School Chooser

Idsall School

Secondary · ages 11-18MixedAcademy1,172 pupilsSixth formShifnalShropshire
School Chooser Score
8
Well below
similar schools
Likely range 6 to 12
Out of 100. Better than 4% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedNo overall gradeLast Ofsted inspection, November 2024
Strong pass in English and maths32%England 46%
Attendance91.1%England 91.4%
Pupils from low-income families19%A bit fewer than most schools
PlacesFull1,172 pupils, 1,080 places
Pupils per teacher16.6School workforce census

Idsall School is a converter academy in Shifnal for boys and girls aged 11 to 18. It has 1,172 pupils, 92 more than it has places for. About 19 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, a bit fewer than at most schools. We give it 8 out of 100. That puts it well below schools like it, ahead of 4% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was inspected 2024, no overall grade.

Coppice Green Lane, Shifnal, TF11 8PD01952 468400idsallschool.co.ukMs Michelle King headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 12 November 2024, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Not judged Between September 2024 and November 2025, Ofsted graded each area but stopped giving one overall word.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Requires improvement
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Good
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Good
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Good
Sixth formOfsted calls this “post-16”
Good
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

Results

GCSE results, summer 2025

217 pupils sat their GCSEs. Here is how they did against every state secondary in England.

Average GCSE score41.0
England 46.8
Official name: Attainment 8
Strong pass in English and maths32%
England 46%
Official name: Grade 5+ in English and maths
Standard pass in English and maths56%
England 66%
Official name: Grade 4+ in English and maths
Progress from age 11-0.85In each subject, pupils here finished most of a grade behind children across England who started secondary school at the same level. (From 2023/24, the latest year there is. The government didn't work it out for the 2025 year group.)Official name: Progress 8
Trend
Average GCSE score
2018 to 2025
2018: 47.447.420182019: 49.749.720192022: 53.953.920222023: 46.746.720232024: 41.141.120242025: 41.041.02025
Since 2018: -6.4Declining overall
All GCSE measures, year by year
Measure202520242023202220192018ShropshireEngland
Pupils at the end of Year 11217214222208218215
Average GCSE scoreAttainment 841.041.146.753.949.747.443.146.8
Progress from age 11Progress 8-0.85-0.34-0.08-0.16-0.08
Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths32%35%41%57%48%42%37%46%
Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths56%53%68%80%75%71%60%66%
Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score3.353.453.844.414.173.953.764.15
Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry6%13%12%20%19%13%33%41%
Average GCSE score: low-income pupilsAttainment 8, disadvantaged28.826.337.146.737.936.8
Average GCSE score: other pupilsAttainment 8, non-disadvantaged43.044.148.054.951.248.6
Average GCSE score: pupils who started behindAttainment 8, low prior attainers22.127.634.830.131.1
Average GCSE score: pupils who started aheadAttainment 8, high prior attainers54.958.068.360.656.6

Subjects

Results came out for 20 GCSE subjects in 2025. Each figure is the share of pupils who got a grade 5 or better, next to the average for state secondaries in England.

Strongest subjects

Art and Design70%grades 9 to 5, England 58% · 884th of 2,818 schools

Subjects that did worse than the England average: Food Preparation & Nutrition (27% here, 52% across England), Physics (59% here, 82% across England), Chemistry (61% here, 81% across England), English Literature (40% here, 58% across England).

What is taught hereOffers triple science, computer science, music.
LanguagesFrench14

The small number is how many pupils sat each subject. Subjects with fewer than six pupils aren't published.

Every subject against England, 2025
Mathematics217 entries · 13th of 20 in Shropshire
42%England 53%
English Language216 entries · 17th of 20 in Shropshire
41%England 54%
English Literature204 entries · 16th of 20 in Shropshire
40%England 58%
Combined Science150 entries · 12th of 20 in Shropshire
27%England 36%
History107 entries · 7th of 20 in Shropshire
50%England 52%
Geography103 entries · 12th of 19 in Shropshire
38%England 51%
Business91 entries · 4th of 10 in Shropshire
50%England 51%
Social Studies60 entries · 2nd of 5 in Shropshire
40%England 54%
Physics54 entries · 8th of 15 in Shropshire
59%England 82%
Chemistry54 entries · 7th of 15 in Shropshire
61%England 81%
Biology54 entries · 5th of 15 in Shropshire
70%England 82%
Physical Education45 entries · 5th of 7 in Shropshire
49%England 56%
Computer Science34 entries · 3rd of 7 in Shropshire
56%England 56%
Food Preparation & Nutrition30 entries · 12th of 16 in Shropshire
27%England 52%
Design & Technology26 entries · 2nd of 16 in Shropshire
46%England 50%
Art and Design23 entries · 5th of 19 in Shropshire
70%England 58%
53%England 60%
French14 entries
29%England 60%
Drama13 entries
15%England 60%
SubjectEntriesGrades 9 to 7Grades 9 to 5Grades 9 to 4England 9 to 5Rank in England
Mathematics21713%42%65%53%2,293 of 3,211
English Language21611%41%65%54%2,516 of 3,210
English Literature20411%40%61%58%2,692 of 3,202
Combined Science1502%27%45%36%2,135 of 3,084
History10722%50%58%52%1,640 of 3,126
Geography10317%38%54%51%2,232 of 3,116
Business9118%50%57%51%852 of 1,806
Social Studies6015%40%52%54%789 of 1,043
Physics5424%59%72%82%2,231 of 2,546
Chemistry5422%61%83%81%2,172 of 2,537
Biology5424%70%85%82%1,987 of 2,570
Physical Education459%49%71%56%966 of 1,559
Computer Science3424%56%65%56%875 of 1,861
Food Preparation & Nutrition303%27%50%52%949 of 1,098
Design & Technology268%46%58%50%784 of 1,478
Art and Design2313%70%83%58%884 of 2,818
Religious Studies1916%53%68%60%
French147%29%43%60%
Drama130%15%39%60%
Music80%50%63%61%

