Joining at Year 9 (13+)

Visiting Shrewsbury

In the first instance, families are encouraged to experience of life at Shrewsbury by attending one of our Open Days. These events are tailored to either 13+/14+ entry or Sixth Form entry and include a tour of the site and a boarding or day house and opportunities to speak to the Headmaster, Housemasters and Housemistresses, academic staff and our pupils. Places can be booked online via our Open Days page.

If you would like to arrange a bespoke visit, please email the Admissions Office on [email protected]  or call 01743 280552. Your visit will usually include a tour of the School with some of our current pupils, a meeting with an Admissions Tutor and a visit to one or two houses. If you would like to see the Headmaster during your visit, please do let us know. 

Examinations

Candidates for our Third Form take one of the following examination routes:

1. Many candidates from prep schools sit the Common Entrance examinations, which are taken in their own schools in June prior to entry in September.
2. We also welcome applications from pupils at schools that do not prepare pupils for Common Entrance. Candidates sit our own Non-Common Entrance examinations in November prior to entry. They complete papers in English, Maths. Candidates have an interview and we request a reference from their current school. Past papers are available on request from the Admissions Office.
   
   If candidates are in the UK, they are invited to sit the Non-Common Entrance Examination exams at Shrewsbury School. Arrangements can be made for overseas candidates to take the exams at their current school, a local law firm or a local Consul Office.
3. Candidates who wish to apply for an Academic Scholarship sit our own Academic Scholarship examinations at Shrewsbury School in May of the year of entry. Although the majority of Academic Scholarship candidates are from prep schools, this is not a requirement.

Scholarships are also available for Music, Art, Sport, Drama, Design & Technology and All-Round ability and are open to candidates from all schools. 

Registration

Following your visit, and if you have not already done so, you will be invited to register your child by filling in a Registration Form, and to nominate your preferred choice of House or Houses, though this can be done at a later stage.  The non-refundable Registration Fee is £180 (£150 + £30 VAT) per child.

Making your preference for a particular House can feel like a big decision. Our House pages will keep you up-to-date with House news and give you a flavour of what your child can expect. Families often come back for another visit before making their final choice of House, and we welcome all such visits.  Our Director of Admissions will be able to help you to make this important choice, and you may well find that the Headteacher of your child’s current school will have advice to offer you too.

Accepting an offer of a place

We would expect you to guarantee the place you have registered for your child in the House of your choice by completing the final entry form 22 months (or more) prior to entry.  You will also need to pay a deposit, which is 10% of a term’s fee.

The deposit is refunded if pupils fail to pass our entrance exam or are withdrawn on academic grounds before then. Otherwise, the deposit is held until your child leaves Shrewsbury when it is returned after deduction of the final term’s extras. 

For families whose normal residence is outside the UK, there is an additional deposit which is 90% of the current fee for one term.  You would of course be most welcome to visit the School again before making this final commitment.

Joining Shrewsbury

A Shrewsbury journey begins long before our new Third Formers walk through our historic Moss Gates in September. Prior to joining, our Teams will be in regular contact with all of the information needed to ensure a smooth transition for pupils and families alike. There will also be an invite to a New Pupil Event which allows pupils to meet their peers and get to know the school before the academic year starts.

We encourage families to follow our social media platforms to keep up-to-date with all of the latest Shrewsbury news.

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

LinkedIn

Visiting Shrewsbury

In the first instance, families are encouraged to experience of life at Shrewsbury by attending one of our Open Days.  These events are tailored to either 13+/14+ entry or Sixth Form entry and include a tour of the site and a boarding or day house and opportunities to speak to the Headmaster, Housemasters and Housemistresses, academic staff and our pupils. Places can be booked online via our Open Days page.

If you would like to arrange a bespoke visit, please email the Admissions Office on [email protected]  or call 01743 280552. Your visit will usually include a tour of the School with some of our current pupils, a meeting with an Admissions Tutor and a visit to one or two houses. If you would like to see the Headmaster during your visit, please do let us know. 

Examinations

Candidates for entry in September 2027 will be able to take the ISEB Pre-Tests in November of Year 7 (i.e. November 2025) to secure a Guaranteed Year 9 Place at Shrewsbury School for September 2027. This will form part of a holistic admissions process, which will also take into consideration the Headteacher’s reference and (for UK based candidates) an assessment day at Shrewsbury during Lent Term 2026. 

