% girls50% boys
Ethnic background
85% White British · 5% White Other · 2% White & Asian · 2% Mixed Other · 6% in smaller groups
13%
Free school meals
Children from lower-income families. The school gets extra money to support them.
Shropshire20.9%
5.8%
English as an additional language
Children who speak another language at home. It says nothing about how well they speak English.
Shropshire5.7%
18.4%
Special educational needs
Children with special educational needs, with or without an EHC plan.
Main needs recorded (pupils)
Social, emotional and mental health43
Specific learning difficulty41
Moderate learning difficulty28
Shropshire18.3%
4.7%
EHC plan
Children with a legal plan for more complex needs (an Education, Health and Care plan).
Pupils and attendance, year by yearEach England row is for the same year and kind of school.
2026
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
Pupils on roll
852
856
852
849
844
842
–
843
838
–
–
–
–
Days missed
–
6.6%
7%
7.1%
7.8%
4.4%
–
4.2%
4.6%
4.2%
4.4%
4.3%
3.7%
England
8.5%
9%
9.1%
9.1%
5.5%
5.5%
5.6%
5.4%
5.2%
5.3%
5.2%
Often absent
–
16.5%
18.5%
18%
21.3%
10.6%
–
7.7%
9.8%
7.9%
8.4%
9.7%
6.6%
England
23.4%
25.6%
26.5%
27.8%
14.8%
13.7%
13.9%
13.5%
13%
13.7%
13.5%
Each year is the school year ending that summer, so 2025 means 2024-25. Days missed is the share of school sessions missed for any reason. Often absent is the share of pupils missing at least 1 day in 10.
2021 attendance was shaped by Covid, so read it with care.
There are no 2020 figures: Covid stopped the attendance count, and we don't hold that year's pupil numbers.
Our pupil numbers start in 2018.
Open evening
What to ask when you visit
Based on what the data says about The Priory School. Take this list with you.
1“How will you use the money in reserve?”The school had £610,000 saved at the last count, or £595,975 adjusted for its share of its trust's central reserves.
2“How do you support children who need extra help?”18.4% of pupils have special educational needs here.
Nearby
Other secondary schools nearby
Popular schools fill up, so it's wise to list more than one. Here's how The Priory School compares with its neighbours.
We'll email you when there's a new Ofsted report, new results or new admissions figures. Nothing else.
Staff and money
Teachers, and what the school spends
1 teacher for every 19 pupils
Pupils per teacher across the whole school, not class size. Shropshire: 17.1. England, secondary schools: 16.7. Counting teaching assistants and other support staff, there's 1 adult for every 13 pupils.
Average class: 25 pupils.
44.9teachers (full-time equivalent)
13.9teaching assistants
98%of teachers fully qualified
Staff, year by yearEach England row is for the same year and kind of school.
2026
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
Pupils per teacher
19
18.5
19.4
18.8
19.2
19.3
19
17.2
17.4
19.4
18.5
16.4
18.2
17.4
18.1
18.1
England
16.7
16.7
16.8
16.7
16.6
16.6
16.6
16.3
15.9
15.5
15.1
14.9
14.9
14.9
15
14.8
Teachers (full-time)
44.9
46.2
44
45.2
44
43.7
45
49
48.3
43.6
45.3
50.3
45.3
46.7
44.7
44.8
Teaching assistants
13.9
16.3
21
18.1
16.9
15.6
14.3
13.3
13.2
14.2
16.1
12.6
11.4
15.5
14.6
–
Qualified teachers
98%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
98%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
98%
100%
Each year is the November staff count of that school year, so 2025 means 2024-25. Pupils per teacher covers the whole school, not class size. Full-time counts two half-time teachers as one. Qualified means holding qualified teacher status.
These are the school's own accounts, not the whole of The 3-18 Education Trust. They leave out what the trust spends centrally, so compare with other schools with care. In 2024-25 it took in £269,000 more than it spent (£314 per pupil). Money left over goes into its reserves.
The school had £610,000 saved (£713 per pupil) in 2025. Adjusted for its share of its trust's central reserves, that's £595,975. Reserves are for a rainy day, but they're meant to benefit pupils. Worth asking how they'll be used.
Money per pupil, year by yearEach England row is for the same year and kind of school.
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
Spending
£7,390
£7,340
£7,349
£6,658
£6,388
£6,324
£6,750
£5,600
£6,550
England
£7,946
£7,486
£6,916
£6,399
£6,103
£6,038
£5,941
£5,990
£6,040
Income
£7,704
£7,702
£7,617
£6,835
£6,779
£6,395
£6,428
£6,294
£6,254
Staff costs
£5,707
£5,508
£4,991
£4,814
£4,785
£4,479
£4,212
£4,241
£4,065
Buildings and grounds
£367
£356
£330
£300
£150
£318
£274
£211
£296
Reserves
£713
£764
£631
£600
£682
£433
£582
£1,137
£870
Each year is the financial year ending in that year. Per pupil means the year's total divided by the number of pupils. These are day-to-day figures: big building projects aren't counted.
Ofsted rated it Good in November 2023. In 2026, its Attainment 8 score was 52.6, against 41.2 in Shropshire and 46.2 across England. Visit, and read the latest inspection report.
What is The Priory School's Ofsted rating?+
Ofsted rated it Good in November 2023. Ofsted no longer gives one overall grade, so its next inspection will give a report card that grades each area. The full report on Ofsted's website explains what it does well and what it needs to improve.
What are The Priory School's GCSE results?+
In 2026, 77% of pupils got grade 4 or above in English and maths, against 56% in Shropshire and 65% across England. 57% got grade 5 or above, against 35% in Shropshire and 46% across England. Its Attainment 8 score was 52.6, against 41.2 in Shropshire and 46.2 across England.
How does The Priory School compare with other schools in Shropshire?+
Its 2026 Attainment 8 score of 52.6 puts it 1st of 20 mainstream state secondary schools in Shropshire with published results that year.
How hard is it to get a place?+
In 2026, 724 families applied and 168 were offered Year 7 places, and 231 families put it as their first choice. Not every family who put it first got a place, so list more than one school.
Does The Priory School have a sixth form?+
Our data doesn't show a sixth form, so pupils move on to a college or another sixth form at 16.
Is it a faith school?+
No, it doesn't have a religious character.
How do you work out the Eduscope rank score?+
We compare the school with others of the same phase across England on its latest Ofsted inspection, results and attendance, and turn that into a score out of 100. The weights are on our methodology page. Admissions, staff and money aren't part of it.
Sources: Department for Education school performance tables, school census and workforce, academy accounts, admissions statistics, Ofsted and ISI. Photos are stand-ins. School details and inspections checked against official records on 5 November 2026.
