Gobowen Primary School, Oswestry
Gobowen Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Oswestry. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in April 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the highest of the 10 schools in Oswestry with published results, and 361st of 14,452 across England. It was 88% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2015)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Shropshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Gobowen Primary School in detail
Gobowen Primary School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "We are very proud of our school, and we hope that these pages provide you with all of the information that you may wish or need to know. If you have any feedback, or ideas, please get in contact - we would be very happy to hear from you. Mr Ronan Walsh, Headteacher ."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, rugby, tennis, gymnastics, cross-country, karate, choir, cooking and cheerleading.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 96% of Year 6 pupils at Gobowen Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 96% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 72% in Shropshire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 83% in reading and 83% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Gobowen Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 29 families put Gobowen Primary School as their first choice and 60 named it as one of their preferences, for 29 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Gobowen Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Gobowen Primary School are Weston Rhyn Primary School (1.4 miles, Good, 59% reading, 47% maths); Selattyn CofE Primary School (2.1 miles); Woodside Primary School (2.4 miles, Good, 71% reading, 72% maths); and The Meadows Primary School (2.4 miles, Good, 74% reading, 64% maths).
Gobowen Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 3 of them.
Weston Rhyn Primary SchoolSelattyn CofE Primary SchoolWoodside Primary SchoolThe Meadows Primary School
Who goes there
4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 17 pupils (7.6%) received SEN support and 6 (2.7%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Staffing
Gobowen Primary School had 12 teachers in 2026, one for every 15 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Gobowen Rail Station, about 550 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Primary School (adjacent), 40 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
Gobowen Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from April 2015, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Gobowen Primary school is ambitious for all its pupils to succeed and to receive a broad and balanced curriculum. The school's values of 'nurture, grow, flourish' are realised in all aspects of the school's work. Pupils achieve very well academically, personally and socially. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are fully included in school life. One parent's comment was typical of many when they stated, 'I have been so impressed with how the curriculum is implemented, the school works very hard to make sure learning is engaging and meaningful.'
The school has a very calm and orderly environment. Pupils are friendly and polite. Pupils say that staff sort things out quickly when any concerns occur. Pupils are excited about their learning. They love to talk about their work, but also listen to each other respectfully. Pupils have a very clear understanding of their human rights and responsibilities. One pupil commented, 'We all deserve these rights.'
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has designed a broad and ambitious curriculum. It enables pupils to learn essential knowledge, ideas and vocabulary. Pupils' learning across subjects is organised in a logical manner. There is a real focus on developing and extending pupils' vocabulary. For example, children in early years are introduced to words such as 'in front', 'next to' and 'behind'. This directional language lays the foundation for further work in mathematics in key stages one and two. Pupils understand how to transfer knowledge they have learned to other subjects, for example how mathematical knowledge can be applied in science, design and technology and physical education.
Pupils benefit from a range of well-planned educational visits which help them make sense of their learning. For example, one pupil explained how a visit to a Victorian town enabled them to understand what life was like for a child at the time.
From Ofsted's July 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its April 2015 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
19.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 83% to 96% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 83% to 96% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 83% to 92% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
27.0
Avg class size
28.7
Infant (KS1)
27.3
KS2
8
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Gobowen Primary School
Year 3 & 4 swimming lessons 23.9.26-4.11.26 Oswestry School
23 Sep 2026
Attendance and Punctuality Letter 15.09.2026
15 Sep 2026
Eduspot-Parent Mobile App Information
Building Works September 2026
After School Clubs September-October 2026
Young Voices Autumn 2026
From Gobowen Primary School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Gobowen Primary School
Term dates
Gobowen Primary School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Shropshire. Training (INSET) days, when pupils are not in school, vary by school: check the school's own calendar.
2026 to 2027
- Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026)
- Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027)
- Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027)
2027 to 2028
- Autumn term: Thursday 2 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027)
- Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 7 April 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028)
- Summer term: Monday 24 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028)
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Gobowen Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Gobowen Primary School is in Shropshire; for families living there:
Apply to Shropshire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 9
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 5 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Shropshire is 1 (the median across 187 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Gobowen Primary School
Will you get a place at Gobowen Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Gobowen Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Gobowen Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Gobowen Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Shropshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Gobowen Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Shropshire got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
88%
Available places
185 pupils
210 places
25 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Oswestry
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Oswestry
Across Shropshire council
Places available
3,420
Applications
2,582
Got 1st preference
97.4%
Got preferred school
99.8%
All primary applications across Shropshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(9)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
17
SEN Support
6
EHC Plans
10.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
224
Total Pupils
123
Boys
101
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
12
Teachers
18.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,085
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,720
Per pupil
£1210k
Total funding
£62k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.6%
Overall absence
12.9%
Persistent absence
171
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Gobowen Primary School
Questions parents ask about Gobowen Primary School
What are SATs results like at Gobowen Primary School?
Of the pupils at Gobowen Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 96% reached the expected standard in reading and 96% did so in maths.
What is Gobowen Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Gobowen Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in April 2015, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Gobowen Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Gobowen Primary School is oversubscribed, Shropshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Gobowen Primary School?
Gobowen Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 88% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at Gobowen Primary School?
Classes at Gobowen Primary School average 27 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Gobowen Primary School?
Gobowen Primary School has around 224 pupils on roll. 19% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Gobowen Primary School?
5.6% of sessions were missed at Gobowen Primary School in 2024/25. 12.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Gobowen Primary School?
Apply through Shropshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Gobowen Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
What are Gobowen Primary School's term dates?
Gobowen Primary School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Shropshire. In 2026 to 2027: Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026); Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027); Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027). In 2027 to 2028: Autumn term: Thursday 2 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027); Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 7 April 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028); Summer term: Monday 24 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028).
How many road collisions happen near Gobowen Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 5 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Shropshire is 1 (the median across 187 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Gobowen Primary School?
Gobowen Primary School is at School Lane, Gobowen, Oswestry, Shropshire, SY11 3LD.
Sources: Shropshire term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)