Founded in 1552, Shrewsbury School is a co-educational day and boarding school for pupils of 13-18 years located in the busy town of Shrewsbury. Encircling a 110 acre campus, the school also benefits from the stunning rural backdrop of the Shropshire Hills; a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
Old Salopian’s, or former pupils of Shrewsbury, include some well-known politicians, actors, and sports people, but perhaps the most famous of all is the naturalist Charles Darwin. Whilst the school keeps a firm eye on its past, this is also a school which embraces innovation and new technology and a place where the Headmaster Mr Winkley says pupils are encouraged to have ‘Serious Fun’.
Shrewsbury School
Headmaster: Mr Winkley
Co-educational: Full Boarding and Day Pupils
Ages: 13-18 years old
Closest airport: Liverpool Airport 48 miles
Train to London – From Shrewsbury : 2.30 hours
Supporting the whole person
Whilst academically selective, the school ethos aims to support whole person development and looks to encourage a balance of interests whilst placing a spotlight on the ‘softer skills’ required to be successful in the wider world. The school uses its own English and Maths assessments for entry and require those learning through English as an additional language to be able to confidently access their curriculum, although there is some flexibility where English Literature may be dropped from the timetable to support individual student need.
Huge array of facilities
The campus buildings are a mix of traditional and modern and offer bright and open learning spaces. Facilities across The Arts, Sports, the Sciences, and Humanities are exceptional and include a wonderful traditional style theatre, large swimming pool (open to the public when not in use by pupils), and a relatively new, excellent science department. The school wraps around several ‘greens’ or sets of playing fields and feels immense – you definitely need some good shoes for walking as a pupil and member of staff here.
"Pupils are encouraged to have serious fun"
Cricket, football and rugby are popular sports at the school whilst, for those starting at Year 9 and who consider themselves to not be the ‘sporty type’, rowing offers a new experience and in-road into sports at senior school. Situated alongside the River Severn, rowing is an enormously popular sports choice amongst boys and girls with around a quarter of the whole school participating in rowing activities; the school is recognised nationally as one of the leading rowing schools in England with 14 Henley Royal Regatta wins to date.
Maths and science subject specialities
Maths is the strongest subject in school with around half of all Sixth Formers studying either Maths or Further Maths. Biology and Chemistry are a close joint second and, on average, around 20 Year 13 leavers move onto medical school each year. The school is immensely proud of its Darwinian history and welcome Darwin Scholars each year. The Biology labs are supported by a Darwin Museum, which houses many taxidermied animals from across the globe – a visit here is a standard part of any Year 9s induction week! A room off the main library is also dedicated to Shrewsbury School history and includes one of Darwin’s school notebooks, adorned with plenty of doodles.
Boarding and school demographic
The school roll is generally split into four equal quarters being: a quarter international; a quarter of day pupils; a quarter regional UK pupils; and a quarter national UK pupils. Around three quarters of all pupils full board (weekly boarding is not offered) and each of the boarding houses arranged to reflect each quarter element. Boarding is supported by 12 houses and arranged vertically and is a significant element of school life. Houses are a mix of old and modern buildings housing between 50-70 boarders each. All are furnished to a high standard and offer a very homely, warm feel. Pastoral care is a top priority and any issues often addressed promptly through a ‘good chat’. With seven-day boarding, weekends are full and active.
Shrewsbury School championing the individual
Shrewsbury School offers exceptional opportunities to its pupils. Whilst there is a strong focus on Maths and Science, pupils with interests outside of this are also well supported to excel in their passions whatever they may be. This is a school which aims to champion the individual and does so very well.
Leading boarding school advice from our education consultants
Here at The Independent Education Consultants, we know that making the decision to go to boarding school can sometimes be a difficult one. It can be hard to know which school is the right fit for your child. However, our education consultants will work alongside you and your family to discover which school will help your child achieve their true potential. If you require advice about Shrewsbury School or have any other boarding school questions, please contact our friendly team of education experts today.
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