Onwards: the class of 2025

As the school campus fills with the excitement of a new year, my mind rests upon the next adventure for those who left the Moss Gates in June.

They will too be looking forward to joining a new community and the class of 2025 will head to an impressive array of destinations and courses.

In line with previous years, well over 85% secured a place at their first choice university. Amongst the 55 individual institutions, Exeter, Newcastle, UCL, Durham and Edinburgh were the five most popular this year. Ambition was strong too, and it is no surprise that 82% will head to world top 200 universities, with the Russell Group dominating Salopians’ choices. Saying that, our mantra is very much the right fit for the right individual and there were a good number of pupils moving on to specialist institutions like the Royal Welsh School of Music and the University of Arts London, who do not appear in such league tables.

Well documented has been the increasingly global outlook of Salopians for higher education and this year saw thirteen pupils move onto universities in the US, Canada, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand. Jack, Tara and Mollie received sports scholarships to US colleges, and Fin was the recipient of the prestigious Robertson Scholarship to Duke and UNC, where he will join Morehead-Cain scholars Joss and Finn.

Though the majority of pupils move on to traditional university courses, it was fantastic to see four Salopians secure highly competitive degree apprenticeships with companies like Deloitte, EY and West Mercia Police.

Our attention now turns to the next cohort, as the Class of 2026 continue to plan their post Shrewsbury adventure. To aid them in their research, we were delighted to welcome 15 Old Salopians currently at university back to Severn shore to share their insights with the Sixth Form. From Oxford to Edinburgh, Harvard to Exeter, Quod was a buzz of activity as those with the most direct and recent experience of university chatted informally to the next generation. I am incredibly grateful to them all for giving so generously of their time and it was lovely to hear that they are thriving.

Toby Percival

Head of Sixth Form and Higher Education