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The Thomas Adams School

Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Academy

Lowe Hill, Wem, Shrewsbury SY4 5UB · thomasadams.net · 01939 237000

On the mapSearch near SY4 5UB

Overview

Ofsted
Good
2019 framework · inspected Sept 2023
GCSEs, 2024/25
43.4
average Attainment 8 score. Shropshire 42.5, England 46
Demand for places
1.1
first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
Pupils
1,214
91% of 1,336 places
Local authority
Shropshire
Sixth form
Yes
Admissions
Non-selective
Free school meals
17.8%
First language not English
6.5%
School census 2025/26
Trust
The 3-18 Education Trust

The official school record (Department for Education)

Admissions

For Year 7 in September 2026, 237 families put the school first and 207 places were offered; 86% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.

First choices against places

20222023202420252026September 2022: 186 (Places 198)186September 2023: 212 (Places 207)212September 2024: 216 (Places 205)216September 2025: 235 (Places 206)235September 2026: 237 (Places 207)237Places 207
Year 7PlacesFirst choicesPer place% offered
September 2026Sept 20262072371.1▲86%
September 2025Sept 20252062351.1▲85%
September 2024Sept 20242052161.1▲94%
September 2023Sept 20232072121▲94%
September 2022Sept 20221981860.9100%

Results

In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 43.4, and 36.4% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Shropshire it was 42.5, and across England 46.

In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade C+ (32.2 points per entry).

GCSE results

Attainment 8

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252016/17: 46.0 (England 46.3)46.02017/18: 46.0 (England 46.5)46.02018/19: 43.8 (England 46.7)43.82021/22: 50.6 (England 48.8)50.62022/23: 43.0 (England 46.3)43.02023/24: 42.3 (England 45.9)42.32024/25: 43.4 (England 46.0)43.4England 46.0
2024/25TrendSchoolEngland
▼43.446.0
▼36.4%45.4%
▼61.7%64.8%
▲51.7%40.5%
▼3.744.09

Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 123589)

Where Year 11 leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
School sixth form30.2−11
Sixth form college36.8+4.7
Further education16.5+2.6
Other education0.50
Apprenticeship3.3+0.1
Employment3.8−1
Not in a lasting destination7.1+2.8
Activity not captured1.9—

A levels and other 16 to 18 results

A level average grade

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252015/16: 27.9 (England 30.5)C-2016/17: 27.6 (England 31.1)C-2017/18: 30.0 (England 32.1)C2018/19: 31.7 (England 32.9)C+2021/22: 37.0 (England 37.9)B-2022/23: 28.1 (England 34.2)C-2023/24: 29.7 (England 34.4)C2024/25: 32.2 (England 35.0)C+England 35.0
2024/25TrendAverage gradeProgress
69 studentsC+ (32.2)Average 0.00
69 studentsC+ (32.4)Average +0.01
20 studentsDist- (30.8)Average +0.13
13.7%AAB or better
93.3%finished their course
Earlier years: A levelStudentsAverage gradeProgress
2023/2499C (29.7)-0.12
2022/2389C- (28.1)—
2021/2280B- (37)—
2018/19114C+ (31.7)-0.06
2017/18121C (30)-0.20
2016/17125C- (27.6)-0.55
2015/16153C- (27.9)-0.22

Where sixth-form leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
University40−12.4
Other education2.9−3
Apprenticeship5.7−0.3
Employment32.4+9.8
Not in a lasting destination12.4−0.7
Activity not captured6.7—

Ofsted

The Thomas Adams School was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 13 September 2023, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.

Overall
Good
Inspected
13 Sept 2023
Graded inspection

Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports

Graded areas

Quality of educationGood
Behaviour and attitudesGood
Personal developmentGood
Leadership and managementGood
Sixth formGood

Previously: Good, graded inspection, Jan 2014

Earlier inspections

Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 123589), which Ofsted links to this one.

Before September 2019

  • Oct 2017Monitoring visit
    SafeguardingEffective

    Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 123589)

  • Jan 2014Good
    Outcomes for pupilsGood
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentGood
    Leadership and managementGood

    Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 123589)

  • Mar 2007Outstanding
    Outcomes for pupilsOutstanding
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentGood
    Leadership and managementOutstanding
    16 to 19 study programmesGood

    Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 123589)

What parents said

78% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (192 replies, to 2 September 2024).

Recommend
78%
Replies
192
2 Sept 2024
Child is happy at school▼83% agreeEngland 88%
Child feels safe●87% agreeEngland 89%
Pupils are well behaved▼74% agreeEngland 84%
School has high expectations▼81% agreeEngland 84%
Child does well●87% agreeEngland 87%
Told what child will learn▼71% agreeEngland 83%
Told how child is doing●84% agreeEngland 85%
Good range of subjects●89% agreeEngland 91%
Can join clubs and activities●90% agreeEngland 90%
Supports personal development▼73% agreeEngland 79%
Concerns are dealt with properly▼71% agreeEngland 74%

based on the 78% who raised concerns

Bullying dealt with quickly▼44% agreeEngland 49%

based on the 36% who had a child bullied

Gets the SEND support they need▼62% agreeEngland 67%

based on 29 parents (15%) with SEND

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