UK Higher Education
Nearly all pupils head on to university from Shrewsbury, with around a third doing so after a gap year. Our focus is on the right institution for each individual and the breadth and range of destinations both within the UK and worldwide continues to grow.
Salopians aim high: around 80% go on to a World Top 200 or Russell Group university. Interest in the US for university has grown, as the broader Liberal Arts curriculum is appealing to many Salopians, as are the sporting opportunities – more information on the support offered for applications to America can be found here (add link). Equally, Shrewsbury has a strong track record in sending pupils to conservatoires, drama schools and art schools. Support is offered for all pathways.
The Head of Sixth Form oversees all university applications and advice, and is always willing to talk to pupils and parents. He is supported by a team of colleagues with specific responsibility for elite universities, law and medicine applications, as well as an SAT administrator. Importantly, each Sixth Former’s tutor will be the first port of call, offering guidance and support on taking the next steps.
Applying to the UK
Preparation for university begins in earnest in the Lower Sixth, with talks from university admission officers and dedicated tutorial time to thinking about life beyond Shrewsbury. This is supported by our University and Gap Year Fair in February, where we welcome around 50 universities and gap year providers to the school to talk to pupils and parents. This is continued with workshops on writing the personal statement and bolstering applications.
Around 400 Old Salopians currently at university volunteer for Shrewsbury’s UniReps programme, where they can discuss direct experiences of their courses and institutions to the next generation, offering advice and information not found on Open Days and websites. This is supported by an ‘all things UCAS’ day in June, where a number of alumni return to school to speak informally to the Lower Sixth.
The most popular universities over the past five years have been Durham, Exeter, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Oxford Brookes, Bristol and UCL, though Salopians head to over 50 different universities each year. Indeed, our advice is to focus on finding the right course first and we encourage pupils to think broadly when beginning their research.
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Subjects
This chart highlights the top 20 subjects chosen by the most recent group of leavers. With 25,000 full-time degree courses on offer, picking the right one is a key part of the Sixth Form journey. As well as discussions within A Level classes, often with Old Salopians studying that subject, the Dialogues programme provides taster lectures on a wide range of topics over the course of the year.
