Founded in 1948, the school is set in 40 acres of grounds in rural south Shropshire. It is fully co-educational. Buildings are an attractive mix of older structures and more recent additions housing facilities including a sports centre, heated swimming pool, design technology centre and music school. Academic achievement is good and there is strong commitment to giving each pupil individual attention, reflected by the low pupil:teacher ratio. One of the first schools to introduce sports studies at both GCSE and A-level, there is a good record of sporting achievement at regional and national level. Extra-curricular activities include horse-riding, clay pigeon shooting and rock climbing. The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme is well supported and there is an active school charity committee who support a wide range of causes. There are also opportunities for pupils to travel, including an exchange programme with the Knox School of Long Island, New York, which has been operating successfully since 1982.
Pupils: Total age range 3-18; 290 pupils, 175 day (95 boys, 80 girls), 115 boarding (80 boys, 35 girls). Senior department, 11-18. Main entry ages: 3, 11, 13.
Some scholarships available. School fees include meals, stationery, text books etc; music tuition, certain extra-curricular activities and learning support extra.
Headmaster: Mr Michael Symonds.
GCSE: 38 pupils in fifth form; 68% passed 5+ subjects, average number of subjects passed per pupil 7.5. A-level: 23 in upper sixth; 98% passed 3+ subjects. Average final point score achieved per pupil 278.
98% of sixth form leavers go on to a degree course, 5% to Oxbridge.
GCSE, AS and A-level. 21 subjects offered at AS/A-level. Sixth form: Most sixth formers take 4 subjects at AS-level, 3 at A-level. General studies compulsory. The majority of pupils take a mixture of science and arts at A-level. Vocational: One week work experience programme available in fifth form; careers guidance and practice interviews in sixth form. Special provision: Learning Support unit for pupils with dyslexia, EAL lessons available for overseas pupils. Languages: French compulsory to GCSE, French and German offered at GCSE, AS and A-level. Annual modern language trips and exchanges. ICT: Taught throughout first 3 years of senior school. Campus-wide wireless network allows students to use own laptops; internet monitored. Majority of classrooms have interactive whiteboards; many lesson notes are available for pupils to download .
Music: 50% of pupils learn a musical instrument; instrumental exams can be taken. Numerous musical groups including a popular choral society. All pupils study music as part of the curriculum until the third year. Informal concerts held twice a term. Drama: Taught outside the curriculum; Trinity Guildhall and Speech and Drama exams can be taken. Majority of pupils involved in school productions; recent performances include Les Miserables, Oliver and High School Musical. Art: GCSE and A-level offered; each year sixth form leavers go on to study related subjects such as architecture, landscape design and fine art. Regular trips to galleries offered.
Sport: Hockey, rugby, netball, badminton, squash, tennis, athletics, cross-country, swimming, cricket, rounders, basketball, volleyball, football. County, regional and national success achieved in some sports. Activities: Numerous extra-curricular activities offered including horse-riding, mountain biking, pottery, fishing, embroidery and bridge. Pupils can take bronze and gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award. There is also an active charity committee.
Uniform: School uniform worn; dress code for the sixth form. Houses and prefects: Competitive houses. Religion: Church of England. Social: Regular local sports and theatre trips. Biannual ski-trips; history, business studies and modern language trips; annual exchange programme with sister school in New York; wilderness expeditions to Greenland and Iceland.
Five single-sex boarding houses; mixture of small dormitories and study bedrooms depending on age. Registered general nurses (1 full-time, 1 part-time), three medical surgeries per day. Each house has own kitchenette. Weekend activity programme (eg trips to theme parks, quad biking, cinema trips, shopping).
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