12 SCHOOL NEWS Upper Sixth UCAS day: Four generations of current and former Shrewsbury School Officers impart and receive advice <strong>Salopian</strong>s and University – Continuity and Change University remains overwhelmingly the most popular destination for Shrewsbury leavers, but the preferred destinations and courses change. Toby Percival, Head of Higher Education, surveys the current scene. Any school worth its salt will measure its success in part by its pupils’ preparedness for life beyond its protective boundary. As the person tasked with helping <strong>Salopian</strong>s navigate what can be the Tartarean marsh that is university application, I have the privilege and pleasure of seeing their wings spread as they engage with tertiary education. Sitting in the same office as my predecessors, I am very grateful indeed to Hugh Ramsbotham, Chris Conway and Dympna Nightingale for their support and expertise, not only for me but for the thousands of <strong>Salopian</strong>s who passed through their doors. With over 50,000 courses available at hundreds of institutions, the opportunities available to the current generation may seem endless. Yet, there is a certain stability in the courses and universities to which <strong>Salopian</strong>s tend to migrate: without wishing to become too statistic-heavy, Business and Management degrees have been the most popular for as long as I can remember, closely followed by Engineering and Medicine. Indeed, in what is becoming an increasingly competitive process, <strong>Salopian</strong>s continue to succeed in gaining places at medical school, due in large part to their strong sense of community and the expert guidance of Dr Torin Morgan, who oversees their programme. It has been great to see a rise in those going on to pursue Creative degrees, buoyed by the rise in profile of Art and Design and Technology in the Moser Quad in recent years. Equally, the all-rounder specialism (!) of <strong>Salopian</strong>s has made the growing trend in Liberal Arts and Natural Sciences courses much more popular, as their more general courses allow a pick and mix selection of foci. Saying all this, our mantra is very much making sure that each pupil has the right fit for them in both course and university. In terms of institutions, the traditional red-brick and Russell Group universities still receive over 70% of <strong>Salopian</strong>s; I am often asked why that is when the vast majority of graduate employers are both course and institution blind in their recruitment processes. Though it is supposition, there is a sense of security in following traditional courses at universities well-trodden by <strong>Salopian</strong>s of yore. One notable rise has been the interest in international universities; this year will see up to 20 pupils apply to American universities, whose holistic approach to education is in harmony with the School’s ethos. Recent destinations have included MIT and Yale, the universities of California, Washington and Georgia, as well as the universities of British Columbia and Toronto in Canada. This is a growing trend we hope to harness in coming years, as Shrewsbury’s DNA is right up the American Strasse. Keeping on top of the latest updates in the HE sector is a tricky task, as popularity waxes and wanes with the tide and courses are continuously changing. To that end, I am most grateful to the 350 or so Old <strong>Salopian</strong>s currently at university for offering their ‘on the ground’ view to the next generation as part of our UniReps programme; such intelligence is incredibly valuable in ensuring that we convey the most up-to-date information. A very useful event is our OS Uni Fair, where 30 or so Old <strong>Salopian</strong>s at university return to Severn shore to speak informally to the Sixth Form about their experiences, always well received. <strong>The</strong> Director of the <strong>Salopian</strong> Club and I also host receptions at the most popular university destinations of <strong>Salopian</strong>s each year and it is always pleasing to hear how they are faring beyond the Moss Gates. <strong>The</strong> next few years promise to be just as interesting as the past years of change have been, as the number of 18-yearolds increases by over 150,000 in a decade, making university entrance even more competitive than in the 2010s. Coupled with that, government policy is to move to a post-qualification admissions process, which means that <strong>Salopian</strong>s will apply after receiving their A Levels. Plenty of challenge for all ahead.
SCHOOL NEWS 13