Haberdashers' Abraham Darby, Telford

Ofsted's report card from its 24 February 2026 inspection grades Haberdashers' Abraham Darby on 7 areas: 1 expected standard and 6 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Post 16 provision - Expected standard. "Leaders provide a broad, established post‑16 offer that combines academic and vocational routes with appropriate enrichment."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Pupils do not attain and progress as well as they should over time."

Attendance and behaviour - Needs attention. "Overall attendance remains below national averages."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "Staff implement the curriculum inconsistently across lessons and subjects."

Inclusion - Needs attention. "Leaders articulate a clear commitment to inclusion."

Leadership and governance - Needs attention. "Leaders, governors and the trust agree that the school requires sustained and targeted support to drive improvements for the benefit of all pupils."

Personal development and wellbeing - Needs attention. "Leaders recognise that delivery and recall of the personal development programme varies in places."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders and governors must ensure that actions are implemented consistently well and evaluated swiftly, so that all pupils and students receive a high-quality education and raise aspirations"; "Leaders should continue to, and further strengthen, work with pupils and their families to improve attendance for all"; "Leaders should continue to ensure that all staff take responsibility for correcting poor behaviour. They should also address pupils' behaviour outside of lessons to secure consistent high standards of behaviour"; "Leaders should ensure that staff consistently implement effective strategies that enable pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to access and learn the full curriculum"; "Leaders should develop staff expertise to use assessment effectively to quickly identify and address gaps in learning for all pupils and post-16 students"; "Leaders should make sure that all teachers identify and address misconceptions promptly so that pupils make at least expected progress".

In its own words: "Our mission is to inspire and empower every pupil to value and enjoy their learning, both within and beyond the classroom, by cultivating a vibrant and supportive community focused on Aspiration, Respect, and Excellence."

In 2026, pupils at Haberdashers' Abraham Darby averaged an Attainment 8 score of 34.4, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.9 in Telford and Wrekin and 47 across England.

28% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 45% in Telford and Wrekin and 47% in England.

That is down from 37.7 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.74: pupils made well below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 29.5, against 38.9 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 9.4 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 25 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and History.

For September 2026 entry, 110 families put Haberdashers' Abraham Darby as their first choice and 427 named it as one of their preferences, for 173 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 6 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Haberdashers' Abraham Darby are Madeley Academy (0.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 44.8); The Telford Langley School (2 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 37.9); The Telford Park School (2.1 miles, Attainment 8 29); and Thomas Telford School (3.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 51.8).

Haberdashers' Abraham Darby's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

Haberdashers' Abraham Darby is one of 2 schools run by Haberdashers' West Midlands Academies Trust, an academy trust.

85 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Haberdashers' Abraham Darby (as of April 2026): 59% would recommend the school, 62% say their child is happy there and 40% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (64%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (40%).

Of the 176 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 83% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 43% to a further education college, 3% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

Of the 101 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 44% went on to university or other higher education, 5% to apprenticeships and 37% into work. 5% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

42.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 12% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (73%) and Black (12%).

There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Haberdashers' Abraham Darby.

6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Abraham Darby School (after), 70 metres away.

In 2024/25, Haberdashers' Abraham Darby issued 673 suspensions, 63.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Haberdashers' Abraham Darby are Woodlands Primary School and Nursery (under 0.1 miles), William Reynolds Primary School and Nursery (0.2 miles), John Fletcher of Madeley Primary School (0.7 miles) and St Mary's Catholic Primary School (1 mile). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.