Shrewsbury School
Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England
Shrewsbury School
Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England
Overview
Founded by Royal Charter in 1552, Shrewsbury School is set in 110 acres described by Sir Neville Cardus as “the most beautiful playing fields in the world.” Just across the River Severn is the centre of Shrewsbury, itself within easy reach of the Shropshire Hills, Welsh Marches and Snowdonia National Park. The celebration of individuals and individual talent is central to education at Shrewsbury, while the School’s holistic approach encompasses a broad range of extra-curricular activities.
At a glance
Academic
The School aims to inspire and stimulate pupils, helping them understand what they are really good at and what they enjoy. Personal tutors oversee academic progress, providing support and advice in a relationship of friendship and respect. 25 subjects are offered either at A Level or Pre-U and the teaching facilities, most notably in the Sciences, are excellent. On average over 50% of candidates achieve A*/A at A Level and around 12 pupils a year receive Oxbridge offers.
Boarding
Each of the 13 boarding houses has a dedicated housemaster/mistress who, supported by a resident matron and house tutors, is responsible for the welfare and progress of the pupils in their care. Pupils share rooms in the early years before moving on to their own bed-sitters in the Sixth Form. House loyalty is strong, fostered by a range of inter-house competitions, whilst activities and clubs include gliding, beekeeping, drama and economics, and there is an outdoor centre high up in Snowdonia.
Sports
Every Salopian is encouraged to participate at their own level as part of a balanced education. Top coaching enables the boys to compete at a high level in cricket, rowing, football, cross-country and fives and the Girls to excel in hockey, netball and tennis. Facilities include a boathouse, a cricket centre, 2 Astroturfs, 8 tennis courts, 4 squash courts, a sports hall, a fitness suite, a swimming pool and 14 fives courts. Other sports offered include athletics, lacrosse, archery, and fencing.
Creative arts
The bright studios of the Art School offer a traditional grounding in observational drawing whilst Design Technology students make use of a laser cutter and a range of CAM tools. Opportunities to perform range from evenings in the Music School’s auditorium to orchestral performances in London. The Barnes studio theatre hosts a thriving programme of productions, a major musical is put on biennially in the 550 seat Alington Hall and several original musicals have toured to the Edinburgh Fringe.
Did you know?
- Salopians played a prominent part in drawing up the rules of football in the 1880s and the School library holds the oldest known copy in the world.
- Old Salopians include Charles Darwin, author of ‘On the Origin of Species’ which in 1859 revealed his theory of Natural Selection as the mechanism of evolution.