In combined science each pupil gets two grades and we count the lower one. Rankings only include state secondaries where 20 or more pupils sat the subject.

A level and sixth-form results, 2025

60 students finished sixth-form courses.

Average A level gradeC30.7 points per entry
A level progress+0.08Against students elsewhere with the same GCSE grades. 0 is average.
AAB or better0%with two subjects universities favour
Stayed and finished100%of students who started
All sixth-form measures, year by year
Measure202520242023202220192018
Students60119103117227236
Average A level points per entryA level APS per entry30.6532.5132.3334.9833.3332.13
Average A level gradeCC+C+C+C+C+
Best three A levelsBest 3 A levels APS32.5035.5233.3335.2634.9533.92
AAB or better in subjects universities likeAAB+ in two facilitating subjects0%15%7%11%15%16%
A level progressA level value added+0.08-0.13-0.02-0.06
Applied general courses: points per entry36.6733.7636.0436.33
Stayed and finishedRetained and assessed100%99%97%96%96%99%

A level subjects

11 A level subjects had results in 2025. Each figure is the share of students who got an A* to B, next to the average for state sixth forms in England. When only a handful of students take a subject, its figures jump around from year to year.

A levels taught hereThe small number is how many students sat each one in 2025.
SubjectsSociology24Psychology17Economics11Business Studies9Mathematics9History9Geography9English Literature6English Language6Biology6Chemistry5
Every A level subject against England, 2025
Sociology24 entries · 13% A* or A · 100% passed
50%England 49%
Psychology17 entries · 6% A* or A · 94% passed
53%England 46%
Economics11 entries · 9% A* or A · 100% passed
27%England 57%
Business Studies9 entries · 22% A* or A · 100% passed
56%England 47%
Mathematics9 entries · 0% A* or A · 56% passed
11%England 60%
History9 entries · 0% A* or A · 100% passed
56%England 55%
Geography9 entries · 11% A* or A · 100% passed
22%England 51%
English Literature6 entries · 0% A* or A · 100% passed
50%England 52%
English Language6 entries · 0% A* or A · 100% passed
33%England 44%
Biology6 entries · 0% A* or A · 100% passed
33%England 49%
Chemistry5 entries · 0% A* or A · 0% passed
0%England 53%

A levels only. BTECs, T levels and other courses are in the table above. Subjects with fewer than five students aren't published.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 1 of the 3 gaps is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At GCSE, 2025

Average GCSE scoreLow-income pupils vs other pupils
28.843.0
Gap 14.2England 12.2
Strong pass in English and mathsLow-income pupils vs other pupils
7%37%
Gap 30 ptsEngland 22 pts
Average GCSE scoreBoys vs girls
40.541.6
Gap 1.1England 3.0
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Open to all. There is no entrance test.

A few spare places1,165 pupils for 1,300 places, 2024/25
90% full

About 135 places were empty, so most families who apply get in, though a popular year group can still fill up. Pupil numbers have fallen by 10% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.

Will my child get a place?

In 2026 every child who applied got a place, so how far away you live didn't matter. That could change if the school gets more popular.

We measure in a straight line from the middle of your postcode to the school. The council measures its own way, and the cut-off changes every year. Use this as a rough guide, and read the council's admissions booklet before you apply.

How places were given out for September 2026. Every child who applied got a place (201 offers for 216 places).

EntryPlacesPut it firstApplied at allGot a placeHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Secondary216167287201all offeredLA
2025 Secondary216175273202all offeredLA
2024 Secondary216175315215all offeredLA

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll1,172Census January 2026
Places1,080109% full
Pupils from low-income families18%19% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English5%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support12%141 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan2%24 pupils with a plan
Average class size20.257 classes, January 2026; England 22.8
Classes with more than 30 pupils12%share of one-teacher classes; England 12%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)19%£221,100 extra funding in 2026/27; England 30%
Boys and girls609 / 563
White British pupils84%

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (52), Specific learning difficulty (36), Autistic spectrum disorder (28), Moderate learning difficulty (15), language and communications needs (14), Vision impairment (6).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll1,1721,1701,2381,3121,2981,300
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals18%17%14%12%11%10%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language5%4%3%2%2%2%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support10%9%11%10%9%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans2%2%1%2%2%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 91.1% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.