Further information about the Pre-Tests can be found on the ISEB website. Parents/Guardians need to register their son/daughter via the ISEB Guardian Portal in order for them to sit the Pre-Tests. The Portal is expected to start accepting registrations in June 2025 for November 2025 exams.

We expect that the majority of candidates in prep schools will take Year 7 assessment. However, an alternative assessment pathway will enable prep school candidates who wish to apply to Shrewsbury at a later stage to sit our established 13+ entrance examinations in English and Mathematics in November of Year 8.

We anticipate that the majority of candidates who are not in prep schools will take our 13+ entry assessment in November of Year 8, although the Year 6/7 assessments will provide an alternative option.

The 13+ entry assessment comprises papers in English and Mathematics. Candidates have an interview and we request a reference from their current school.  Past papers are available on request from the Admissions Office. If candidates are in the UK, they are invited to sit the 13+ entry assessment at Shrewsbury School. Arrangements can be made for overseas candidates to take the assessment at their current school, a local law firm or a local Consul Office.

All candidates must be Registered with Shrewsbury School in advance of taking any entry assessment.

Scholarships

Scholarships are awarded in a number of areas – Academic, Art, DT, Drama, Music, Sport, and also Sir Michael Palin All-Rounder Scholarships.  Please see the Scholarship section of the website for further information.

Registration

Following your visit, and if you have not already done so, you will be invited to register your child by filling in a Registration Form, and to nominate your preferred choice of House or Houses, though this can be done at a later stage.  The non-refundable Registration Fee is £180 (£150 + £30 VAT) per child.

All candidates must be Registered with Shrewsbury School in advance of taking any entry assessment.

Making your preference for a particular House can feel like a big decision. Our House pages will keep you up-to-date with House news and give you a flavour of what your child can expect. Families often come back for another visit before making their final choice of House, and we welcome all such visits.  Our Director of Admissions will be able to help you to make this important choice, and you may well find that the Headteacher of your child’s current school will have advice to offer you too.

Accepting an offer of a place

Parents may choose to secure a Conditional Place (subject to passing the entrance assessments) at any time by completing the Acceptance of a Conditional Place Form and paying the deposit. Parents are asked to indicate a house preference on the Acceptance Form. The Admissions Department aims to produce a balanced entry between houses, but early submission of the Acceptance Form makes it more likely that a pupil will be placed in their first choice house.

1.    For candidates who take early entry assessment in Year 7 (November 2025)
Candidates will be offered a Guaranteed Place following the Lent Term assessment day. Parents will be asked to accept this offer by completing the Acceptance Form and paying the deposit (unless they had already secured a Conditional Place).

2.    For candidates who take 13+ entrance assessments in Year 8 (November 2026)
Candidates will be offered a place on 1st December following the November assessments. Parents will be asked to accept this offer by completing the Acceptance Form and paying the deposit (unless they had already secured a Conditional Place).

The deposit is 10% of a term’s fee and is held until your child leaves Shrewsbury, when it is returned after deduction of the final term’s extras. For families whose normal residence is outside the UK, there is an additional deposit which is 90% of the current fee for one term.  

If the deposit is paid to secure a conditional place and the pupil fails to pass the entrance exam or is withdrawn on academic grounds then the deposit is refunded.
 

Joining Shrewsbury

A Shrewsbury journey begins long before our new Third Formers walk through our historic Moss Gates in September. Prior to joining, our Teams will be in regular contact with all of the information needed to ensure a smooth transition for pupils and families alike. There will also be an invite to a New Pupil Event which allows pupils to meet their peers and get to know the school before the academic year starts.

We encourage families to follow our social media platforms to keep up-to-date with all of the latest Shrewsbury news.

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

LinkedIn

Visiting Shrewsbury

In the first instance, families are encouraged to experience of life at Shrewsbury by attending one of our Open Days.  These events are tailored to either 13+/14+ entry or Sixth Form entry and include a tour of the site and a boarding or day house and opportunities to speak to the Headmaster, Housemasters and Housemistresses, academic staff and our pupils. Places can be booked online via our Open Days page.

