Concord College

Focus 

Rigour, kindness and creativity

Day fees 2024/25

$26,200 (incl. VAT)

Boarding fees 2024/25

$75,100 (incl. VAT)

Pupils

580

Ages

13–18

Spear’s Review

A British school serving a global community, Concord College has long welcomed students from around the world and continues to promote harmony and international understanding as core values. Due to the large international population, the school often arranges pick-ups from Heathrow Airport. 

The current principal, Dr Michael Truss, was a physicist who completed a PhD modelling the flow of gas around black holes before entering teaching, and Concord’s stellar academic results bear out his attention to detail and pursuit of high standards. Beyond the curriculum, students can participate in a variety of academic and academic-related clubs, societies and activities, pursuing interests in subjects such as art and architecture, finance and investment, history and international relations and philosophy.

Set in Georgian buildings on 73 acres deep in the Shropshire countryside, Concord is known to be one of the most beautiful schools in England. 

Academics

90 per cent of GCSE results are grades 7–9. 

74 per cent of results at A-Level are A* or A. 

School Profile

Founded to educate students from around the world, Concord is a unique international academic community for 13-to-18-year-olds.

The college promotes a culture of excellence and joyful learning infused with rigour, kindness and creativity. Concord students pursue their dreams in a safe, calm and supportive place, where ideas can be shared and where inquisitiveness and independence of thought are celebrated. Students are expected to display mutual respect and to promote harmony, decency and trust. The result is a happy, kind and hard-working community in which students are polite, articulate and conscientious, without ever losing their sense of fun.

Concord students achieve excellent results. Last year, 144 Concord students got 3 As or better and 44 got three or more A*s at A-Level. GCSE results are equally impressive, with 90 per cent of grades at 9–7. Many students secure places at top universities. This year 10 Concordians started at Oxford or Cambridge; 29 took up places on medical, dental or veterinary medicine courses. Over 100 students from the year are now studying at World Top 100 Universities.

With impressive facilities, including 73 acres of stunning campus, a state-of-the-art 22-laboratory science building, a theatre, a swimming pool, social spaces and soon a new sports centre, Concord creates a haven for the academically inquisitive student.

All students have their own bedroom in a residence supervised and supported by boarding house parents. A comprehensive induction programme helps new starters find their feet quickly.

Outside of the curriculum, a comprehensive enrichment programme offers a wide range of extracurricular activities, including sports, outdoor education, charity organisations, creative arts and other clubs and societies. The emphasis is on personal development for each individual student. Some activities support students with specific university ambitions.

University and college destinations

In 2024, 10 students went on to study at Oxford or Cambridge, 118 went on to study at UK Russell Group universities, and 29 went on to study medicine, dentistry or veterinary courses.

Head teacher

Dr Michael Truss has been principal at Concord since 2021. After taking a first-class honours degree in physics at Balliol College, Oxford, he continued his academic studies with a PhD in theoretical astrophysics at the University of Leicester and a postdoctoral fellowship in astrophysics at the University of St Andrews. Prior to joining Concord College he was deputy head at Barnard Castle School.

Admissions

Students typically join Concord in Form 3 (age 13), Form 4 (age 14) and Sixth Form (age 16 or 17). Applicants are asked to complete an online application form and submit copies of recent school reports, certificates or other evidence of achievements. All applicants sit Concord’s entrance tests, with tests for Sixth Form entry in subjects that the student intends to pursue at A-Level. Interviews will then take place after the applicant’s tests have been marked.

Accessibility

Birmingham Airport: 1 hour 15 minutes

Location

Click for more information about the research process and expert insight behind the Spear’s Schools Index.