Attendance91.1%
England 91.4%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school25.9%
England 23.9%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils43.32024/25, 2 permanent exclusions
Missed without permission2.0%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence8.9%8.2%7.7%7.7%3.9%4.6%8.6%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence6.9%6.5%6.7%7.0%3.5%4.1%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence2.0%1.7%1.0%0.7%0.4%0.5%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence25.9%22.9%24.6%23.3%9.4%10.7%23.9%
SuspensionsSuspension rate43.327.87.55.72.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions21211

What pupils do next

After GCSEs

Where the 222 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.

Still in education, work or training95%and stayed there for at least six months

Among pupils from low-income families it was 96%, compared with 95% for everyone else.

Earlier years
Destination2022/23 leavers2021/22 leavers2020/21 leavers2019/20 leavers
Still in education, work or training95%97%96%95%
Education86%92%89%92%
Apprenticeship6%4%3%2%
Work2%1%5%1%
Not in education, work or training4%2%3%3%

After sixth form

Where the 98 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.

Still in education, work or training86%and stayed there for at least six months

Among pupils from low-income families it was 90%, compared with 85% for everyone else.

Where the ones heading for university went

Went on to degree-level study or training72%England 72%
Top-third universities20%England 22%. The universities that ask for the highest grades
Higher or degree apprenticeship9%England 6%
Higher technical course3%Level 4 or 5, such as an HNC or HND

Among students from low-income families, 56% went on to degree-level study or training and 0% to a top-third university.

Earlier years
Destination2022/23 leavers2021/22 leavers2020/21 leavers2019/20 leavers
Still in education, work or training86%88%91%
Education51%55%61%
Apprenticeship9%10%10%5%
Work26%23%19%
Not in education, work or training10%6%6%

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers70.8full-time equivalent, 79 people
Pupils per teacher16.6Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers98%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants6.8full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£51,440
Teachers who left in the year17%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies3
Sick days per teacher3.72024/25

Money

From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other secondary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£6,832England £7,965. Total £8.0m
Income per pupil£7,407England £8,423. Total £8.7m
Spent on teachers per pupil£4,446England £4,444
Money in reserve16%A healthy amount put by: £1.4m, £1,213 per pupil. England 10%
Money in against money out+£674kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£6,832spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m19412 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate52 per 1,000 people43% lower than the England average
Typical house price£275,000Shropshire

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest secondary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Holy Trinity AcademyRoman Catholic/Church of England2.4 miles994Good 202354Compare
The Telford Park SchoolAcademy3.1 miles698Inadequate 20220Compare
The Telford Langley SchoolAcademy4.2 miles1,140Requires improvement 20245Compare
New Road AcademyAcademy4.2 miles1,073Requires improvement 20221Compare
Madeley AcademyAcademy4.3 miles1,220Good 202251Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Idsall School with the 50 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 50 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats4%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
Near the bottom of its group. Its score of 8 is 41 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 6 · middle 49 · highest 92100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 50 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Idsall School, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Walton High SchoolAcademy14.7 miles1,262Not inspected53Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 8 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 8% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 6 to 12. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years20%below
-0.09
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 217 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%below
-0.10
Ofsted grade, 1.8 years old
Progress pupils make20%well below
-0.29
DfE progress measure; 217 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%well below
-0.25
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%in line
-0.03
2024/25; 1,088 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%well below
-0.23
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 217 pupils
What pupils do next5%above
+0.03
222 pupils
What parents say0%no data

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is Idsall School a good school?

The figures are weak. Idsall School scores 8 out of 100. That is well below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 4% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 6 to 12, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

What is Idsall School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Idsall School not judged at its last full inspection on 12 November 2024.

How good are Idsall School's GCSE results?

In summer 2025, 32% of pupils got a grade 5 or better in both English and maths. Across England it was 46%. Its Attainment 8 score, which is the average grade across a pupil's best eight subjects times ten, was 41.0, against 46.8 for England. In each subject, pupils here finished most of a grade behind children across England who started secondary school at the same level.

How many pupils does Idsall School have?

1,172 pupils aged 11 to 18 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 1,080 places, so it is 109% full.

Is Idsall School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 135 places were empty in 2024/25 (10% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Idsall School?

Pupils were in school 91.1% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 26% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Idsall School?

The average class had 20.2 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. 12% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

Does Idsall School have a sixth form?

Yes. The average A level grade in 2025 was C. 11 A level subjects had results in 2025; the full list is in the results section.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Coppice Green Lane, Shifnal, TF11 8PD
Telephone
01952 468400
Website
idsallschool.co.uk
Headteacher
Ms Michelle King
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Secondary school, ages 11-18, with sixth form
Gender
Mixed
Multi-academy trust
Marches Academy Trust (18 schools)
Local authority
Shropshire
Ward
Shifnal North
Constituency
The Wrekin
Setting
Larger rural: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 June 2014 (academy converter)
URN
140922 · LAESTAB 8934394 · UKPRN 10046206
Formerly
Idsall School

Recent changes

  • New KS4 results for 2024/25

Where these figures come from