Shrewsbury High School GDST
Same Telford and Wrekin area with a comparable local commute
School profile
Verified 18 August 2026
The Retreat is a private secondary-stage school in Telford and Wrekin, Telford and Wrekin, with a published age range of 11-18.
Private school Girls Ages 11-18 Sixth form No boarders
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 11-18
- Ofsted ?
- All standards Met
- Boarding ?
- No boarders
The Retreat
On this page
At a glance
Key facts
- Sector
- Private school
- Gender
- Girls only
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 11-18
- Boarding ?
- No boarders
- Route check
- Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
- Ofsted ?
- All standards Met
Overview
Overview
Four places shape The Retreat's entire educational model. This is a girls-only therapeutic provision for children who may have experienced exploitation, with a warm and friendly atmosphere and specialist support. Its scale is unusually intimate: capacity is four pupils, with three girls in the setting, across ages 11 to 18.
The age range covers secondary and post-16 education without boarding. Curriculum, special educational needs, safeguarding and behaviour policies give the provision a formal framework, while timetables cover Key Stages 3, 4 and 5. Education is organised around individual programmes rather than a broad menu of advertised examination routes.
A small setting does not mean a narrow purpose. The provision is built around individual support and the needs of girls whose previous experiences may have included exploitation. Catherine Cowell is the lead teacher, and an admissions policy governs the route for families and professionals considering the setting.
On 16 September 2025, The Retreat was judged Good and met all relevant standards. It remains a non-boarding setting for girls aged 11 to 18, with four places rather than a large cohort and with its therapeutic character at the centre of daily education.
Key points
Key points
- Assessment route
- Applications are made directly to the school. Check the school's own admissions pages for registration dates, entrance assessment stages, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
- Places and demand
- Published Year 7 place numbers and applicant-per-place data are not included in GIAS for this private-school seed profile.
- Catchment
- Private-school eligibility is not controlled by the local-authority grammar catchment model; check boarding, day-pupil, transport and any sibling or faith rules on the school site.
- Results
- Independent-school performance data is patchier in official releases, so GCSE and A-level comparisons should be checked against the school's published results.
- Sixth form
- Sixth form available.
School details
School details
- Sector
- Private school
- School type
- Other independent school
- Funding
- Independent fee-paying
- Application
- Apply direct to school
- Gender
- Girls only
- Age range
- 11-18
- Headteacher
- Miss Carys Gell
- Pupil roll
- 3 pupils
- Sixth form
- Yes
Location and contact
Location and contact
Address
- Address
- Ercall Heath, Telford, Shopshire, Telford and Wrekin
- Postcode
- Tf6 6pn
- Area
- Telford and Wrekin
School leadership
- Headteacher
- Miss Carys Gell
School contact
- School phone
- 01952541101
Admissions contact
- Admissions team
- Admissions
- Admissions phone
- 01952541101
Admissions
Admissions
- Application route
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 11-18
- Gender
- Girls only
- Boarding
- No boarders
- Day fees
- Check school fees page
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Check school site
- Entrance details
- Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Admissions note
- GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
Oversubscription and eligibility
Use the official admissions policy for the current priority order and eligibility rules.
Exam and test format
Exam and test format
Entrance route and assessment
Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Assessment route
- Apply direct to school
Application
Application
How to apply
- 1
Apply direct to the school
Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
Check school admissions
Inspection
Inspection
All standards Met
Latest inspection: 16 September 2025
- Quality of education
- 2
- Behaviour and attitudes
- 1
- Personal development
- 2
- Leadership and management
- 2
Quick summary
- Ofsted inspection outcome: Ofsted's latest independent school standard inspection began on 2025-09-16. The reported outcome is: All standards Met.
- Ofsted safeguarding: The Ofsted dataset records safeguarding as: Yes.
Similar schools and comparisons
Similar schools and comparisons
Nearby schools families also consider
Local rivals appear first, followed by nearby alternatives where the journey and admissions route are still comparable.
Adcote School for Girls
Same Telford and Wrekin area with a comparable local commute
Birchfield Independent Girls' School
Same Telford and Wrekin area with a comparable local commute
The Queen's School
Same Telford and Wrekin area with a comparable local commute
Nearby schools with similar results
Closest comparable alternatives with a similar academic profile, so parents can weigh local fit and results together.
Edgbaston High School for Girls
Nearby option with a similar Ofsted and sixth-form picture
King Edward VI High School for Girls
Nearby option with a similar Ofsted and sixth-form picture
Alderley Edge School for Girls
Nearby option with a similar Ofsted and sixth-form picture
Shortlist comparisons
Related pages and guides
Related pages and guides
Area and ranking pages
Guides and related reading
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How does Retreat handle admissions?
Retreat handles applications directly. Check the school website for registration dates, entrance assessments, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
How do I apply to Retreat?
1. Apply direct to the school: Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
When are the key dates for Retreat?
Use the school admissions page to confirm registration, assessment, interview and offer dates.
What does the latest inspection picture look like for Retreat?
Retreat is currently rated All standards Met following the latest published inspection dated 16 September 2025.