Global Destinations and Ambitious Futures for the Class of 2026

As the Upper Sixth turn their attention to exams and await final university decisions, they have amassed a veritable smorgasbord of offers from an impressively wide range of institutions.

The mantra of the Futures Department at Shrewsbury, “the right fit for the right individual”, is very much borne out in the breadth of destinations ahead.

Alongside over 500 hundred offers from our perennial favourites in the Russell Group and World Top 200, Salopians have secured more than a dozen offers in Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and Dentistry, including at Cambridge and Imperial. There has also been notable success in the highly competitive Performing Arts sphere, with three pupils heading to Guildhall, Bird and GSA this September.

The global outlook remains strong. Richard W (I) has secured a place at Harvard, while Matthew W (SH) has been offered a place on the prestigious dual-degree programme with Columbia University and CUHK, graduating with two degrees in four years. Following the earlier news of Meg H (M) and Will M (S) receiving the merit-based Morehead-Cain Scholarship to UNC, a further five Salopians will head to the United States as recruited athletes in football and athletics. Elsewhere, scholarships have been awarded to the Universities of Toronto and British Columbia.

While most Salopians continue on to traditional degree courses, an increasing number are pursuing degree apprenticeships and alternative pathways, with several selection processes still ongoing. Will Y (I) has already secured a place on PwC’s Flying Start programme, combining university study with professional experience at one of the Big Four firms. A few will also continue to forge their sporting paths, with Isaac E (Rt) continuing his professional football career at Shrewsbury Town.

In true Salopian fashion, the Class of 2026 is also an adventurous one, with almost 50 pupils opting for a Gap Year. Several have been awarded Miles Clark Travel Scholarships and will shortly set off on ambitious journeys across Europe and Asia, where they will make memories to last a lifetime.

Mr Toby Percival, Head of Sixth Form and Higher Education