A selective co-educational grammar school in Newport, Shropshire, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,072 pupils on roll.
Haberdashers' Adams
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At a glance
Haberdashers' Adams is a selective state grammar school in Newport, Shropshire, for day pupils and boarders aged 11 to 18. Its public identity balances age and change: the school traces nearly 400 years of education in Newport, uses the phrase "traditional values, modern approach", and has moved into a fully co-educational model while retaining state boarding for boys. Around 1,000 pupils attend, including a large sixth form and about 100 boarders.
The curriculum is designed to be broad as well as selective. Adams describes compulsory sciences, a foreign language, humanities including religious studies, and a performance subject up to GCSE. In the sixth form, students study three A levels and either an AS level or EPQ, supported by a lecture programme that brings in guest speakers, PSHE and careers material. The school's own curriculum language is useful for parents because it makes clear that academic excellence is paired with high challenge, independence and wider preparation.
School life is one of the more distinctive parts of the Adams offer. Boarding is not a separate bolt-on: the school says it contributes to the ethos, and boys' boarding houses have personal tutors and matrons. Across day and boarding life, the house system, Combined Cadet Force, Duke of Edinburgh, sport, art, astronomy, debating and creative writing all appear in the school's own description of the experience. The result is a grammar school with a boarding-school rhythm, especially for families considering weekday boarding.
Year 7 admission uses the West Midlands Grammar Schools entrance test: two GL Assessment multiple-choice papers covering English comprehension, verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning and numerical reasoning. The published admission number is 150. The 2026 policy context stored in the school record includes a qualifying score of 205, or 195 for pupil-premium candidates, with places then allocated through looked-after, premium, designated-primary-school and score order. Published measures show Ofsted Good, +0.46 Progress 8, 98.7% grade 5+ in English and maths, and 32.3% AAB or better at A level.
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Telford and Wrekin and England.
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Telford and Wrekin and England.
Latest 2024/25 Year 11 destination mix compared with Telford and Wrekin and England.
January 2025 school census
Whole-school roll of 1,072 pupils; 1,052 had a recorded ethnic group.
| Recorded group | Share | Category | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|
| White British | 43.3% | White | 464 |
| Indian | 20.2% | Asian | 217 |
| Any other mixed background | 6.6% | Mixed | 71 |
| African | 5.6% | Black | 60 |
| Pakistani | 4.4% | Asian | 47 |
| Any other Asian background | 3.5% | Asian | 38 |
| Chinese | 3.5% | Asian | 38 |
| White and Asian | 3.2% | Mixed | 34 |
| Any other White background | 3.1% | White | 33 |
| Any other ethnic group | 2.1% | Other | 23 |
| Unclassified | 1.9% | Unclassified | 20 |
| Any other Black background | 0.8% | Black | 9 |
| White and Black Caribbean | 0.6% | Mixed | 6 |
| White and Black African | 0.5% | Mixed | 5 |
| Bangladeshi | 0.4% | Asian | 4 |
| Irish | 0.3% | White | 3 |
There is no published geographic catchment for Year 7 day places. Priority instead goes to looked-after children, pupil or service premium applicants, then children at designated primary schools before remaining places are ranked by score.
Looked-after and previously looked-after children
Day places are offered first to looked-after and previously looked-after children who reach the required academic standard.
Pupil Premium or Service Premium
Children recorded for pupil premium or service premium in the October 2025 school census are next, provided they score no lower than 5% below the general qualifying score and submit the pupil premium form by the registration deadline.
Designated primary schools
Then come children on roll at one of the named designated primary schools by the registration deadline. If this category is oversubscribed, places are allocated by test score.
Remaining places by test score
All remaining places go in rank order of entrance-test score, with straight-line distance used only to break tied scores.
The Year 7 entrance test has two multiple-choice GL Assessment papers covering English comprehension, verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning and numerical reasoning, with age-standardised section scores.
Shared exam route
Haberdashers' Adams uses the shared West Midlands route. Use these common practice resources for the route, then check the full consortium guide for the complete set and current test guidance.
View all West Midlands practice papersPaper 1
Verbal reasoning, Non-verbal reasoning, Maths, English
West Midlands Grammar Schools entrance test
Two multiple-choice papers of about 50 minutes each covering English comprehension, verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, and numerical reasoning.
English, Maths, Verbal reasoning and Non-verbal reasoning are included in the published format.
Science is not listed in the current published format.
English
Maths
Verbal reasoning
Two multiple-choice papers of about 50 minutes each covering English comprehension, verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, and numerical reasoning.
Non-verbal reasoning
Two multiple-choice papers of about 50 minutes each covering English comprehension, verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, and numerical reasoning.
Science
Open Days
19-23 January 2026
PastPotential applicants are strongly encouraged to visit during Open Days or use the virtual tour.
