Idsall School
108%
Capacity
1,170
Pupils
1.4x
Demand
About Idsall School
Idsall School in Shropshire received a Requires Improvement rating from Ofsted in its most recent graded inspection in November 2024, but the detail tells a more nuanced story. While the overall effectiveness was not judged on that visit, inspectors rated leadership and management, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and sixth-form provision all as Good. The quality of education was the single area marked as Requires Improvement. The most telling academic metric is the school’s Progress 8 score of -0.85, which is classified as well below average. This means that, on average, pupils achieved nearly a grade less per subject across eight GCSEs than students with similar starting points nationally. In Shropshire, where the average Progress 8 score is -0.37, Idsall ranks 17th out of 19 secondary schools, placing it in the bottom 10% locally and the bottom 6% nationally.
At Key Stage 4, the school’s Attainment 8 score sits at 41.1, and just over half of pupils (53.3%) achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths, though this drops to 34.6% for the stronger grade 5 benchmark. Only 7% of pupils entered the full EBacc combination, and the EBacc average point score is 3.45. The sixth form performs better: its value-added score of -0.13 is rated as Average, with pupils achieving an average of 32.51 points per entry (equivalent to a C+ grade). The best three A-levels average out at a B- grade. Parent opinion, gathered from 137 responses in the 2024-25 period, is mixed. While 72% agree their child is happy and 67% feel their child is safe, only 47% agree that behaviour is good, and just 33% feel SEND children get the support they need. Only 55% would recommend the school.
The school is oversubscribed for Year 7 entry in 2025/26, with 264 applications for 195 places and 175 offers made to first-preference families. Facilities are strong for a state school, including a theatre, swimming pool, astro turf, tennis courts, and a dedicated sixth form centre. The school offers a wide range of clubs from Eco Club to Young Enterprise and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, plus sports including rowing and martial arts. SEND provision covers ten categories, including Autistic Spectrum Disorder and Speech, Language & Communication needs. Idsall is a mixed, non-denominational secondary with a sixth form, and its size of 1,170 pupils exceeds its official capacity of 1,080. This is a school where the sixth form is a relative strength and the facilities are generous, but families should weigh the below-average GCSE progress and the mixed parent feedback carefully.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Coppice Green Lane, Shifnal, Shropshire, TF11 8PD |
| Headteacher | Michelle King |
| Local Authority | Shropshire |
| Number of Pupils | 1,170 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 17.6% |
| School Capacity | 1,170 / 1,080 (108% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
12 Nov 2024Quality of Education
Requires improvement
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 16 Dec 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.85)
2954th of 3,141
Nationally
347th of 371
In West Midlands
17th of 19
In Shropshire
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly less progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
35.0
'22/23
32.3
'23/24
32.5
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2347%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 212 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)47%
- FE college21%
- Sixth form college19%
- Employment6%
- Apprenticeship3%
- Not sustained2%
97% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2359%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 100 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
26%
Russell Group
28%
Top-third HE
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)59%
- Employment20%
- Apprenticeship9%
- Not sustained6%
- Other education1%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Sociology28
- Mathematics27
- Psychology25
- Biology19
- English Language18
- Geography17
- Economics16
- Business Studies:Single14
- Religious Studies12
- History10
- Physics10
- Chemistry7
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
Ofsted Parent View
137 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
14Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
19Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed195
264
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
179 families put this school as their 1st choice (68% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:55 – 15:15
After-school care
15:15-16:15
Source: idsallschool.org. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British84.4%
- Mixed5.6%
- Asian4.2%
- White (other)1.9%
- Black0.2%
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
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
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.
3
Total schools
3
Oversubscribed
2
Primary
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 Idsall School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Coppice Green Lane, Shifnal
Shropshire, TF11 8PD
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
