The Priory School

Academy · Secondary, ages 11 to 16 · Mixed

Part of THE 3-18 EDUCATION TRUST

Longden Road, Shrewsbury, SY3 9EE

01743 284000 · School website · Map and directions

OfstedGoodInspected 7 November 2023
Grade 5 or above in English and maths56%England 45% · 2024/25
1st highest of 7 state secondary schools in Shrewsbury.
Higher than 76% of 3,259 state secondary schools in England.
Pupils852Room for 840 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 843 in 2019, 842 in 2021, 844 in 2022, 849 in 2023, 852 in 2024, 856 in 2025, 852 in 2026. Across England, secondary state school pupil numbers were up 10% from 2019 to 2025.
First-choice applications per place1.4231 for 168 places, September 2026
1st highest of 7 state secondary schools in Shrewsbury.
Higher than 90% of 3,219 state secondary schools in England.

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 7 November 2023.

This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.

AreaGrade
Quality of educationGood
Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
Personal developmentOutstanding
Leadership and managementGood
SafeguardingEffective

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

What parents say

14 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 1 January 2024 and 6 January 2025.

Shrewsbury comparisons use the 5 of its 7 state secondary schools with comparable results. The other 2 have no published Parent View results (Ofsted only publishes a survey once at least 10 parents answer) or used Ofsted's newer questions, which we don't compare with the older ones.

StatementThis schoolShrewsburyEngland
My child is happy at this school
1st highest of 5 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in Shrewsbury.
Higher than 86% of 1,763 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
93% 70% 88%
My child feels safe at this school
1st highest of 5 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in Shrewsbury.
Higher than 99% of 1,763 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
100% 70% 90%
The school makes sure pupils are well behaved
1st highest of 5 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in Shrewsbury.
Higher than 89% of 1,763 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
93% 56% 84%
Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 11 parents who had raised a concern
1st highest of 5 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in Shrewsbury.
Higher than 57% of 1,736 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
73% 54% 76%
I would recommend this school to another parent
1st highest of 5 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in Shrewsbury.
Higher than 67% of 1,763 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
86%said yes 62% 84%

Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families. Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. Shrewsbury figures pool parents at the Shrewsbury schools compared, from each school's latest survey, so survey dates differ between schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. This survey used Ofsted's previous Parent View questions, which changed in November 2025. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.

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Results

GCSEs (key stage 4, age 16), 2024/25

167 pupils in this year group.

56% — 19 points above the Shropshire average, and 10 points above the England average.

MeasureThis schoolShropshireEngland
Grade 5 or above in English and maths 56% 37% 45%
Attainment 8 scoreAverage of each pupil's grades across 8 GCSE-level subjects, with English and maths counted twice. Around 50 means grade 5s on average. 52.7 42.5 46.1
EBacc average point scoreAverage points across the English Baccalaureate subjects: English, maths, sciences, a language and history or geography. 4.7 3.7 4.1
Grade 5 or above in English and maths, over time
40% 50% 60% 70% England 2022/23: 45%England 2023/24: 46%England 2024/25: 45% This school 2022/23: 62%This school 2023/24: 59%This school 2024/25: 56% This school England 45% 2022/23 62% 2023/24 59% 2024/25 56%

Progress 8 isn't shown. DfE didn't publish it for 2024/25 because this year group's key stage 2 tests in 2020 were cancelled, and older progress scores aren't comparable.

Source: DfE key stage 4 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.

After Year 11

Where pupils went next. DfE measures this for pupils who finished in an earlier year, so these figures describe a previous year group.

167 pupils in this year group.

98% — 7 points above the Shropshire average, and 6 points above the England average.

Where pupils went after Year 11
This school 12%78%
England 34%13%37%
MeasureThis schoolShropshireEngland
Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or workPupils recorded in sustained education, apprenticeship or employment in the year after finishing Year 11. 98% 91% 92%
School sixth form 12% 15% 34%
Sixth form college 78% 45% 13%
Further education college 3% 19% 37%
Apprenticeship 2% 5% 3%
Work 1% 5% 3%

Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or work, over time

2023/242024/25
98%98%

Source: DfE key stage 4 destination measures, 2024/25 performance tables. England figures are for state-funded schools.

Admissions

Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Shropshire. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.

How hard is it to get in?

For the September 2026 intake there were about 1.5 first-choice applications for every place.

Places offered168
Families who put it first231
Of those, offered a place165 (71%)
Families who listed it at all724

First-choice applications per place: 2024: 1.7 · 2025: 1.6 · 2026: 1.4

This isn't your chance of getting a place. That depends on the school's admissions rules (for example siblings, distance or faith) and where you live. Source: DfE applications and offers, September 2026 intake.

Admissions dates and schools in Shropshire

Pupils, staff and SEND

PupilsThis schoolShropshireEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years
7th highest of 7 state secondary schools in Shrewsbury.
Higher than 12% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
13.2% 21.4%* 28.9%
With an education, health and care plan
1st highest of 7 state secondary schools in Shrewsbury.
Higher than 86% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
5.1% 3.2%* 3.1%
Receiving special educational needs support
4th highest of 7 state secondary schools in Shrewsbury.
Higher than 48% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
13.6% 13.6%* 13.4%
English as an additional language
3rd highest of 7 state secondary schools in Shrewsbury.
Higher than 25% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
5.6% 5.0%* 19.2%
Overall absence (sessions missed)
1st lowest of 7 state secondary schools in Shrewsbury.
Lower than 78% of 3,411 state secondary schools in England.
6.7% 8.4%* 8.4%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more)
1st lowest of 7 state secondary schools in Shrewsbury.
Lower than 81% of 3,411 state secondary schools in England.
16.5% 23.6%* 23.4%
Suspensions per 100 pupils
2nd lowest of 7 state secondary schools in Shrewsbury.
Lower than 55% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England.
12.6 26.7 21.2
Pupils suspended at least once
1st lowest of 7 state secondary schools in Shrewsbury.
Lower than 65% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England.
5.0% 8.3% 7.3%
Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils 0.00% 0.17% 0.23%
Pupils per teacher
1st highest of 7 state secondary schools in Shrewsbury.
Higher than 88% of 3,442 state secondary schools in England.
19.0 17.1 16.7
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff)
3rd highest of 7 state secondary schools in Shrewsbury.
Higher than 74% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England.
12.9 12.8 11.8
Teachers who left during the year
Joint 1st highest of 7 state secondary schools in Shrewsbury.
Higher than 64% of 3,430 state secondary schools in England.
16.0% 13.2%* 14.2%*

Comparisons are with secondary schools. Scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) figures. For absence and suspensions lower is better, so their scales run green to red; blue scales describe the school's pupils and staff and aren't good or bad. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.

Nearby secondary schools

Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.

Questions parents ask

What is The Priory School's Ofsted rating?

The Priory School was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 7 November 2023.

How did The Priory School do in its GCSEs?

In 2024/25, 56% of pupils grade 5 or above in English and maths, 10 points above the England average of 45%.

Would parents recommend The Priory School?

86% of the 14 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 1 January 2024 and 6 January 2025 said they would recommend The Priory School to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.

Is The Priory School oversubscribed?

For the September 2026 intake, 231 families put The Priory School as their first choice for 168 places: about 1.5 first-choice applications for every place. 165 of those families were offered a place. Whether you get a place depends on the school's admissions rules and where you live.

Sources

Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.

Page updated 26 September 2026.