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Home > A-Z Schools
> Shrewsbury School
Shrewsbury School, The Schools, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY3 7BA Tel: 01743 280500 Fax: 01743 351009
Website: www.shrewsbury.org.uk
• BOYS, 13–18, Day & Boarding
• Pupils 687, Upper sixth 145
• Termly fees £5045 (Day), £7180 (Boarding)
• HMC
• Enquiries/application to the Registrar (tel 01743 280552)
What it’s like
Founded in 1552 by charter of Edward VI, it occupies a splendid site of 105 acres on a loop of the Severn on a high bluff overlooking the old town of Shrewsbury. Its buildings, ancient and modern, are very fine indeed and include a Jacobean library. This is one of the very few important scholarly libraries in a public school and possesses valuable medieval manuscripts and the entire collection of books owned by the school in Stuart times. Recent improvements include an IT building, science labs, an all-weather playing surface and a music school. Religious worship is in the Anglican tradition but other faiths are fully respected. A large staff allows a staff:pupil ratio of about 1:9. Academic standards are high and results excellent. There is a very strong tradition in music. The art school and workshops are very well equipped. Frequent dramatic productions are presented by the school and by individual houses; three major productions recently received awards at the Edinburgh Fringe and the orchestra performs in London at St John’s Smith Square and in Birmingham at the CBSO. Facilities for sports and games are first rate and high standards are achieved. Open-air activities such as hill-walking and mountaineering are encouraged and the school owns a farmhouse in Snowdonia. There is a flourishing voluntary CCF contingent.
School profile
Pupils & entrance
Pupils: Age range 13–18; 687 boys (130 day, 557 boarding).
Entrance: Main entry ages 13 and 16. Common Entrance and own exam used; for sixth-form entry, 6 GCSEs at least grade B (including sixth-form subjects), entrance tests and interviews. Feeder schools include Abberley Hall, Aysgarth School, Birchfield School, Bramcote School, The Elms, Kingsland Grange, Lichfield Cathedral School, Malsis School, Moor Park School, The Old Hall, Packwood Haugh, Prestfelde, The Ryleys, Terra Nova, Yarlet School.
Scholarships & bursaries 32 pa scholarships, value £1000 pa–50% fees; 26 awarded at 13, 6 at 16: 25 academic, 1 art, 6 music.
Head & staff
Headmaster: Jeremy Goulding, appointed 2001. Educated at Becket School, Nottingham, and Oxford University (philosophy, theology). Previously Headmaster of Haberdashers’ Aske’s and of Prior Park, Housemaster at Shrewsbury and Head of Divinity at Abingdon.
Teaching staff: 82 full time.
Exam results
GCSE: In 2003, 136 in fifth, with an average GCSE score of 65 (66 over 5 years).
A-level: 146 in upper sixth. Average passes 3.2 subjects, with final point score of 364.
University & college entrance 98+% of 2003 sixth-form leavers went on to a degree course (60% after a gap year), 18% to Oxbridge. 6% took courses in medicine, dentistry & veterinary science, 27% in science & engineering, 44% in humanities & social sciences, 2% in art & design, 20% in other vocational courses eg business, sport, education, music.
Curriculum GCSE, AS and A-levels. 19 GCSE subjects, 25 AS-level, 23 A-level.
Sixth form: Most sixth formers take 4 subjects at AS-level, 3 at A-level; in addition, general studies taught to all.
Languages: French, German and Spanish offered to GCSE and A-level. European awareness officer promotes cross-curricular projects and fosters links and exchanges.
ICT: Taught both as a discrete subject (1 lesson/week in Years 9–11) and across the curriculum (in lessons and private study). 80 computers for pupil use (14 hours a day), all networked and with e-mail and internet access. Also, many pupils have own laptops which can be connected to school network; over 1000 access points including in boarding houses.
The arts
Music: Some 40% of pupils learn a musical instrument. Musical groups include choirs, orchestras, jazz band, big band and various ensembles.
Drama: Most pupils involved in school/house productions. Several pupils have been accepted for drama college.
Art & design: On average, 40 take GCSE, 15 A-level. Printmaking, photography, ceramics and history of art also offered. Regular entrants to art college.
Sport & activities
Sport: Principal sports: football, cricket, rowing, cross country, fives. Also available: rugby, tennis, swimming, basketball, badminton, squash, canoeing, fencing, judo.
Activities: Pupils take bronze, silver and gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Community service and CCF optional. Many societies including chess, bee-keeping, debating, diving, mountaineering, European.
School life
Uniform: School uniform worn throughout.
Houses & prefects: Competitive houses. Prefects, head boy, head of house and house monitors – all appointed.
Religion: Attendance at religious worship compulsory but respects the wishes of faiths other than Anglican.
Social: Drama, music, careers talks, sixth form management conference, socials at all ages with other schools (eg Moreton Hall, Shrewsbury High, Adcote, Shrewsbury Sixth Form College, Cheltenham Ladies’). Many organised trips abroad (eg art history, outward bound, music, languages, sports tours) including to European countries, USA and South Africa. Day boys may drive to school (with permission); boarders not allowed vehicles. Meals self-service. School shop. Alcohol for senior boys at discretion of staff; sixth-form bar (3 evenings a week) for over-17s; no smoking permitted. Boys occasionally allowed into town in the afternoons with permission, sixth formers occasionally in the evenings.
Discipline Written code of behaviour specifies expectations, encouragement, sanctions and a complaints procedure, based on common sense, common courtesy and a reciprocal sense of trust between staff and boys.
Boarding All upper sixth have their own study bedroom, 30% of lower sixth share. 30% of lower school in dormitories of 6+. Houses, average 60 pupils, same as competitive houses. Resident qualified nurse. Pupils allowed to provide and cook snacks. 3 exeats a term, plus half term. Visits to local town allowed, frequency depending on age; not on Saturdays except in sixth form.
Former pupils Charles Darwin; Sir Philip Sidney, Michael Palin, Christopher Booker, Anthony Chenevix-Trench; Nevil Shute; Richard Ingrams; John Peel; William Rushton; Paul Foot; Michael Heseltine.
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