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Sherborne School 谢伯恩学校, Sherborne,
Dorset DT9 3AP
Tel: 01935 812249 Fax: 01935 810426
Website: www.sherborne.org
• BOYS, 13–18, Day & Boarding
• Pupils 560, Upper sixth 98
• Termly fees £5635 (Day), £7225 (Boarding)
• HMC
• Enquiries/application to the Registrar (tel 01935 810402)

What it’s like
Its origins date back to the 8th century, when some kind of school at Sherborne was begun by St Aldhelm, and was re-founded by Edward VI in 1550. It was linked with the Benedictine Abbey. The library, chapel and Headmaster’s block were once Abbey buildings and the whole school forms a delightful architectural complex in the centre of this most attractive country town. There have been many extensions and improvements, and facilities and boarding accommodation are excellent. All the boarding houses are within a few minutes walk of the main buildings and there is a close relationship with the town. It is a happy school with a strong pastoral care/tutorial system built round a traditional boarding house structure. The staff:pupil ratio is about 1:8. Academic standards are high and results consistently very good. There are strong music, art, drama and technology departments. A good range of sports and games is available and standards are high (a lot of representatives at county and national level). There is a large number range of extra-curricular activities, including a wide range of voluntary community and other services.

School profile

Pupils & entrance
Pupils: Age range 13–18; 560 boys (40 day, 520 boarding).
Entrance: Main entry age 13, plus approx 10 a year at 16. Common Entrance used (own exam if not appropriate). For sixth-form entry 5 GCSEs at least grade C (4 at grade B including sixth-form subjects). Boys come from approximately 200 feeder prep schools

Scholarships & bursaries 34 pa scholarships, 30 awarded at age 13, 4 at 16, value 10%–50% fees: 14 academic, 8 all-rounder, 8 music, 4 art. Variable number of bursaries for existing pupils who require financial help.

Head & staff
Headmaster: S F Eliot, in post since 2000. Educated at Radley and Cambridge University (history). Previously Housemaster at Winchester.
Teaching staff: 70 full time, 20 part time (mainly music). Annual turnover 5%. Average age 38.

Exam results
GCSE: In 2003, 111 pupils in fifth form, all gaining at least grade C in 7+ subjects. Average GCSE score 62 (60 over 5 years).
A-levels: 98 in upper sixth. Average final point score achieved by upper sixth formers 347.

University & college entrance 99% of 2003 sixth-form leavers went on to a degree course (30% after a gap year), 10% to Oxbridge. 10% took courses in medicine, dentistry & veterinary science, 29% in science & engineering, 5% in law, 40% in humanities & social sciences, 3% in art & design, 11% in vocational subjects eg business, hotel management.

Curriculum GCSE, AS and A-levels. 28 AS-levels subjects, 25 A-level.
Sixth form: Most sixth formers take 4 subjects at AS-level (most mix arts, humanities and sciences), 3 at A-level; general studies not taken. 30% take science and maths A-levels; 35% arts/humanities; 35% both. Key skills integrated into sixth-form courses but not assessed.
Vocational: Work shadowing available.
Languages: French, German, Italian, Russian, and Spanish offered to GCSE, AS and A-level; also Mandarin. Regular exchanges for lower sixth linguists to France, Germany and Spain.
ICT: Taught both as a discrete subject in Years 9 and 10 and across the curriculum. 80 computers for pupil use (14 hours a day), all networked (including boarding houses) and all with e-mail and internet access. Also 30% of pupils have their own computers or laptops.

The arts
Music: Just under 50% of pupils learn a musical instrument; instrumental exams can be taken. Some 12 regular musical groups including orchestras, choirs, concert band, swing band, jazz band, guitar orchestra, plus several chamber music groups. Regular school and house concerts. Pupils in county youth orchestra; organ and choral awards to Oxford; success with musical diplomas such as ARCO, ARCM, LRAM.
Drama: AS and A-level drama and theatre studies available. Many pupils are involved in school and house productions.
Art & design: On average, 12 take AS/A-level.

Sport & activities
Sport: Include rugby, cricket, hockey, soccer, squash, fives, athletics, basketball, cross-country, fencing, golf, swimming, sailing, shooting, tennis, badminton. Many representatives at county level, a few at national.
Activities: Many involved with Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme. CCF and community service both popular. Over 40 clubs, eg all academic fields, debating, film, photography, sub aqua, woodland management.

School life
Uniform: School uniform worn throughout.
Houses & prefects: Head boy, prefects – appointed by Headmaster; heads of house and house prefects by Housemaster.
Religion: Sunday services, chapel twice-weekly, most compulsory for younger pupils. Wide range of voluntary communion and other services.
Social: Regular concerts, debates, dances with Sherborne Girls School and St Antony’s-Leweston. Pupils allowed to bring own bike to school. Meals self-service. School shop sells uniform and sports kit. No tobacco or alcohol allowed.

Discipline Emphasis on self-discipline with possible sanctions such as detentions and impositions. Those caught with drugs on the premises might expect expulsion.

Boarding 25% have own study bedroom, 50% share; 25% are in dormitories of 6+. Houses of approximately 65. Resident qualified sanatorium sister; local medical practitioners. Central dining hall. Pupils can provide and cook light snacks and coffee/tea in houses. Flexible and fixed weekend exeats.

Former pupils David Sheppard (cricketer and Bishop of Liverpool); Sir Christopher Chataway (athlete and MP); Jeremy Irons (actor); Hugh Bonneville (actor); Nigel Dempster (journalist); Dr Colin Lucas (Vice Chancellor of Oxford University); John Le Carré (author); Sir Richard Eyre (theatre director, ex-National Theatre); Sir Michael Hopkins (architect); Cecil Day-Lewis (Poet Laureate); Sir David Spedding (Head of Secret Intelligence Services); AN Whitehead (mathematician and philosopher); Alan Turing (Enigma code breaker; pioneer of digital computers); Jon Pertwee, Lance Percival and John Le Mesurier (actors); Chris Martin (Coldplay).