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A warm Wrekinian welcomes us to our College. We hope you get a flavor of our School from this virtual visit, but the virtual world can only be virtually interesting, whilst the real one is really interesting, and Wrekin is a really interesting school. Like all HMC schools are or should be, Wrekin is a very good school: all the things you’d expect to be able to do here are here. Exam results are very good as are facilities and the range of activities. We have a huge campus for our size, bigger than most HMC schools, and have a blend of ancient and very modern buildings as we build out of our Victorian traditions and education for the modern age. So what is different about Wrekin apart from the generous space in which our pupils can roam? loathe using the term ‘USP’ because we are talking about pupils not produce. Our difference is that, alongside the all-important curricular and co-curricular provision and success, we put an emphasis on employability and have a stand-alone Business School devoted to it where pupils learn what it takes to be employable and practice those skills. Connected to this pursuit of employability, we have the most successful Duke of Edinburgh Award program for many miles around, with a remarkable number of our students getting Gold before they leave us. Our ambition for pupils is that they leave Wrekin more ready for the world of work and life than they would do if they were schooled elsewhere. More ready for work and the prospect of demanding things like marriage and, what a prospect, having their children one day. Wrekin keeps its eye on the big picture and welcomes a diverse range of pupils: from the Midlands, further-flung English counties and from all over the world, each one being set his or her Challenge Grades in exams and expected to get them in an environment that is supportive and so genuinely friendly we can afford to be frank and still maintain our good relationships. This is not a single-sex or highly selective school: it is a deliberate representation of society that awaits us all: full of very different types. Wrekinians mix extraordinarily well and can work with anyone. It is not a coincidence that many go on to run their businesses. The heroes and heroines of Wrekin are those who get their Challenge Grades whether they are a row of B grades at GCSE or places at Cambridge, and each year we see those outcomes as well as people going straight into paid apprenticeships at major firms, as well as onto art college or into professional sport. We have absolutely no prejudice about an outcome for one of our pupils provided it is a good one and it is the right one for the individual. Wrekinians are invited (and occasionally if required gently pushed) into all aspects of school life and, whilst it is common elsewhere to carry out one or two co-curricular activities, here it is common for pupils to be multi-tasking and involved in three or four. Our awesome Latin motto ‘Aut Vincere Aut Mori’ translates today as ‘’Give it a Go!’’ and we believe that real confidence and humility arise out of working with others in as many contexts as possible including those out of one’s ‘comfort zone. The outcome of good schooling should be that we are, as my mother would say, ‘fit to live and fit to live with’. Wrekin is hugely ambitious for the personal growth of its pupils and closely monitors that growth so that no one goes under the radar. We have a Development Plan in place as we seek to improve every aspect of this very good school, and we expect as much from ourselves as we do from our pupils. New facilities are in place and others planned: now is a good time to come and see us. If you think there’s some sense in what we stand for, do drop in at Wrekin whenever you like. It would be a pleasure to meet you and yours and to discuss how our education could work for you. When Sir John Bayley founded Wrekin College in 1880, he wanted to establish a school that would be different. In particular, he said “the danger of any school is that of falling into a narrow groove of teaching all children as though they were turned out by Mother Nature in stereotyped fashion, of failing to realize that any successful school is one where each pupil receives individual attention”. This has been Wrekin’s philosophy ever since, and the Independent Schools Inspectorate noted in its last full inspection “the school provides warm and special pastoral care and treats the young as individuals”. Wrekin College was one of the first schools of its type to become coeducational, and girls were admitted in 1975. Co-education came about because of the belief in its educational merits, rather than economic necessity, and Wrekin has now been coeducational for a generation. Another major development came in 1994 when Lancaster House was opened to cater for an intake of 11-year-old pupils. However, 13+ remains a normal entry point, at which pupils step out of Lancaster House and are new to the main school, along with incoming pupils. In 2008, the working week was changed to remove compulsory lessons from Saturday morning, replacing them with weekend activities and matches for Day pupils and Boarders. The school has grown to almost 500 pupils, and in 2007 the Governance of Wrekin College merged with The Old Hall School to create The Wrekin Old Hall Trust, sharing facilities and offering education from the age of four years through to 18 years. Though the schools operate largely autonomously as educational providers, the Heads and staff of both schools work closely together. Wrekin College is an Independent Co-educational Day and Boarding School for pupils aged 11 to 18. Founded in 1880 by Sir John Bayley the school still works to his original philosophy of providing individual attention to individual pupils. Wrekin is: A school which adds value to the lives of all its pupils A school which every child believes is ‘their school’, and where every child has an equal chance to contribute A school that takes pride in itself, but is never complacent A school where pupils understand that a first-rate education is a privilege, and one they must live up to A school which is more than the sum of its parts, offering everything other great schools offer and something more - a Wrekin education. Wrekin has a strong academic record. We pride ourselves on stimulating intellectual curiosity, providing excellent and inspiring teaching, and making learning exciting. Our guiding principle is to help every child achieve the most they are capable of, prepare them for the competitive world they will enter, and give them a lasting sense of the pleasure and value of learning that will enrich their future lives. Of course, what happens on the sports pitch and in the music rooms, the theatre, and the art studios are just as important in Wrekin's life. The range and quality of activities available to every pupil at Wrekin are exceptional, especially for a school this size. Pupils’ development and achievements in these areas are supported by wonderful facilities and highly dedicated staff. We strongly believe that pupils should be at the center of any school. The happiness and fulfillment of every child is the first concern of the staff at Wrekin: our size allows us to offer individual care and attention, both to boarders and day pupils. At Wrekin the pastoral care is first-rate, the Chapel, charitable activities, and consideration for others are very much part of day-to-day life. Wrekin College has a proud and distinguished history and is a very happy place for staff and pupils to live and work. We are committed to taking the school forwards over the next few years in a way that is true to its traditions and continues to build on its reputation and successes. View full school