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What it's like

Founded by Canon Woodard in 1884 as a boys' school. Girls were first admitted to the sixth form in 1974 and throughout the senior school in 1994. It has a magnificent site of some 83 acres, in beautiful Shropshire countryside with views across to the Breidden Hills. Its solid and elegant buildings are surrounded by lawns, trees and gardens. The day and boarding houses are self-contained units within the main building, except the sixth-form girls' house which is close by. Building and improvement continues to accommodate the rapid rise in pupil numbers and facilities are now first rate. The school takes a broad range of pupils on entry. The school now offers the International Baccalaureate alongside traditional A-levels. It has good examination results and it also has a reputation for providing dyslexia support in a mainstream environment. There is a strong musical tradition and it possesses two of the finest organs in the country. Drama and art are strong. Individual and team sports are taught, with some county and national representatives. There is much emphasis on outdoor activities, including mountaineering, sailing and canoeing, for which the environment is ideal. All students are expected to join the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme, Combined Cadet Force or social services team.

Pupils & entrance

Pupils: Total age range 8-18, 482 pupils, 280 day (185 boys, 95 girls), 202 boarders (146 boys, 56 girls). Senior department 13-18, 299 pupils (218 boys, 81 girls). Entrance: Main entry ages 8, 11, 13 and 16. Common Entrance and own exam used; for sixth-form entry, 5 GCSEs at least grade C (including sixth-form subjects). All talents are relevant and may be considered; no religious requirements. 50% main intake from state schools (plus 8% intake to sixth form).

Scholarships & bursaries

Some scholarships at ages 8, 11, 13 and 16, value 20%-50% of fees: academic, all-rounder, sport, arts eg art, music, drama. Also bursaries. Parents are not expected to buy textbooks below A-level; average extras 100 per term.

Head & staff

Headmaster: Brendan Wignall, in post since 1996. Educated at Preston Grammar School, Preston College, and at the universities of York, Leeds (philosophy) and Leicester (PGCE English). Previously Head of English at Denstone College and English Teacher at Christ's Hospital and at Oakham. Teaching staff: 42 full time, 11 part time. Annual turnover 5%. Average age 35.

Exam results

GCSE: 74 pupils in fifth: 88% gained at least grade C in 8+ subjects, 17% in 5-7, 16% in 1-4 subjects. Average GCSE score 49 (and over 5 years). A-levels: 46 in upper sixth, 33% passed in 4+ subjects, 17% in 3, 15% in 2 subjects. Average final point score achieved by upper sixth formers 257.

University & college entrance

100% of sixth-form leavers go on to a degree course (20% after a gap year), 1% to Oxbridge. 10% take courses in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science, 20% in science and engineering, 10% in law, 30% in humanities and social sciences, 20% in art and design, 10% in other vocational subjects. Others typically go straight into work.

Curriculum

GCSE, AS and A-levels and IB Diploma. 18 GCSE subjects, 22 AS/A-level subjects. Sixth form: Most sixth formers take 4 subjects at AS-level (range 2-6), 3 at A-level; in addition, all take AS-level general studies, A-level optional. 25% take science A-levels; 15% arts/humanities; 60% both. Key skills optional but taken by many; taught through general studies AS-level plus 2 dedicated lessons/week. Vocational: Work experience available. Special provision: Specialist unit for dyslexia. Languages: French, German and Latin offered to GCSE, AS and A-level. ICT: Taught both as a discrete subject and across the curriculum, eg laptop usage is encouraged throughout the school, and some classes are entirely laptop based. Computers available for pupil use 13 hours a day, all networked with email and internet access. Many pupils have laptops. Pioneer in use of video conferencing as a way of delivering A-levels.

The arts

Music: Over 30% of pupils learn a musical instrument; instrumental exams can be taken. 8 musical groups: concert band, wind ensemble, brass group, choral society, choir, orchestra, jazz group, clarinet choir. 1 pupil in National Youth Orchestra. Drama and dance: Both offered. GCSE and A-level drama; ESB and LAMDA exams may be taken. Dance and drama clubs for all ages. Numerous productions each term. Technical stage crew for pupils, fully equipped theatre. Art and design: On average, 30 take GCSE, 20 A-level. Design, pottery, textiles, 3D studies also offered.

Sports & activities

Sport: Rugby, football, cricket, netball, hockey, tennis, compulsory. Optional: athletics, squash, badminton, swimming, canoeing, basketball, rounders, golf, sailing, shooting, gymnastics, cross-country. GCSE and A-level sport studies may be taken. Recently selected as an England rugby academy as part of the RFU's world class performance plan. National representatives in sailing, shooting, canoeing; regional and county reps in rugby, cricket, netball, hockey, athletics, cross-country. Activities: Pupils take bronze, silver and gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award. CCF optional, social service group. Wide variety of clubs eg debating, chess, cookery, fencing.

School life

Uniform: School uniform worn, less rigorous in sixth form. Houses and prefects: Competitive houses. Prefects, head boy/girl, head of house and house prefects, appointed by the Headmaster and housemasters/mistresses. Religion: Church of England. Attendance at religious worship compulsory. Social: Organised trips abroad eg to Guyana and Egypt. Pupils may bring own car, bike etc to school. Meals self-service. School shop. No alcohol or tobacco allowed.

Discipline

Pupils failing to produce homework once would get an academic detention; pupils caught smoking cannabis on school premises would be suspended (return subject to agreement to random drug testing) or expelled, depending on the circumstances.

Alumni association

is run by Mr J Harvey, c/o the school.

Former pupils

Bill Beaumont, Andrew Collinge.