Sir John Talbot's School, Whitchurch

In 2026, pupils at Sir John Talbot's School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 40.2, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 41.7 in Shropshire and 47 across England.

39% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 35% in Shropshire and 47% in England.

That is down from 46.8 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.18: pupils made above 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 32.5, against 43 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 10.5 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 22 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and History.

For September 2026 entry, 129 families put Sir John Talbot's School as their first choice and 236 named it as one of their preferences, for 141 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

Sir John Talbot's School is one of 18 schools run by Marches Academy Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 41.5 in 2024/25.

Of the 154 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 81% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 33% to a further education college, 6% to an apprenticeship and 5% into work.

Of the 24 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 50% went on to university or other higher education, 4% to apprenticeships and 29% into work. 17% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

6.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

Sir John Talbot's School has a resourced provision for speech, language and communication needs, autism and moderate learning difficulties: 25 places, 20 pupils on roll.

The nearest railway station is Whitchurch Rail Station, about 1090 metres away (roughly a 14-minute walk).

7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Sir John Talbot School, 80 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 53 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and burglary. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Shropshire (10), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Sir John Talbot's School issued 152 suspensions, 17.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Sir John Talbot's School are Whitchurch CofE Infant and Nursery Academy (0.6 miles), Whitchurch CofE Junior Academy (0.7 miles) and Tilstock CofE Primary and Nursery (1.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.