The Thomas Adams School
Shrewsbury, SY4 5UB · Shropshire · secondary school
Check the area around this school
9th of 20 secondary schools in Shropshire we can score. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to the 864 schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 0.6/10 among them, against 2.7/10 nationally. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 52 | 35% | 1.84 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 38.2 · 33 | 30% | 0.99 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.5 · 16 | 25% | 0.40 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 43.3 · 35 | 10% | 0.35 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
The Thomas Adams School overview
How it's doing
The school is rated Good by Ofsted (inspected 2023-11). In 2024/25, 36.4% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 43.4, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -0.5 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did worse than those nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to the schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 0.4 out of 10 among them, against 2.6 out of 10 nationally.
Beyond the classroom
Pupils can join the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, Computer Club, Eco Group “Adams Aware”, and the School Newspaper. Sports include football, cricket, rugby, athletics, cross-country, swimming, tennis, and table tennis. Arts and music offer choir, string orchestra, wind band, brass ensemble, and instrumental lessons. Trips include fieldwork, visits to France, Arthog outdoor education centre, ski trips, London, and theatre.
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,214 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,336. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
How does the school support pupils to improve their Progress 8 scores?
What Ofsted said about The Thomas Adams School
Overview
The Thomas Adams School is described as a "warm, friendly and vibrant school" where pupils enjoy attending and behave well. Leaders have established high expectations for achievement, resulting in a "suitably broad and ambitious" curriculum that helps pupils make good progress in many subjects.
Strengths
- Pupils benefit from "positive relationships" with staff and feel safe, with sixth-form students acting as "positive role models".
- The curriculum is carefully structured, with leaders considering how pupils "develop and connect their knowledge and skills over time".
- Teachers possess "strong subject knowledge" and provide "highly effective feedback" in stronger subjects like design and technology and art.
- The school offers "effective support" for reading difficulties and accurately identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
- An "extensive and well-organised careers programme" provides pupils with numerous opportunities to explore future employment and education.
Areas to improve
- Some teachers do not systematically check pupils’ understanding before moving on, allowing "gaps in knowledge or misconceptions to go undetected".
- Teachers do not always adapt tasks effectively for pupils with SEND or those speaking English as an additional language, which can "slow their learning".
- High expectations are not consistently realised, leading to "inconsistencies in what is expected of pupils regarding both their work and behaviour".
Safeguarding
The report states that "the arrangements for safeguarding are effective."
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 42.3 |
| 2024/25 | 43.4 |
| 2025/26 | 43.3 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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