Two Shropshire schools make league table’s top 10

Concord College, in Acton Burnell, claimed third place in Parent Power, The Sunday Times Schools Guide 2018, while Shrewsbury School was placed at number seven.

Rankings were determined by the percentage of examination entries gaining A* to B grades at A-level during the summer and the percentage of entries returning A* and A grades at GCSE.

For English and Maths at GCSE, the new grades outcomes of 9 and 8 are treated as the equivalent to an A* grade, and grade 7s the equivalent to an A grade.

Principal of Concord College, Neil Hawkins, said that the results were a “passport” to the next stage of the pupils’ lives.

He said: “It is absolutely fantastic the achievements of Concord’s students have been nationally recognised once again.

“An enormous amount of individual hard work and talent on the part of our students has been combined with skilled support and wisdom on the part of our staff to make this possible.

“We have had many happy students, parents, teachers and even grandparents who are delighted with what has been achieved.

“Of course, these results are no more or less than a passport to the next stage in our students’ lives.

“Just as important – but much harder to measure – are the values of harmony, trust and decency that facilitate all that we do and achieve here at Concord College.”

Maurice Walters, deputy head (academic) at Shrewsbury School, said: “Obviously it’s a pleasure to be able to report back on fantastic examination results year on year, especially against a backdrop of curriculum change and uncertainty.

“At Shrewsbury School, however, we believe those results are symptomatic of an exciting, engaging and rigorous educational experience which takes place in and outside of the classroom.

“If there is any secret to our success, it lies in the strength of relationships formed between pupils and staff in the academic, pastoral and co-curricular context – meaning every individual pupil really is seen ‘in the round’.

“Our beautiful ‘village green’ site and well-established house system engender a powerful sense of common endeavour and community which persists long after pupils move on to bigger and better things.”