The Grove School, Market Drayton Review 2026: A Marches Academy Trust secondary focused on rebuilding consistency

A single secondary option for the Market Drayton area brings both responsibility and opportunity. The Grove School, Market Drayton serves students aged 11 to 18, with a small sixth form and a clear emphasis on rebuilding routines, behaviour consistency, and classroom focus. Mr Mitch Allsopp has led the school since his appointment in January 2024, positioning “Team Grove” around higher expectations and a tighter learning culture.

The latest graded inspection (April 2023) judged the school Requires Improvement overall, with Good grades for Quality of Education, Personal Development, Leadership and Management, and Sixth Form Provision, and Requires Improvement for Behaviour and Attitudes.

Academically, the school’s recent outcomes sit below the England average range on the FindMySchool measures, with a particular challenge in progress. The picture is not one of low ambition, but of a school still converting plans into consistently strong classroom practice.

The school’s public messaging is direct and practical. “Team Grove” is the dominant internal language, and the headteacher’s welcome sets a tone of listening, improvement, and reset, explicitly inviting feedback about what students are proud of and what needs to change. That framing matters for families, because it signals a leadership style that expects progress quickly and wants to bring the community with it.

For Year 7, transition is treated as a strategic priority rather than a quick induction week. The school describes a dedicated transition approach called The Shore, designed to strengthen belonging and smooth the move from Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3, including an “exclusive space” and a tailored curriculum in the early phase of secondary. In practice, this should suit students who find the jump to a large secondary daunting, or who need a little more structure before they feel confident navigating a full secondary timetable.

On the wellbeing side, the inspection evidence points to a broadly safe and inclusive culture, with many pupils polite and proud of the school, but with classroom disruption affecting learning in a minority of lessons. The key point for parents is that day to day experience can vary between classes and teachers, which makes behaviour systems and consistent follow-through the core issue to watch as the school improves.

On FindMySchool’s GCSE measures, the school is ranked 3,376th in England and 1st in Market Drayton for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This sits below England average, placing it in the bottom 40% of schools in England by this measure.

The headline GCSE indicators show the scale of the challenge:

• Attainment 8: 38.1

• Progress 8: -0.48

• Grade 5+ in EBacc: 3.1%

• EBacc APS: 3.28 (England average: 4.08)

For sixth form, the FindMySchool A-level ranking places the school 2,389th in England and 1st in Market Drayton for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This also sits below England average. Recent A-level grade distribution shows:

• A*: 3.03%

• B: 18.18%

• A* to B: 21.21% (England average A* to B: 47.2%)

What these numbers typically mean for families is straightforward. Students who are already well organised and academically steady can do well, especially with strong attendance and consistent homework habits. Students who need a very calm, tightly controlled classroom climate to thrive should pay close attention to how behaviour is managed in the specific year group and subject areas most relevant to them.

Parents comparing local options can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page and Comparison Tool to view GCSE and A-level indicators side by side, including how progress compares over time.

Curriculum intent is ambitious and structured on paper. The April 2023 inspection describes clear subject plans and content sequencing that builds on prior learning in most subjects, including in the sixth form. The limiting factor is implementation consistency, particularly in the routine classroom behaviours that keep lessons focused and in the habitual checking of understanding.

This matters because the school’s outcomes suggest it is not yet reliably converting teaching time into secured knowledge across a full cohort. Where assessment is used well, gaps are spotted early and students receive targeted help. Where it is not, students can move on with shaky foundations, which is exactly the pattern that tends to depress progress measures.

A practical, parent-facing indicator to look for is how teachers in English and science ensure students have understood key content before accelerating, since these were highlighted as areas where practice was not consistently strong at the time of inspection.

The school has a sixth form, and the small size is presented as a benefit for personalised support. For students who want a familiar setting post-16 and value close guidance, that can be appealing.

For leavers in the most recent published cohort, 58% progressed to university, 3% to further education, and 25% to employment. Apprenticeships were recorded as 0% for this cohort. (These figures are for the 2023/24 leavers cohort.)

For families, the key implication is that university progression is a realistic pathway for a majority of sixth formers, but a significant minority move directly into work. That often indicates a sixth form that needs to be equally strong on higher education applications and on employability preparation, including work experience, interview skills, and employer links.

