Academy converter · Shropshire

The Marches School

11–18Ages
1,346Pupils
SecondaryPhase
Sixth formAges 16–18
136979URN

Morda Road, Oswestry, SY11 2AR · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Sep 2023 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.2per place

0.6 below Shropshire median (1.8)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Shropshire

243 applications for 204 places · 18th of 18 in Shropshire

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

38.1of 90

Shropshire 41.9 England 46.0

18th of 20 in Shropshire

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 26 September 2023Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Sixth form provision		Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

1.2applications per place, Year 7

0.6 below Shropshire median (1.8) 1.0 below England median (2.2)

243 applications · 204 places offered · 197 named it first

2026 1.2; Shropshire median median 1.8
2025 1.3; Shropshire median median 1.6
2024 1.1; Shropshire median median 1.6
2023 1.3; Shropshire median median 1.6
2022 1.2; Shropshire median median 1.6
2021 1.1; Shropshire median median 1.5
2020 1.0; Shropshire median median 1.7
2019 1.1; Shropshire median median 1.5
2018 1.1; Shropshire median median 1.4
2017 1.2; Shropshire median median 1.5
2016 1.1; Shropshire median median 1.4
2015 1.2; Shropshire median median 1.4
2014 1.1; Shropshire median median 1.3

More applications per place than the Shropshire median in 0 of 13 years.

This school
Shropshire median

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	204	243	1.2	197	0.97
Sep 2025	191	243	1.3	191	1.00
Sep 2024	237	270	1.1	208	0.88
Sep 2023	183	235	1.3	167	0.91
Sep 2022	218	261	1.2	216	0.99
Sep 2021	222	249	1.1	214	0.96
Sep 2020	237	240	1.0	200	0.84
Sep 2019	238	272	1.1	232	0.97
Sep 2018	241	267	1.1	240	1.00
Sep 2017	212	251	1.2	212	1.00
Sep 2016	250	277	1.1	250	1.00
Sep 2015	206	239	1.2	201	0.98
Sep 2014	234	267	1.1	231	0.99

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

236 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)38.118th of 20 in Shropshire

Shropshire 41.9 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths27%17th of 20 in Shropshire

Shropshire 35% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths44%

Shropshire 58% England 66%

This school
Shropshire median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.29

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	236	38.1	27%	44%	–
2024/25	257	43.1	39%	62%	–
2023/24	239	45.2	46%	64%	−0.29
2022/23	253	43.2	38%	61%	−0.34

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

The Marches SchoolThis school
This school

Good2023

1.2applications per place 38.1Attainment 8
St Martins School (3-16 Learning Community)
7.8 km · Shropshire

Good2023

2.8applications per place 37.6Attainment 8
Lakelands Academy
12.2 km · Shropshire

2026

2.1applications per place 42.7Attainment 8
The Corbet School
15.6 km · Shropshire

Remains Good2022

2.3applications per place 46.0Attainment 8
The Thomas Adams School
22.3 km · Shropshire

Good2023

2.2applications per place 43.3Attainment 8
Mary Webb School and Science College
25.9 km · Shropshire

Good2023

2.7applications per place 41.1Attainment 8
The Priory School
26.4 km · Shropshire

Good2023

4.3applications per place 52.6Attainment 8
Shrewsbury Academy
26.5 km · Shropshire

Requires improvement2024

1.5applications per place 31.9Attainment 8
Meole Brace School
26.6 km · Shropshire

Good2024

2.5applications per place 43.8Attainment 8

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Academy converter
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 136979 · 893/4437
Trust: Marches Academy Trust
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 1,500 pupils · 1,346 on roll
Free school meals: 20.1% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 August 2011
Replaced: The Marches School and Technology College (URN 123584)
Address: Morda Road, Oswestry, SY11 2AR
Local authority: Shropshire

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources