The Whole Person Realised: Shrewsbury Leavers Chart Their Own Paths

Well done to our Upper Sixth Leavers of 2026, who are celebrating an exceptional set of A Level results today, with 44% of grades awarded at A-A* and over 1/3 of these at A*. An impressive 40 pupils achieved straight A*/A grades and a dozen pupils achieved three or more A* grades each. 

Our leavers have secured places at many of the world’s top universities, including five to Oxbridge courses ranging from Medicine to Law, international offers including Harvard, Toronto, Hong Kong, and Columbia, and a number also with prestigious US scholarships. Three more have Degree  Apprenticeships including one with PWC’s Flying Start Programme, and some of our creatively gifted leavers will head to prestigious music conservatoires and drama schools including the Guildhall, Bird, and Guildford School of Acting.

Well over 80% of pupils have secured their first-choice university, a testament to their ambition and determination. In the UK this outstanding set of destinations includes Imperial, UCL, Durham, Edinburgh, LSE, Warwick and many more. 19 pupils have places at overseas universities spread across the globe and overall, almost 80% will attend World Top 200 universities.

George R (SH), Head of School, who achieved A* A* A* A* in his A level results, said: 

"I'm thrilled to have secured a place at Cambridge. Shrewsbury pushed me to seize every opportunity, from the Imperial Science in Medicine team competition to serving as Head of School. 

"Shrewsbury celebrates the whole person, letting me balance academic work with my passion for music, Model United Nations, and weekly volunteering. It gave me the confidence to step outside my comfort zone. Now I can't wait to carry that spirit of leadership and giving back into my medical career." 

Meg H (M), Head of School, who achieved A* A* A* A in her A level results, said:  

"Receiving the Morehead Cain Scholarship is a true honour. Shrewsbury gave me a space to grow beyond the classroom, and that mattered more than any interview practice or essay advice. It empowered me to chase my academic passions and build the leadership potential these scholarships seek out. 

"Learning from teachers who love their subjects has been transformative. Over the last two years, my curiosity has caught fire, and learning has felt genuinely exciting." 

Richard W (I), who achieved A* A A A in his A level results, said: 

"Applying to and receiving an offer from Harvard have both been life-changing. At Shrewsbury, I've constantly pushed my academics, my sport, and my life skills, and that's what brought me here. 

"None of it would have been possible without the excellent teachers, coaches, and the Futures department who backed me every step of the way, or the fantastic resources in the classrooms and at the boathouse." 

Shrewsbury’s Headmaster, Leo Winkley, said: 

"Results Day is always about far more than grades. It's about celebrating the remarkable young people our pupils have become, and the perseverance, curiosity and generosity of spirit they've shown at Shrewsbury. Our Heads of School exemplify this: with 13 A* grades between them, they embody the academic commitment that, alongside their leadership, defines a Shrewsbury education.

"We are immensely proud of the diverse paths our leavers will follow, from leading universities in the UK and overseas to conservatoires, degree apprenticeships, professional sport and meaningful gap years. Each reflects a whole person ambition realised through hard work and the support of outstanding teachers, tutors and families. Our aim has always been to help every pupil discover their strengths, grow in confidence and leave ready to make a positive contribution to the world. We wish this remarkable year group every success and can't wait to see all they achieve." 

Dan Reeve, Deputy Head, Academic, said: 

"These outstanding results reflect the ambition of our pupils, the breadth of opportunity at Shrewsbury, and the fantastic support of our dedicated staff. 

"Behind every offer is a whole-person journey. Our Futures programme and our committed teaching staff give every pupil the guidance, challenge and encouragement to find the pathway that's right for them. It's a delight to see so many leavers taking their next steps with real confidence and purpose." 

Our pupils continue to excel across the board both individually and collectively, in the classroom and wider academic enrichment programme; in house life; in the performing arts; and in sport. Academically, pupils won national awards in subjects such as Maths, Art and Writing. In sport, our U15 Boys’ Cricket team were crowned national champions in the ESCA One Day Cup Final, for the first time in the school’s history two girls’ Hockey teams reached the England Hockey Vase Finals, while individuals have signed academy and professional contracts in football and others represented Great Britain in Rowing and Ireland in Cricket, with many more examples of outstanding whole person performance. 

This year, Shrewsbury School has received more major awards and national recognition than ever before, reflecting the exceptional achievements of its pupils and staff across every aspect of school life and our absolute commitment to whole person education. 

Headmaster Leo Winkley was named Best Head of a Public School in the Tatler Schools Awards 2026, as voted for by parents and the school community, and for the third consecutive year and the school was named among the world's top 100 private schools in Spear's School Index. 

The school was Senior Winner in the Education Choices Magazine Awards 2026 for Working with Local Charities and finalist in two categories for the Education Investor Awards and commended in the Independent School of the Year Awards 2026 for Outstanding Fundraising Achievement. Shrewsbury was also one of the few schools in the country to earn a Gold Award for the second year running, for exceptional whole person education and fostering a supportive mentoring culture amongst pupils in the Oppidan Education Awards. Reflecting the school’s excellent approach to Teaching and Learning, the school was shortlisted for Teacher Development Initiative of the Year in the Tes School Awards 2026.