The Marches School, Oswestry

In 2026, pupils at The Marches School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 38.1, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 41.7 in Shropshire and 47 across England.

27% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 35% in Shropshire and 47% in England.

That is down from 43.1 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.29: pupils made 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 24.9, against 41.5 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 16.6 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 28 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 197 families put The Marches School as their first choice and 243 named it as one of their preferences, for 204 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The Marches 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 239 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 75% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 22% to a further education college, 3% to an apprenticeship and 5% into work.

Of the 98 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 58% went on to university or other higher education, 4% to apprenticeships and 27% into work. 13% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

10.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 200 pupils (14.9%) received SEN support and 27 (2%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.

The Marches School provides for pupils with speech, language and communication needs and social, emotional and mental health needs.

The nearest railway station is Gobowen Rail Station, about 3 miles away in a straight line.

7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Marches School (adjacent), 150 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 116 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Shropshire (10), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, The Marches School issued 242 suspensions, 17.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.

The primary schools closest to The Marches School are Our Lady and St Oswald's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy (0.2 miles); Morda CofE Primary School (0.8 miles); Holy Trinity Church of England Primary Academy and Nursery (0.9 miles); and Woodside Primary School (1 mile). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.