The hardest schools to get into in Shropshire
Secondary: 231 families put The Priory School first in 2026 and 165 of them (71%) were offered a place.
Reception: 20 families put Hadnall Church of England Primary School first in 2026 and 15 of them (75%) were offered a place.
Every state school in Shropshire with at least 20 first-choice applicants, hardest first. Of the families who put the school first on their application, the share who were offered a place there. Data: Department for Education.
Secondary schools (Year 7)
| # | School | Put it first | Of them, offered | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Priory School · Shrewsbury | 231 | 165 (71%) | 168 |
| 2 | Bridgnorth Endowed School · Bridgnorth | 148 | 122 (82%) | 123 |
| 3 | The Thomas Adams School · Shrewsbury | 237 | 203 (86%) | 207 |
| 4 | Belvidere School · Shrewsbury | 168 | 150 (89%) | 168 |
| 5 | St Martins School (3-16 Learning Community) · Oswestry | 54 | 49 (91%) | 49 |
| 6 | The Corbet School · Shrewsbury | 164 | 149 (91%) | 153 |
| 7 | William Brookes School · Much Wenlock | 113 | 110 (97%) | 123 |
| 8 | Idsall School · Shifnal | 170 | 166 (98%) | 197 |
| 9 | Meole Brace School · Shrewsbury | 198 | 198 (100%) | 270 |
| 10 | The Marches School · Oswestry | 197 | 197 (100%) | 204 |
| 11 | The Grove School · Market Drayton | 138 | 138 (100%) | 150 |
| 12 | Sir John Talbot's School · Whitchurch | 129 | 129 (100%) | 141 |
| 13 | Shrewsbury Academy · Shrewsbury | 117 | 117 (100%) | 139 |
| 14 | Ludlow Church of England School · Ludlow · faith | 115 | 115 (100%) | 118 |
| 15 | Oldbury Wells School · Bridgnorth | 112 | 112 (100%) | 154 |
| 16 | Lakelands Academy · Ellesmere | 107 | 107 (100%) | 113 |
| 17 | Church Stretton School · Church Stretton | 106 | 106 (100%) | 117 |
| 18 | Mary Webb School and Science College · Shrewsbury | 105 | 105 (100%) | 115 |
| 19 | The Lacon Childe School · Kidderminster | 95 | 95 (100%) | 99 |
| 20 | The Community College, Bishop's Castle · Bishops Castle | 44 | 44 (100%) | 45 |
Primary schools (Reception)
| # | School | Put it first | Of them, offered | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hadnall Church of England Primary School · Shrewsbury · faith | 20 | 15 (75%) | 15 |
| 2 | Coleham Primary School · Shrewsbury | 75 | 60 (80%) | 60 |
| 3 | Claverley CofE Primary School · Wolverhampton · faith | 22 | 18 (82%) | 18 |
| 4 | Oxon CofE Primary School · Shrewsbury · faith | 70 | 58 (83%) | 60 |
| 5 | Bowbrook Primary School · Shrewsbury | 34 | 29 (85%) | 30 |
| 6 | Castlefields Primary School · Bridgnorth | 34 | 30 (88%) | 30 |
| 7 | St Marys CofE Primary School · Shrewsbury · faith | 28 | 27 (96%) | 27 |
| 8 | St Andrew's CofE Primary School · Shifnal · faith | 60 | 58 (97%) | 60 |
| 9 | Shifnal Primary School · Shifnal | 51 | 50 (98%) | 50 |
| 10 | Sundorne Infant School and Nursery · Shrewsbury | 82 | 82 (100%) | 85 |
| 11 | Whitchurch CofE Infant and Nursery Academy · Whitchurch · faith | 79 | 79 (100%) | 79 |
| 12 | Woodside Primary School · Oswestry | 64 | 64 (100%) | 64 |
| 13 | Woodfield Infant School & Nursery · Shrewsbury | 63 | 63 (100%) | 67 |
| 14 | Meole Brace Church of England Primary School and Nursery · Shrewsbury · faith | 54 | 54 (100%) | 57 |
| 15 | Market Drayton Infant & Nursery School · Market Drayton | 53 | 53 (100%) | 53 |
| 16 | Oakmeadow Church of England Primary and Nursery School · Shrewsbury · faith | 51 | 51 (100%) | 51 |
| 17 | Mereside Church of England Primary Academy · Shrewsbury · faith | 48 | 48 (100%) | 51 |
| 18 | St Peter's CofE Primary School · Shrewsbury · faith | 45 | 45 (100%) | 46 |
| 19 | Greenfields Primary School · Shrewsbury | 38 | 38 (100%) | 39 |