Registration opens
5 May 2026
PastSpecial arrangements deadline
12 June 2026, 4pm
All Special Arrangement Forms must be submitted by this deadline.
Registration closes
26 June 2026, 4pm
Entrance test
14 September 2026
Results window
October 2026
Results are due in October 2026; no exact day is available.
Local authority application deadline
31 October 2026
Parents must also complete the home local authority application form.
Boarding interviews
November 2026
Boarding offers
December 2026
National Allocation Day
1 March 2027
Read the 2027 admissions policy
Check the day-place and boarding-place rules, the designated primary-school priority, and the qualifying-score arrangements before registering.
Open admissions policyRegister through the consortium portal
Complete the consortium registration from Tuesday 5 May 2026 to Friday 26 June 2026 and tick SWW so your child can be considered for Haberdashers' Adams.
Open Year 7 pageSend special-arrangements or boarding details on time
Submit any special arrangements form by Friday 12 June 2026, and use the same registration route to indicate a boarding preference if you want a boarding place.
Check key deadlinesSit the test and name Adams on your local authority form
Sit the entrance test on 14 September 2026 and still list Haberdashers' Adams on your home local authority application by 31 October 2026.
Review the processLatest official destinations data currently covers 2022/23 study leavers.
Recent trend
This follows the school's published overall GCSE score across the subjects pupils take. Higher is better.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 76.3 | 74.2 | 49.4 |
| 2022/23 | 73.7 | 71.8 | 47.0 |
| 2023/24 | 71.2 | 72.1 | 46.7 |
| 2024/25 | 71.8 | 72.3 | 46.8 |
Recent trend
This follows the published average A-level result for the school's sixth form. Higher is better.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | B+ average (43.5 points) | 44.0 points | 37.5 points |
| 2022/23 | B average (39.6 points) | 40.5 points | 33.7 points |
| 2023/24 | B average (41.3 points) | 41.3 points | 34.5 points |
| 2024/25 | B average (41.3 points) | 41.8 points | 35.0 points |
Recent trend
This follows the share of pupils moving into a sustained destination after Year 11, such as education, apprenticeships, or employment.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 100% | 99.1% | 94.1% |
| 2022/23 | 100% | 98.9% | 93.9% |
| 2023/24 | 98% | 99.0% | 93.3% |
| 2024/25 | 99% | 98.7% | 91.8% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 98% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 1% |
| In employment | 0% |
Latest inspection: 10 May 2022
Local rivals appear first, followed by nearby alternatives where the journey and admissions route are still comparable.
Same wider selective region and a similar admissions route
Same wider selective region with a comparable travel distance
Closest comparable alternatives with a similar academic profile, so parents can weigh local fit and results together.
Similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Best Grammar Schools in Telford and Wrekin
Compare 2 Telford and Wrekin grammar schools for 2026: GCSE ranking table, Ofsted, West Midlands route, admissions rules, competition, and school profiles.
Best Grammar Schools in the UK
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Best Grammar Schools by A-level Results
Explore the best grammar schools by A-level results in the UK, ranked by the published share of students achieving AAB or better at A level.
Best Grammar Schools in Telford and Wrekin
Compare 2 Telford and Wrekin grammar schools for 2026: GCSE ranking table, Ofsted, West Midlands route, admissions rules, competition, and school profiles.
Best Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking that can be filtered by county, school type, and Ofsted before moving into local admissions detail.
Best Grammar Schools by A-level Results
Explore the best grammar schools by A-level results in the UK, ranked by the published share of students achieving AAB or better at A level.
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Haberdashers' Adams currently uses GL Assessment.
1. Read the 2027 admissions policy: Check the day-place and boarding-place rules, the designated primary-school priority, and the qualifying-score arrangements before registering. 2. Register through the consortium portal: Complete the consortium registration from Tuesday 5 May 2026 to Friday 26 June 2026 and tick SWW so your child can be considered for Haberdashers' Adams. 3. Send special-arrangements or boarding details on time: Submit any special arrangements form by Friday 12 June 2026, and use the same registration route to indicate a boarding preference if you want a boarding place. 4. Sit the test and name Adams on your local authority form: Sit the entrance test on 14 September 2026 and still list Haberdashers' Adams on your home local authority application by 31 October 2026.
Open Days: 19-23 January 2026. Registration opens: 5 May 2026. Special arrangements deadline: 12 June 2026, 4pm. Registration closes: 26 June 2026, 4pm. Entrance test: 14 September 2026. Results window: October 2026. Local authority application deadline: 31 October 2026. Boarding interviews: November 2026. Boarding offers: December 2026. National Allocation Day: 1 March 2027
Haberdashers' Adams is currently rated Good following the latest published inspection dated 10 May 2022.