Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool, Shifnal
Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool is a primary school for pupils aged 5 to 11 in Shifnal. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2023. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 14th-highest of the 96 schools in Shropshire with published results, and 3,694th of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.2 first-choice applications for every place. It was full in 2025, at 106% of capacity.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2023)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Shropshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool in detail
Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Please come and see us for yourself - the office will be happy to make you an appointment! Our small, rural school is a beautiful learning environment. With a family feel and wonderful, high quality staff to support each and every child, we serve the heart of our community."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include choir, STEM, gardening and book club.
Coming up: an open day on Thursday 5 November 2026 at 10am. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Shropshire
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 77% of Year 6 pupils at Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool reached the expected standard in reading and 92% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 72% in Shropshire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 89% in reading and 89% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool
For September 2026 entry, 18 families put Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool as their first choice and 69 named it as one of their preferences, for 15 places offered. That is 1.2 first choices for every place. 4 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool are Thomas Telford Primary Free School (2.2 miles); Shifnal Primary School (2.3 miles, Good, 98% reading, 96% maths); Redhill Primary Academy (2.5 miles, Outstanding, 83% reading, 83% maths); and Muxton Primary School (2.7 miles, Requires improvement, 83% reading, 85% maths).
Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.
Thomas Telford Primary Free SchoolShifnal Primary SchoolRedhill Primary AcademyMuxton Primary School
What parents say
47 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool (as of September 2025): 96% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that they are kept well informed about progress (92%).
Who goes there
10% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 5 pupils (5%) received SEN support and 5 (5%) 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 a moderate learning difficulty.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Shifnal Rail Station, about 2.7 miles away in a straight line.
1 bus stop is within a five-minute walk; the closest is Crossroads (adjacent), 310 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 1 crime within a mile of the school, most often burglary. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Shropshire (10).
Suspensions and exclusions
Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool 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; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Your child will thrive in a caring, inclusive environment where teachers are highly skilled and ambitious for every pupil. The school excels at teaching reading from the start and provides a broad curriculum with exciting opportunities like trips, clubs and a school garden. Children develop strong character, kindness and respect for others alongside excellent academic progress.
Key Strengths
- Pupils have exceptionally positive attitudes and behaviour, with huge respect for each other and strong sense of inclusion
- Highly skilled teaching of phonics and reading, with pupils developing into confident readers who love books
- Outstanding early years provision where children make exceptionally strong progress and are extremely well prepared for Year 1
- Excellent support for pupils with SEND who are carefully included and achieve well alongside their peers
- Impressive personal development through clubs, trips, visitors, school garden, residential experiences and community involvement
Areas for Improvement
- Some pupils do not form or position letters correctly when writing, and these mistakes are not being corrected
- More confident writers are not given enough time to correct their spellings and improve presentation of their work
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff dealing swiftly with any concerns and pupils feeling safe and valued.
Extracurricular Activities
Clubs, trips, school garden activities, residential experiences, visitors to school
Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool is a highly ambitious, nurturing school where pupils thrive and progress well through a broad and exciting curriculum from early years through Year 6. The school is exceptionally well-led with outstanding behaviour, personal development, and early years provision.
At a Glance
10.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
47 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 89% to 77% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 92% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 69% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
18.4
Avg class size
20.5
Infant (KS1)
24.0
KS2
5
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool
Phonics workshop-2.10.26
2 Oct 2026
Cuan Wildlife workshops collections-2.10.26
2 Oct 2026
Sheriffhales 6 - 30/09/26
2 Oct 2026
Governors’ corner 2.10.26
2 Oct 2026
headteacher’s message 2.10.26
2 Oct 2026
30.09.2026 - English - Explanation Text - The Iron Man
1 Oct 2026
From Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool
Term dates
Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool 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
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool 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)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
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 Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool
Will you get a place at Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Shropshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool 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
106%
Over capacity
89 pupils
84 places
5 pupils over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Shifnal
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Shifnal
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: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
5
SEN Support
5
EHC Plans
10.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
100
Total Pupils
57
Boys
43
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
5
Teachers
20.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,931
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,770
Per pupil
£629k
Total funding
£14k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.3%
Overall absence
7.9%
Persistent absence
76
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool
What are SATs results like at Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool?
Of the pupils at Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 77% reached the expected standard in reading and 92% did so in maths.
What is Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool's Ofsted rating?
Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2023, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool?
No fixed boundary. When Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool is oversubscribed, Shropshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool?
Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool was full in 2025, at 106% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool?
Classes at Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool average 18.4 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool?
Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool has around 100 pupils on roll. 10% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool?
4.3% of sessions were missed at Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool in 2024/25. 7.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool?
Apply through Shropshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool 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 Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool's term dates?
Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool 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 Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Shropshire is 1 (the median across 187 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool?
Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool is at Sheriffhales, Shifnal, Shropshire, TF11 8RA.
Sources: Shropshire term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)