St Martins School (3-16 Learning Community) Review 2026, an all-through option near Oswestry with The Hub at its centre

All-through schools are rare in England; this one was created to keep education rooted in the St Martins area while improving long-term continuity for families. Established in 2012, it brought together Ifton Heath Primary School and Rhyn Park School and Performing Arts College, then built a single 3 to 16 learning community around shared routines, consistent expectations, and a house system that runs across years.

The physical and organisational heart is The Hub, an open-plan library and shared work area. During the building programme, the school uncovered a mural by Barbara Jones, which it describes as a backdrop to this central space, a distinctive piece of local history that also signals the school’s emphasis on belonging and shared culture.

The current headteacher is Mrs Alison Pope. She began leading the school from September 2025 and was appointed as permanent headteacher in November 2025.

The most recent Ofsted inspection (January 2023) judged the school Good overall, with Good in each graded area including early years provision.

A school that spans nursery to Year 11 has one major advantage, it can design childhood as a continuous journey rather than a series of handovers. St Martins leans into that. Its stated aim is to develop students who are selfless, self-assured, and successful, and the language of shared values is used explicitly as a way to keep expectations consistent across age groups.

The house structure supports this continuity. Students are organised into four houses, Heath, Ifton, Moors, and Rhyn, and the pastoral page makes clear that “head of house” sits in the escalation path after tutor or class teacher. In practice, this gives families a clear map of who to contact as needs change across key stages, while still keeping the first point of contact close to day-to-day teaching.

The school’s history page is unusually candid about why it exists. It describes a period when the secondary phase had fewer than 400 students and faced viability pressures, then explains the local authority’s decision to create an all-through school on the secondary site. That context matters because it frames the school as a community infrastructure project as well as an education provider; it is designed to be a stable local option rather than a niche specialist institution.

Early years is integrated rather than treated as a separate mini-school. The school communicates routinely with families about nursery and reception logistics, and it uses the same whole-school leadership presence for messages affecting the youngest pupils and the oldest students. When disruption occurs, the school’s public updates show that early years is included in planning rather than treated as an afterthought, which is often the true test of an all-through model.

Because St Martins covers multiple phases, the fairest way to read outcomes is to look at each key stage on its own terms, then consider whether the all-through structure seems to improve trajectory over time.

Primary outcomes (Key Stage 2)

In 2024, 58.33% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined. The England average benchmark used here is 62%. Reading is the relative strength, with an average scaled score of 103, while mathematics and grammar, punctuation and spelling sit at 100. In science, 59% met the expected standard, compared with an England benchmark of 82%.

FindMySchool’s primary ranking places the school at 13,936th in England and 12th in the Oswestry local area for primary outcomes, which aligns with the “below England average” banding.

This does not mean primary provision is ineffective, it means outcomes at the end of Year 6 are an area families should explore closely, particularly around reading-to-writing transfer and science curriculum coverage.

Secondary outcomes (GCSE)

At GCSE level, the 2024 Attainment 8 score is 38.5 and the Progress 8 score is -0.52. A negative Progress 8 measure indicates that, on average, students made less progress than pupils nationally with similar starting points across the set of GCSE measures. The EBacc average point score is 3.48, and 6.5% of pupils achieved grades 5 or above across the EBacc measure captured here.

In FindMySchool’s GCSE ranking (based on official outcomes), St Martins is ranked 3,165th in England and 4th in the Oswestry local area for GCSE outcomes, again falling into the “below England average” banding.

What this implies for families

The all-through structure can be a strength for consistency, but results indicate that consistency alone is not enough. The key question for prospective families is whether the current improvement work is producing better progress, especially through Key Stage 3 and into Key Stage 4, where the school has more scope to shape curriculum sequencing and intervention.

The school’s published vision places reading at the centre of learning, describing it as the “master skill”. That emphasis is sensible in an all-through setting because it is one of the few academic levers that improves outcomes everywhere, from early vocabulary development to GCSE exam performance.

