The School Prospectus

The School Prospectus

Apley Park School is a Secondary Boarding School for boys. It is provided and maintained by the Salop Education Committee, and while primarily for boys living in Shropshire, boys outside the County may be accepted if a vacancy exists.

The School occupies a large Country Mansion in spacious beautiful grounds four miles from Bridgnorth. Accommodation is available for a maximum of 170 boys, all of whom are full-time boarders: there is no provision for day boys.

The normal age of admission is eleven, and the majority of pupils will enter at the beginning of the school year in September, but there are occasional vacancies for one or two older boys.

The school provides a normal five year secondary school curriculum at the end of which time pupils have the opportunity to take the following subjects-

MATHEMATICS, ENGLISH, GEOGRAPHY, HISTORY, RURAL SCIENCE, BIOLOGY, CHEMISTRY, PHYSICS, GENERAL SCIENCE, ART, WOODWORK, METALWORK, TECHNICAL DRAWING

at either G.C.E. 'O' or C.S.E. Level.

Apley Park is a one form entry school with between 30-36 pupils in each year group, but for most of the time each year group is divided, and the teaching group is normally 15-18 in number.

The curriculum is under continual review and when appropriate, extended Link Courses for 4th and 5th formers have been established with the Bridgnorth College of Further Education and Motor Mechanics, Business Studies, Electronics and Computer Studies are examples of courses which have been used by the school.

Apley Park does not have its own sixth form, but boys who reach the required standard at G.C.E. 'O' and C.S.E. levels and who wish to remain in a boarding situation have certain options-

• (a) To attend either of the Comprehensive Schools or College of Further Education in Bridgnorth but remain as a boarder at Apley.
• (b) To transfer to a boarding school which has a sixth form, an example of which would be Ludlow College. This is a sixth form College which has a boarding house which is adopted for the needs of sixth formers. Besides the facilities which are normally expected in a school, the school has its own tractor and other implements providing quite a wide scope for Horticultural and Agricultural activities.

Because Apley Park is a boarding school, there are considerable opportunities for physical activities. An indoor swimming pool is part of the amenities of the school which also includes very adequate playing fields, tennis courts and a squash court. As a result, the school has always had a high reputation for ability in games, athletics and swimming.

Leisure activities organised in the afternoons and at week-ends form a considerable part of the school life. They cover a wide range and offer a choice of occupation for leisure from which the boys benefit greatly. They take the form of societies which function on two afternoons a week and at week-ends according to the staff on duty. The following are some of the societies offered-

AEROMODELLING, PRINTING, PHOTOGRAPHY, FILM SOCIETY, CANOE BUILDING, YOUNG FARMERS' CLUB, GYMNASTICS, CAMPING, SWIMMING, ARCHERY, ORIENTEERING, MODEL RAILWAY AND RIFLE.

During term time the school embarks on a range of field study and outdoor pursuit activities both locally and further afield. During holiday periods, parties are organised to visit foreign countries and parts of the British Isles.

Staff

The school has a fully qualified teaching staff and has a staff pupil ratio more generous than that enjoyed by day schools, this giving more flexibility in day to day time-tabling and for supervision of evening and week-end programmes.

There is a full range of ancillary staff, School Secretary, Domestic Bursar, Matron, Cook Caterer, Driver/Caretaker and Seamstress, together with supporting staff.

Medical

The School has a well equipped dispensary and sick bay and the school Doctor visits the school weekly and on request.

Fees

Fees are payable for boarding only, the Education element being free. Fees cover all aspects of the boys' life at school including food, bedding, laundry, they do not cover the cost of school uniform.

While the majority of pupils will pay full boarding fee, Salop County Council does support pupils financially where it is felt that a boarding education is necessary. The scale of fees is dependent on family income, and the amount payable is determined by the Education Department, Shirehall, Shrewsbury.

Boys need pocket money, and other money needs are for club subscriptions where necessary, breakage money and contributions to the School Fund, the costs once again are included on the insert. A bank account is opened for each boy and payments are made into this account at the beginning of each term. The boy draws the money he requires weekly from this account.

Clothing

Every boy is expected to be provided with clothing to a specified list given to parents prior to admission. This list has been drawn up to ensure that each boy has adequate clothing for his needs, but it is not excessive. Further, the school purchases specific items of school uniform where possible at wholesale prices, and these are provided at the same price as they were purchased.

Parent/Teacher Association

Parents are encouraged to attend particular events throughout the year, and there is a very active Parent/Teacher Association which organises a range of social events.

All the photographs shown in the prospectus are displayed on the Inside Apley page which can be viewed from the Photograph Section.