| 20 | Mount Pleasant Primary · Shrewsbury | 38 | 38 (100%) | 40 |
| 21 | Ellesmere Primary School · Ellesmere | 38 | 38 (100%) | 38 |
| 22 | The Meadows Primary School · Oswestry | 34 | 34 (100%) | 34 |
| 23 | Albrighton Primary School & Nursery · Wolverhampton | 33 | 33 (100%) | 33 |
| 24 | Whittington CofE (VA) Primary School · Oswestry · faith | 32 | 32 (100%) | 32 |
| 25 | Ludlow Primary School · Ludlow | 31 | 31 (100%) | 31 |
| 26 | St Laurence CofE Primary School · Ludlow · faith | 30 | 30 (100%) | 30 |
| 27 | St Giles CofE Primary School · Shrewsbury · faith | 30 | 30 (100%) | 33 |
| 28 | Holy Trinity Church of England Primary Academy and Nursery · Oswestry · faith | 30 | 30 (100%) | 30 |
| 29 | Gobowen Primary School · Oswestry | 29 | 29 (100%) | 29 |
| 30 | Baschurch CofE Primary School · Shrewsbury · faith | 28 | 28 (100%) | 29 |
| 31 | Hodnet Primary School · Market Drayton | 27 | 27 (100%) | 29 |
| 32 | Bomere Heath Church of England Primary School · Shrewsbury · faith | 26 | 26 (100%) | 27 |
| 33 | Crowmoor Primary School · Shrewsbury | 26 | 26 (100%) | 26 |
| 34 | Radbrook Primary School · Shrewsbury | 26 | 26 (100%) | 31 |
| 35 | Highley Community Primary School · Bridgnorth | 25 | 25 (100%) | 25 |
| 36 | Belvidere Primary School · Shrewsbury | 25 | 25 (100%) | 25 |
| 37 | Trinity CofE Primary School · Shrewsbury · faith | 25 | 25 (100%) | 27 |
| 38 | Pontesbury CofE Primary School · Shrewsbury · faith | 25 | 25 (100%) | 26 |
| 39 | St John's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy · BRIDGNORTH · faith | 24 | 24 (100%) | 25 |
| 40 | Broseley CofE Primary School · Broseley · faith | 23 | 23 (100%) | 23 |
| 41 | Worfield Endowed Church Of England Primary School · Bridgnorth · faith | 23 | 23 (100%) | 26 |
| 42 | Prees CofE Primary School · Whitchurch · faith | 22 | 22 (100%) | 24 |
| 43 | St Martins School (3-16 Learning Community) · Oswestry | 21 | 21 (100%) | 21 |
| 44 | St Lucia's CofE Primary School & Nursery · Shrewsbury · faith | 21 | 21 (100%) | 22 |
| 45 | Morda CofE Primary School · Oswestry · faith | 20 | 20 (100%) | 20 |
| 46 | Longlands Primary School · Market Drayton | 20 | 20 (100%) | 20 |
| 47 | West Felton Church of England Primary School and Nursery · Oswestry · faith | 20 | 20 (100%) | 20 |
| 48 | St Mary's CofE Primary School · Wolverhampton · faith | 20 | 20 (100%) | 23 |
Getting into a school in Shropshire
What is the hardest school to get into in Shropshire?
For secondary places, 231 families put The Priory School first in 2026 and 165 of them (71%) were offered a place. For Reception, 20 families put Hadnall Church of England Primary School first and 15 of them (75%) were offered a place.
How many families in Shropshire get their first-choice school?
91.0% of families applying for a secondary place got their first preference, and 97.4% of those applying for Reception did (offers for September 2026).
Does putting a school first improve our chances?
Not at the other schools you name. Councils in England use an equal-preference system: every school you list is considered against its own admissions criteria, and if more than one could offer a place you get the one you ranked highest. So list schools in your genuine order of preference, and include at least one you are very likely to get.
What does "last distance offered" mean?
For schools that give places by distance, it is how far from the school the last child offered a place under that criterion lived. It changes every year with the number and location of applicants, so treat it as a guide, not a guarantee. We show it where Shropshire published it in its admissions booklet.