At secondary level, the curriculum section is structured by subject areas and includes “Golden Knowledge” material for key subjects such as English, mathematics, science, and music in Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4. For families, that framing usually signals a preference for clarity and retrieval, students know what core knowledge they are expected to retain, and staff align teaching, quizzing, and revision resources to a shared spine.

There are also strong signs of practical curriculum planning at primary level, especially around reading. The school publishes year-group reading information for Key Stage 2 and hosts parent-facing sessions and materials, which suggests leadership attention to consistency in phonics, fluency, and comprehension, the building blocks that matter most for later attainment.

For older students, options begin in Year 10 (Key Stage 4), and the school signposts this as a formal stage rather than an informal internal choice. That matters because it indicates a deliberate two-year GCSE pathway design, which is often where smaller schools can create a more supportive rhythm, fewer last-minute switches and clearer expectation-setting.

This is a school that educates pupils through Year 11, so the key transition is after GCSEs. The website indicates that the school publishes destination reporting for leavers (for example, separate destination reports for 2023 and 2024), which is useful because it shifts the conversation from generic “good pathways” language to tangible next steps.

For families planning ahead, the practical question is whether your child is likely to stay in education and training locally or travel further afield at 16. In this part of Shropshire, routes typically include sixth forms at nearby schools, sixth form colleges, and apprenticeships with local employers. The school’s careers section is structured to help families think about routes early, including primary and Key Stage 2 roadmaps as well as Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 planning, which suits an all-through model where aspiration building can start young.

The more specific “fit” issue is motivation and self-management. Students who have benefited from the continuity of one setting for many years sometimes find 16-plus transition easier when they have had deliberate practice at independence, work experience, and structured careers guidance through Key Stage 4. The careers framework on the website suggests the school is actively trying to build that scaffolding rather than leaving it late.

Admissions for state schools are always about process discipline, deadlines, and realistic expectations. St Martins sits in Shropshire’s co-ordinated admissions system, with applications processed by the local authority.

Nursery and early years

The school runs nursery provision as part of the all-through setting. Families considering nursery should focus on three practical questions: how sessions align with working patterns, how staff handle transition into reception, and what the settling-in model looks like across the first term. Specific nursery fee figures are not published within the scope of this review; families should use the school’s official early years information to confirm sessions and costs.

Reception entry, September 2026

For reception in September 2026, the published deadline is 15 January 2026, with offer day on 16 April 2026. If you are reading this after the deadline, late applications and in-year routes are still possible, but the process becomes more uncertain and depends on available places.

Year 7 entry, September 2026

For Year 7 entry in September 2026, applications were due by 31 October 2025, with offer day on 2 March 2026. The school also sets out a transition sequence, including a welcome evening in March 2026, a Year 6 induction day in June 2026, and a two-day residential-style transition camp in July 2026 (with published pricing options).

Demand and oversubscription

Demand data indicates oversubscription on both main entry routes. For the primary route, there were 44 applications for 28 offers, which is about 1.57 applications per place. For the secondary route, there were 102 applications for 46 offers, which is about 2.22 applications per place. The practical implication is that families should treat the application as competitive rather than routine, even though the school is not selective.

Parents considering admission should use the FindMySchoolMap Search to check home-to-school distance accurately and compare it against historic allocation patterns, then combine that with the local authority’s published oversubscription criteria before relying on a place.

Pastoral structures in an all-through school need to do two things well: respond quickly to immediate problems, and prevent small issues in primary becoming entrenched patterns by Key Stage 3. The school’s pastoral page is explicit about early identification of barriers to learning and describes a menu of supports that include behaviour support, emotional help (including counselling), restorative approaches, academic intervention work, and links to specialist agencies.

Leadership accountability is also clear. The pastoral system is described as the responsibility of Assistant Head Katherine Mooney. For families, having a named senior leader attached to pastoral work usually improves follow-through, particularly on multi-agency issues where schools must coordinate with external services.

