This is an unprecedented achievement for both the School and for Shropshire as no other School in the County has ever been honoured in this way.

The Awards Ceremony, which took place at the Belfry in Nottingham, recognises outstanding excellence and at Shrewsbury High School it was the quality of sport that drew particular praise. For the last six months the sporting work across the School has been scrutinised by the judging panel. It was the outstanding level of collaboration that the school undertakes with local maintained sector schools that proved to be an important factor in the School receiving this accolade, with the judges commenting that it was “good to see sport given such a place in the school’s life.

In 2006, the school recognised that it had a responsibility and opportunity to offer a genuine contribution to sport at primary school level. After a cross country event in which nine primary schools and 86 runners took part, year-on-year growth led to a formal partnership being formed. Shrewsbury High School now provides ongoing year-round provision of its facilities to accommodate a constantly growing programme, in which over 600 pupils and 15 schools took part in 2013-14. The judges praised these initiatives as “longstanding and sustainable.”

Michael Getty, Headmaster, who collected the Award on behalf of the School, in front of 300 guests, was thrilled with the Award saying “We are especially proud of sport and to have this recognised in this way is an amazing achievement. A huge amount of credit goes to our staff at Prep and Senior School. We were the first school in the region to be shortlisted in the awards last year and now we are honoured to be the first to actually win an Independent School Award.”