If you would like to arrange a bespoke visit, please email the Admissions Office on [email protected]  or call 01743 280552. Your visit will usually include a tour of the School with some of our current pupils, a meeting with an Admissions Tutor and a visit to one or two houses. If you would like to see the Headmaster during your visit, please do let us know. 

Examinations

Candidates for entry in September 2028 onwards will be able to take the ISEB Pre-Tests in November of Year 6 (or Year 7) to secure a Guaranteed Year 9 Place at Shrewsbury School. These tests will form part of a holistic admissions process, which will also take into consideration a Headteacher’s reference and an assessment day at Shrewsbury in the following Lent Term. 

Further information about the Pre-Tests can be found on the ISEB website. Parents/Guardians need to register their son/daughter via the ISEB Guardian Portal in order for them to sit the Pre-Tests.

We expect that the majority of candidates in prep schools will take Year 6/7 assessment. However, an alternative assessment pathway will enable prep school candidates who wish to apply to Shrewsbury at a later stage to sit our established 13+ entrance examinations in English and Mathematics in November of Year 8.

We anticipate that the majority of candidates who are not in prep schools will take our 13+ entry assessment in November of Year 8, although the Year 6/7 assessments will provide an alternative option.

The 13+ entry assessment comprises papers in English and Mathematics. Candidates have an interview and we request a reference from their current school.  Past papers are available on request from the Admissions Office. If candidates are in the UK, they are invited to sit the 13+ entry assessment at Shrewsbury School. Arrangements can be made for overseas candidates to take the assessment at their current school, a local law firm or a local Consul Office.

All candidates must be Registered with Shrewsbury School in advance of taking any entry assessment.

Scholarships

Scholarships are awarded in a number of areas – Academic, Art, DT, Drama, Music, Sport, and also Sir Michael Palin All-Rounder Scholarships.  Please see the Scholarship section of the website for further information.

Registration

Following your visit, and if you have not already done so, you will be invited to register your child by filling in a Registration Form, and to nominate your preferred choice of House or Houses, though this can be done at a later stage.  The non-refundable Registration Fee is £180 (£150 + £30 VAT) per child.

All candidates must be Registered with Shrewsbury School in advance of taking any entry assessment.

Making your preference for a particular House can feel like a big decision. Our House pages will keep you up-to-date with House news and give you a flavour of what your child can expect. Families often come back for another visit before making their final choice of House, and we welcome all such visits.  Our Director of Admissions will be able to help you to make this important choice, and you may well find that the Headteacher of your child’s current school will have advice to offer you too.

Accepting an offer of a place

Parents may choose to secure a Conditional Place (subject to passing the entrance assessments) at any time by completing the Acceptance of a Conditional Place Form and paying the deposit. Parents are asked to indicate a house preference on the Acceptance Form. The Admissions Department aims to produce a balanced entry between houses, but early submission of the Acceptance Form makes it more likely that a pupil will be placed in their first choice house.

1.        For candidates who take ISEB Pre-Tests in Year 6/7

Candidates will be offered a Guaranteed Place following the Lent Term assessment day. Parents will be asked to accept this offer by completing the Acceptance Form and paying the deposit (unless they had already secured a Conditional Place).

2.        For candidates who take 13+ entrance assessments in Year 8

Candidates will be offered a place on 1^st December following the November assessments. Parents will be asked to accept this offer by completing the Acceptance Form and paying the deposit (unless they had already secured a Conditional Place).

The deposit is 10% of a term’s fee and is held until your child leaves Shrewsbury, when it is returned after deduction of the final term’s extras. For families whose normal residence is outside the UK, there is an additional deposit which is 90% of the current fee for one term. 

If the deposit is paid to secure a conditional place and the pupil fails to pass the entrance exam or is withdrawn on academic grounds then the deposit is refunded.

Joining Shrewsbury

A Shrewsbury journey begins long before our new Third Formers walk through our historic Moss Gates in September. Prior to joining, our Teams will be in regular contact with all of the information needed to ensure a smooth transition for pupils and families alike. There will also be an invite to a New Pupil Event which allows pupils to meet their peers and get to know the school before the academic year starts.

We encourage families to follow our social media platforms to keep up-to-date with all of the latest Shrewsbury news.

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

LinkedIn