Concord College, Shrewsbury

[kerrygrey]

Does anyone know anything about it? It used to be A level sciences for international students but now it seems to have expanded the curriculum and the age range, and DC from UK preps are going there. I like the 'no compulsory games' and 'no uniform', but would like some inside information if poss??

[teta]

I have no 'inside' information apart from my view from looking around as a possible school for my dd.I also know a few parents with experience of the school currently.What exactly would you like to know?.

[kerrygrey]

What I was wondering was, is it a suitable school for a 13 year old boarder whose talents may not lie in science. Is pastoral care good? Does EAL of many pupils restrict the teaching of Eng Lit? There seem to be more 6th formers than younger DC, does this 'top heavy' situation have an effect? Actually, anything you can tell me would be appreciated. We are considering whether to visit.. Thanks.

[joanbyers]

Reading between the lines I'm assuming it's got lots of junior 'tigers' there, and I'm guessing English Lit not a priority.... It seems a slightly odd choice unless you are international or local (the day fees are extremely reasonable), and if the latter is the case you might as well go along on for a visit....

They don't publish numbers of entrants on their A Level results page, only % but it looks like nearly the whole school takes Maths, 80-90 do Physics, and then perhaps 20 do English A Level (out of 150).

[kerrygrey]

It's fairly local but not local enough for day. I've been looking at destinations of DCs from local preps and quite a few seem to go there. Actually casting our 'net' in about 100 mile radius and may visit after I've had the prospectus. I'd still be interested in what teta thought when she visited though.

[teta]

I think Joanie is right.The majority of the school intake seemed to be overseas chinese when we looked arround 3 years ago.There is a language barrier for most of these pupils hence science subjects are much easier to master than perhaps subjects involving essay type answers.Concord has a reputation in hk for taking the elite i.e. the very top results.These pupils are extremely driven and are sent to the uk to get the very best results possible.This excludes socialising,pe and anything but work.I personally hated it when i looked round.They have fantastic school facilities but they were like the Marie Celeste.In between classes the pupils opened their folders and didn't talk.My family are mixed race asian and my dd1 is highly sociable and needs a very broad based curriculum and so i sent her to another school.
Having said all that the results are fantastic and some local parents are choosing to send their dc's at 13 as an alternative to the single sex private school here.I believe that scholarships and bursaries are available for local candidates.Parents who have sent their dc's there in the past view Concorde as an exam factory.Prep until 8pm and compulsory saturday tests are the name of the game.If you have a very bright highly academic child they really might thrive in this environment.Only one of mine meets this category and he is only 6 at the moment!.

[kerrygrey]

Thank you teta. That gives me something to think about - it is rather what I suspected in spite of all the extras the website mentions.

[ripsishere]

I know this place quite well. It is very academic and has mainly overseas students. They do work hard, but do have time off.
Since there is nothing little to do in the village, most of their downtime seems to be spent in the college itself.
I know they have outstanding results too.

[kerrygrey]

Yes, ripsishere, the small village situation is a bit off-putting. These are teen after all and while I wouldn't want a big bad city on the doorstep, a country town would be good.
I think I'm talking myself out of this one before the prospectus has arrived...

[teta]

Concord is only about 3-4 miles from shrewsbury.The school buses them to activities at the weekends.They go to my daughter riding stables and for trips out and shopping i think.They also run socials.There is a christmas ball in december that all the local private school pupils are invited to [dd1 has been invited].The grounds and the main building are absolutely stunning and beautiful in the summer.So you are really not that secluded.
Having spoken briefly to some mothers whose children have started at 13 thay are all really happy so far.Concord is an especially good alternative to Shrewsbury boys school as the fees are much cheaper.So don't totally discount it-go and have a look arround.

[kerrygrey]

Thanks again, teta. Still waiting for the prospectus, but may visit anyway. A pity that Shrewsbury is a (private) bus ride away - I suspect there are no, or few, rural buses.
Shrewsbury School is out for me.Twice I have emailed them with a query and no one has bothered to answer. Doesn't auger well.

[ripsishere]

It seems much further away though. It is so remote. I think it took us as long to drive to the actual college as it did from Telfod .
One of the best things, for me was the number of stars you can see.

[annmat]

Does anyone know details of concord college? How is it for entry in year 9?
I have heard its considered an 'exam factory' Are children pressurized too much on studies? Do they have a friendly atmosphere? I am a local and considering concord as one option for my child.

[Needmoresleep]

I know two girls who have gone through there. Both Chinese who have done very well academically. One started at 13, and is well rounded and sociable, happy mixing with Asians or Europeans. The second is from mainland China and only attended the sixth form. Again great results, but has very poor English and astonishing little knowledge of the country she is in. She's towards the end of her University education (maths, obviously) but has barely touched the sides culturally.

I wonder whether bursaries etc, to encourage local students, is to help the college broaden its offer, so that they produce more "world citizens" rather than narrow mathematicians.

If your child is academic and would enjoy somewhere which offers a more international outlook and hard working peers, I think it would be worth a look. I might be a bit cautious about sixth form only unless you had a child who was happy living and breathing maths, as a big international intake at this point might make it more difficult to integrate socially.

[Millymollymama]

I think I would look at Rugby School, OP. Much more rounded.

[annmat]

Thanks for the feedback.

[annmat]

Does anyone have an idea on what percentage of day school students would be there on an average each year intake in concord college? I heard its mainly boarders.

[Ahwoo]

401 out of 456 students (according to the ISI report, 2013)

[annmat]

So very few day school students! Mainly boarders.

[HOLS2016]

Concord students are mainly boarders but the day students get to participate in the wider life of the college for example at the annual fashion show (amazing creative design and making, full cat walk and cameras, screens and music!). Also the House events, like the Arts competitions, which feature songs, dances and poetry. There's definitely more to the place than Maths, although it is refreshing to find a UK school with students who don't 'hate' Maths on principle! Most importantly this is a genuinely kind place, with a wide array of international representation that gives it vibrancy - I think you'd be surprised: Malaysian, Botswanan, Singaporean, Thai, Kazakh, Russian... no one country dominates. New to the school and new to the area, I think it is a rare gem! One point about the academic ethos - yes, the students aim high, and are vastly successful, but there is warm, hands-on pastoral support of a kind that would be hard to match in some places in my experience. So: great results but NOT a factory!