Mereside Church of England Primary Academy

About Mereside Church of England Primary Academy

Mereside Church of England Primary Academy sits in the middle of the pack academically when compared with other primary schools in Shropshire. Its most recent Key Stage 2 results show that 52% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is seven percentage points below the local authority average of 59%. That gap is worth noting, though the school’s performance in individual subjects tells a more nuanced story. In writing, 74% of pupils met the expected standard, and in reading and maths that figure was 67% for each. At the higher end, 11% of pupils achieved a high score across all three subjects, while 24% reached the higher standard in writing specifically. The school’s overall ranking places it 61st out of 88 primary schools in Shropshire, putting it in the bottom half locally and around the 75th percentile nationally.

The school’s Ofsted journey is striking. In its most recent graded inspection in 2014, it was rated Good overall, with Good for both leadership and management and the quality of education. That followed a previous inspection in 2012 when it was rated Inadequate across the board. More recently, an ungraded inspection in March 2024 confirmed the school remains Good, though with a note of concern attached. The Progress 8 measure is not available for this primary, so it’s harder to gauge how much value the school adds year on year, but the Key Stage 2 scores offer a baseline. In reading, the average scaled score was 103, and in maths it was 102, both slightly above the national benchmark of 100. The school’s capacity is 420 pupils, and it currently has 358 on roll, with 17.6% eligible for free school meals, which is close to the national average for primary schools.

Mereside is a Church of England primary, and its facilities include a library, sports hall, outdoor playground, ICT suite, art studios, music rooms and a chapel. The school offers a range of clubs including art, coding, gardening and science, and sports provision covers gymnastics, netball, cross country and rounders. For families with children who have additional needs, the school lists SEND support for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and physical disabilities. The school was oversubscribed for the 2025/26 intake, with 93 applications for 55 places and 45 first-preference offers, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.69. That suggests it is a popular choice locally, even if its headline results sit below the LA average. It would suit families who value a Church of England ethos, a broad range of facilities and a school that has shown it can improve from a low point.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Mereside Church of England Primary Academy

Helpful Guides for Parents