Academy sponsor led · Shropshire

Sir John Talbot's School

11–19Ages
861Pupils
SecondaryPhase
Sixth formAges 16–18
141176URN

Prees Road, Whitchurch, SY13 2BY · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Dec 2023 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.7per place

close to Shropshire median (1.8)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Shropshire

236 applications for 141 places · 12th of 18 in Shropshire

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

40.2of 90

Shropshire 41.9 England 46.0

14th of 20 in Shropshire

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 13 December 2023Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development	Outstanding
Leadership and management	Outstanding
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

1.7applications per place, Year 7

close to Shropshire median (1.8) 0.6 below England median (2.2)

236 applications · 141 places offered · 129 named it first

2026 1.7; Shropshire median median 1.8
2025 1.6; Shropshire median median 1.6
2024 1.5; Shropshire median median 1.6
2023 1.5; Shropshire median median 1.6
2022 1.6; Shropshire median median 1.6
2021 1.5; Shropshire median median 1.5
2020 1.7; Shropshire median median 1.7
2019 1.7; Shropshire median median 1.5
2018 1.3; Shropshire median median 1.4
2017 1.3; Shropshire median median 1.5
2016 1.6; Shropshire median median 1.4
2015 1.2; Shropshire median median 1.4
2014 1.6; Shropshire median median 1.3; as the previous school

This school
Shropshire median

Dashed bars: as Sir John Talbot's Technology College (URN 123588), the previous school.

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	141	236	1.7	129	0.91
Sep 2025	142	231	1.6	138	0.97
Sep 2024	158	237	1.5	152	0.96
Sep 2023	146	220	1.5	143	0.98
Sep 2022	149	244	1.6	148	0.99
Sep 2021	128	196	1.5	131	1.02
Sep 2020	128	212	1.7	139	1.09
Sep 2019	131	227	1.7	162	1.24
Sep 2018	107	142	1.3	95	0.89
Sep 2017	89	116	1.3	78	0.88
Sep 2016	90	144	1.6	89	0.99
Sep 2015	80	98	1.2	75	0.94
Sep 2014 *	55	85	1.6	47	0.85

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

144 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)40.214th of 20 in Shropshire

Shropshire 41.9 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths39%6th of 20 in Shropshire

Shropshire 35% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths57%

Shropshire 58% England 66%

This school
Shropshire median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)+0.18

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	144	40.2	39%	57%	–
2024/25	159	46.8	48%	70%	–
2023/24	154	47.7	46%	64%	+0.18
2022/23	130	46.1	48%	66%	+0.09

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

Sir John Talbot's SchoolThis school
This school

Good2023

1.7applications per place 40.2Attainment 8
Bishop Heber High School
9.8 km · Cheshire West and Chester

2026

1.4applications per place 54.6Attainment 8
The Thomas Adams School
11.6 km · Shropshire

Good2023

2.2applications per place 43.3Attainment 8
The Grove School
14.6 km · Shropshire

Requires improvement2023

1.3applications per place 38.2Attainment 8
Brine Leas School
15.4 km · Cheshire East

2026

2.3applications per place 50.2Attainment 8
Malbank School and Sixth Form College
15.6 km · Cheshire East

Good2022

2.1applications per place
Lakelands Academy
16.3 km · Shropshire

2026

2.1applications per place 42.7Attainment 8
Shavington Academy
19.0 km · Cheshire East

Remains Good2023

2.6applications per place 44.2Attainment 8
St Thomas More Catholic High School
20.4 km · Cheshire East

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.8applications per place 49.0Attainment 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 sponsor led
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 141176 · 893/4001
Trust: Marches Academy Trust
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 791 pupils · 861 on roll
Free school meals: 22.7% of pupils (England median 23%)
SEN provision: Resourced provision
Opened: 1 September 2014
Replaced: Sir John Talbot's Technology College (URN 123588)
Address: Prees Road, Whitchurch, SY13 2BY
Local authority: Shropshire

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