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Hodnet Primary School

Hodnet Primary School

Shropshire, TF9 3NSPrimary School·Ages 5-11
Goodby Ofsted

94%

Capacity

191

Pupils

1.7x

Demand

About Hodnet Primary School

Hodnet Primary School is clearly a popular choice among local families. For the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received 50 applications for just 29 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.72. Of those 50 applications, 30 were first-preference choices, and 28 of those first-preference families were offered a place. That level of demand suggests a strong reputation in the community, though no parent-view survey data is available to confirm satisfaction levels directly. The school is led by headteacher Penny Lyall and serves 191 pupils, operating just under its full capacity of 203. It is a mixed, state primary for children aged 5 to 11, with no religious character and no nursery provision. The school sits within the Shropshire local authority, where only 7 out of 127 primary schools hold an Outstanding rating from Ofsted.

Academically, Hodnet Primary School was rated Good in its most recent graded Ofsted inspection, which took place in November 2018. The inspection report noted that the school had improved significantly from its previous rating of Requires Improvement in 2012, with both leadership and management and overall effectiveness now judged as Good. The school's most recent ungraded inspection, in November 2018, confirmed that it remains Good. While no specific Key Stage 2 SATs results or Progress 8 scores are available in the data, the local authority average for Key Stage 2 attainment sits at 59. Without Hodnet's own figures, it is not possible to say whether the school outperforms or falls below that benchmark. The school does not have a sixth form, as it is a primary-only setting.

The school offers a range of facilities including playing fields, a library, music rooms, an outdoor playground, and a chapel. Sports on offer include dance, athletics, rounders, and football, while extracurricular clubs cover gardening, film, chess, choir, science, and art. For families with children who have additional needs, the school lists SEND provisions for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, visual impairment, and autistic spectrum disorder. Given its oversubscribed status, families considering Hodnet should be prepared to apply early and list it as a first preference to maximise their chances. It is best suited to families in the Shropshire area seeking a well-regarded, community-focused primary with a broad range of clubs and SEND support.

Key Details

School TypePrimary (State)
Age Range5 to 11 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressShrewsbury Street, Market Drayton, Shropshire, TF9 3NS
HeadteacherPenny Lyall
Local AuthorityShropshire
Number of Pupils191
Free School Meals (FSM)8.9%
School Capacity191 / 203 (94% full)

Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

28 Nov 2018
View Report

Overall Effectiveness

Good

Latest inspection (28 Nov 2018): School remains Good

Improved
Leadership & Management
Good

Source: Ofsted, 11 Dec 2013. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageVisionLearning Difficulty

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

Facilities

5
Playing FieldsLibraryMusic RoomsOutdoor PlaygroundChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

10

Sports

DanceAthleticsRoundersFootball

Clubs & Activities

GardeningFilm ClubChessChoirScience ClubArt Club

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

Admissions

2025/26Oversubscribed
Places

29

Applications

50

Good Demand

Popular school with more applications than places

Applications to places ratio1.7x
0x1x2x3x5x+

30 families put this school as their 1st choice (60% of all applications)

Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:45 – 15:15

Breakfast club

07:45-08:45

After-school care

15:15-17:45

Source: hodnetschool.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

Class profile

2024/25
Pupils per teacherAbove average
20.1pupils per qualified teacher

Better than half of schools in England.

Average class sizeBelow average
27.3pupils per class

Half of schools in England do better than this.

Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.

Pupils & demographics

2024/25
Free school meals8.9%

Lower-disadvantage intake compared to the national average (25%).

English as additional language1.6%

Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.

Ethnic background

  • White British96.3%
  • White (other)1.0%
  • Mixed1.0%
  • Asian1.0%

Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.

Attendance & Behaviour

2024/25
Overall attendanceTop 25% of schools
96.1%

Better than 75% of schools in England.

Persistent absenteesTop 25% of schools
7.0%

Better than 75% of schools in England.

Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.

Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.

Catchment & Local Competition

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1 mile reference · no real data

No catchment data published for this school

The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.

⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.

Schools within 1 mile (reference area)

1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.

1

Total schools

1

Oversubscribed

1

Primary

Low competition area

Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Hodnet Primary School

Hodnet Primary School has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.

Contact Information

01630685300www.hodnetschool.co.uk

Shrewsbury Street, Market Drayton

Shropshire, TF9 3NS

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Shrewsbury Street, Market Drayton

Shropshire, TF9 3NS

Journey to School

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Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.

Opening Hours

Monday8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Tuesday8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Wednesday8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Thursday8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Friday8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
SaturdayClosed
SundayClosed

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