Year 7 admissions are coordinated through the local authority process rather than direct allocation by the school. For September 2026 entry in Shropshire, the online application portal opens 1 September 2025, with an on-time deadline of 31 October 2025, and National Offer Day on 2 March 2026.

Open evenings for Shropshire secondaries tend to run in September and October. For the 2025 cycle, the Shropshire open evenings list shows “Grove” on 23 September 2025 (4.30pm to 7.30pm), which gives a good indication of typical timing even when future dates are not yet posted.

In-year admissions are now coordinated by Shropshire Council (from 1 September 2024), with applications processed via the council’s system against the school’s oversubscription criteria.

For families trying to judge realistic chances where distance criteria apply, it is sensible to use the FindMySchool Map Search to check home-to-school distance accurately before relying on any single option.

Pastoral priorities are visible in the structure of the school day. Tutor time, described as “Daily Discovery”, sits at the start of the day and is used for wellbeing, progress monitoring, attendance, and preparation for learning. The school day runs 8.40am to 3.00pm, with students expected on site by 8.35am.

Students are also offered a breakfast provision in “The Bistro” from 8.00am to 8.25am, open to all year groups, with explicit reference to inclusivity and support for Pupil Premium access. For many families, this is less about food and more about routine, punctuality, and a settled start.

The second, and crucial, wellbeing factor is behaviour consistency. The inspection evidence is clear that a minority of students’ behaviour disrupted some lessons, and that consistent adult response was not yet secure at that time. Parents should test this directly by asking how behaviour expectations are applied in practice, how pastoral leads support classroom staff, and what has changed since the last graded inspection.

The extracurricular offer is more specific than many schools publish, with named clubs and targeted academic support.

Creative and interest-based clubs include Blue Peter Badge club, Warhammer, Jam Session, Voice Box, and Graphics/Photography. That range is useful for students who do not identify primarily through mainstream team sports, and it can be a lever for engagement, especially for students who need a reason to stay connected to school beyond lessons.

There is also a clear academic-support layer: English revision sessions, Maths support for Year 10 and 11, and subject-specific science revision sessions including GCSE Chemistry, Biology, and Physics. The best way to interpret these is as a practical response to outcomes: when progress is under pressure, structured catch-up and revision become central, not optional.

Duke of Edinburgh is listed as a scheduled programme, which tends to support confidence, teamwork, and personal organisation, particularly for students who benefit from learning in a different setting and with different adults.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Day-to-day costs are more likely to come from uniform, transport, optional trips, and optional subject-related materials.

The school day is 8.40am to 3.00pm, with enrichment and clubs from 3.00pm, and some students opting into “third session” lessons after the official day for an additional GCSE qualification where available. Breakfast club runs 8.00am to 8.25am.

Transport expectations vary by location and route; families should check Shropshire travel options and any eligibility for support based on distance and policy.

• Behaviour consistency remains the central question. The most recent graded inspection highlighted disruption in some lessons and inconsistent application of the behaviour policy. Families should ask what has changed since April 2023 and how consistency is monitored.

• Academic outcomes indicate a school still rebuilding momentum. Progress measures and the A-level grade distribution suggest that outcomes are not yet where many families would want them, especially for highly academic pathways.

• SEND support is structured, but effectiveness depends on staff follow-through. The school provides detailed SEND information and specific support roles, yet the inspection evidence indicates adaptations were not consistently precise in every lesson at the time.

• A small sixth form can be a strength or a limitation. Personal guidance can be stronger, but subject breadth and timetable flexibility can be tighter than at large sixth forms. Families should confirm the exact courses available and how viable mixed pathways are year to year.

The Grove School, Market Drayton is best understood as a school in a deliberate rebuild phase, with leadership reset, stronger transition design for Year 7, and a clear push for consistency in learning routines. It will suit families who want a local 11 to 18 school, value pastoral structure and accessible support, and are prepared to engage actively with how behaviour and standards are being strengthened. The key decision point is whether the current improvement trajectory matches your child’s needs, especially if they require consistently calm classrooms to make strong progress.