Wrekin College

Wrekin College is an Independent Co-educational Day and Boarding School in Shropshire 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 have a duty to 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.

When Sir John Bayley founded Wrekin College in 1880, he wanted to establish a school which 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 realise 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 over 400 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.

For many years the school was known locally as ‘The School in the Garden’ owing to its extensive gardens and playing fields. Part of the Allied Schools, it is also a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference.

Our School Motto is Aut vincere, aut mori - Either to conquer or to die