The Grove School
Newcastle Road, Market Drayton, TF9 1HF
856 pupils · 71% of 1,206 capacity
- Phase
- Secondary
- Type
- Academy converter
- Ages
- 11–18
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Does not apply
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Trust
- MARCHES ACADEMY TRUST
- Local authority
- Shropshire
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 30%
Ofsted
Requires improvement (2023) — Rated under the pre-September 2024 inspection system
This school has not yet been inspected under the report-card system introduced in November 2025. When it is, this section will show a grade for each area — Ofsted says the new grades do not map onto the old ones, so we do not predict them.
Inspected 25 April 2023, published 5 July 2024. Read the full Ofsted report
England has three coexisting inspection systems — how we translate them into one signal.
Exam results
| Measure | 2024/25 |
|---|---|
| Attainment 8 score | 39.5 |
| Grade 5 or above in English & maths (strong pass) | 28.2% |
| Grade 4 or above in English & maths (standard pass) | 54.9% |
| Entering the English Baccalaureate | 36.6% |
Progress 8 is not published nationally for 2024/25 and 2025/26 while KS2 baselines are missing (no SATs in 2020/21). It returns from 2026/27.
“Not published (small cohort)” means the DfE suppressed the figure to protect small cohorts — it is not a zero.
Will my child get in?
Usually has places available — 0.92 first-choice applications per place (Sept 2026 entry)
| Entry | Places | 1st preferences | Total preferences | Offers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept 2026 entry | 150 | 138 | 190 | 144 |
| Sept 2025 entry | 150 | 138 | 193 | 149 |
| Sept 2024 entry | 130 | 120 | 169 | 124 |
| Sept 2023 entry | 131 | 109 | 157 | 118 |
| Sept 2022 entry | 137 | 130 | 179 | 132 |
| Sept 2021 entry | 160 | 135 | 173 | 148 |
| Sept 2020 entry | 164 | 130 | 181 | 142 |
| Sept 2019 entry | 174 | 129 | 178 | 147 |
First-choice demand varies year to year, and the school’s admission criteria — not demand — decide who is offered a place. Use this as a rough signal, never a prediction.
Nearby alternatives
- Madeley High School 14.1 km · Improved significantly (2025)
- Sir John Talbot's School 14.6 km · Good (2023) · previous system
- Haberdashers' Adams 16.5 km · Good (2022) · previous system
- Brine Leas School 17 km · Good — confirmed 2022 · previous system
- Newport Girls' High School Academy 17.1 km · Outstanding (2022) · previous system
- The Burton Borough School 17.2 km · Requires improvement (2021) · previous system
Straight-line distance — not travel time, and not a catchment. Same phase, open schools only.
Data from DfE and Ofsted open data (OGL v3) — sources. School record updated 10 July 2026. Report incorrect data.