Safeguarding and wellbeing are also framed in practical, parent-facing ways. The site signposts a broad set of support routes and resources, including early help pathways and a structured approach to online safety guidance. The key point is not the list itself, it is the signal that wellbeing is organised and communicated, rather than treated as informal knowledge held by a few staff members.

Extracurricular life is where an all-through school can feel most distinctive, because younger pupils and older students often share spaces, events, and a common language of house identity.

Creative and performing arts

Creative arts have deep roots here, reflected in the school’s formation from a performing arts college and in its continuing partnerships. One visible example is the collaboration with Border Counties School of Dance, where students have competed in external championships, and the school uses its platform to celebrate achievements across street, freestyle, and slow dance categories.

School-wide performance culture also shows up in events featured through school communications, including productions and themed showcases. Even when pupils are not performers themselves, regular exposure to rehearsals, productions, and performance standards can improve confidence and presentation skills across the curriculum.

Enterprise, leadership, and student voice

St Martins Unlimited is a school enterprise venture that has run pop-up stalls at school events and is developing a baking business, with plans also signposted for a fitness club. This sort of programme matters because it turns employability from a slogan into lived experience, product planning, customer interaction, and collective responsibility for quality.

Student voice is also structured through the Student Newspaper. The school publishes issues and names both staff and external editorial support, including involvement from the Shropshire Star’s Editor-in-Chief and a student editor role. This is a concrete opportunity for students who prefer writing, interviewing, and design to find a “place” in school life that is as meaningful as sport.

Sport, clubs, and practical access

Clubs change through the year. A February 2025 update highlights a late bus on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday to help secondary students stay for clubs, and it references a primary clubs offer that included activities such as cross country and origami. The important point is access, transport support often determines whether students can participate consistently.

The school day is phased by age. Nursery starts at 9.00am and finishes at 15.00pm; reception and Years 1 and 2 run 8.50am to 15.25pm; Years 3 to 6 also run 8.50am to 15.25pm; secondary runs 8.40am to 15.10pm.

Wraparound care is available. A published school update sets out breakfast provision from 7.40am to 8.45am, plus after school club until 5.30pm Monday to Thursday and 4.30pm on Fridays. Families should confirm current booking arrangements directly with the school, as timings can shift with operational constraints.

Lunch is organised with staggered breaks, with primary lunch from 11.55am and secondary lunch from 1.30pm. The site also explains that meals use a cashless payment system linked to a student account.

• Outcomes are an area to probe. Key Stage 2 outcomes (2024) sit below the England benchmark on the combined expected standard measure, and Progress 8 at GCSE is negative. Families should ask what intervention and curriculum changes are most responsible for improvement, and how those changes will be sustained across the all-through structure.

• Competition for places is real. Demand data indicates oversubscription on both entry routes, with around 1.57 applications per place for the primary route and around 2.22 applications per place for Year 7. If you are applying late, treat the process as uncertain and plan backup options early.

• Operational resilience matters. The school’s communications show that it experienced a significant disruption in September 2025. When considering any school that has navigated major site disruption, families should ask direct questions about current facilities, contingency planning, and how learning continuity is protected during unexpected closures.

• An all-through model is not for every child. Many pupils thrive on continuity. Others benefit from a clear “fresh start” at 11. If your child is likely to want a bigger peer group, different routines, or a stronger separation between primary and secondary identity, it is worth discussing how the school manages transition into Year 7 internally.

St Martins School (3-16 Learning Community) is a genuinely distinctive local option, built to provide stability from nursery through to GCSEs, with shared values, a house system, and central spaces like The Hub that support a coherent whole-school culture. Leadership is recent, with a permanent headteacher appointment confirmed in November 2025, which often marks the start of sharper operational and academic focus.

This will suit families who want an all-through setting, value continuity, and are prepared to engage closely with the school’s plans for raising outcomes, particularly through Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 4. Admission remains the obstacle; the education is shaped by what happens after you secure a place.