Partnerships
Concord works with others to share our strengths and resources in the spirit of cooperative community.
A selection of our partnership projects:
Primary School Mathematics Partnerships
As a school with an enviable track record in Mathematics, one of the things we feel we benefit from ourselves is the genuine love of Mathematics shared by our students, many of whom have loved it since their early school days. We and our partner local primary schools believe that this is something that can be shared with others and that primary school age children benefit from experiencing Mathematics in a positive way.
We work directly with local primary schools, and a member of our Mathematics department visits 3 schools each week to work alongside teachers and their students. With extra staffing and expertise these collaborative teams support students in their mathematical development.
Each year all the primary schools we work with are invited to Concord for an afternoon of mathematical challenges and fun.
Primary School Science Partnerships
Concord works with local primary schools to provide access for children to the most up to date facilities and to share the expertise of our specialist science teachers.
The Lego and Robotics club has been attended by teams of both Concord students and Year 6 pupils from two local primary schools, Longnor C of E and St Lawrence C of E.
The teams worked to build and code Lego robots. Teams design robots that solve a series of challenges.
Senior School
Science
Concord applied to join the Royal Society of Chemistry’s “Spectroscopy in a suitcase” programme, becoming home to a suitcase with an IR spectrometer that the team uses both for projects at Concord and, importantly, for outreach to other schools. When the RSC ended the programme, Concord applied to keep the spectrometer and now runs its own free spectroscopy workshops to interested schools (at their own site) allowing many more students to access this equipment and learn about spectroscopy from hands-on experience.
Medical School Preparation
Concord is a partner in the “William Farr Academy”, a programme dedicated to helping aspiring medical students. Keele University School of Medicine, Concord College, and Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital NHS Trust, each with unique expertise and something to offer, come together to support aspiring medical students from less privileged backgrounds. Concord has an outstanding track record of preparing its own students for the rigours of medical school application by having a dedicated and comprehensive Medicine Support Programme; in the last 5 years 128 Concord Students have taken up places to study medicine at university. Through the William Farr Academy, the college provides advice and support with interview practice, entry aptitude tests and also offers free places at its annual Medical Futures Conference.
For more information and eligibility criteria, please email: sath.williamfarr-academy@nhs.net
The College also makes free places at the annual Medical Futures Conference available to students from Shropshire, the West Midlands and Welsh Borders. The event is advertised in advance and students can book places directly or schools can contact the organisers. Students at state schools are prioritised for places if the conference is full, but key talks are also screened online. The online talks are available to students anywhere.
Performing Arts
Concord’s theatre and workshop classrooms provide the setting for a variety of workshops and events.
Music
We seek to offer opportunities to others to participate in music making and music appreciation whenever the chance arises.
Local primary schools have taken part in a choral workshop. The college invited nine primary schools to join a day of singing with visiting expert and co-founder of the internationally recognised London Choral Conducting Competition.
The College’s Concerto competition is aimed at gifted young musicians from all schools across Shropshire and provides those who reach the final round with a rare opportunity to practice and perform with a professional orchestra.
Drama
The Form 3 Shakespeare performance in the summer term is an opportunity to share Shakespeare with local primary schools. In recent years an invitation to watch the performance in the college grounds has been coupled with workshop opportunities for attending primary pupils. These have been mini versions of the workshops our own, older, students experienced to help them develop the play. In previous years, this has taken the form of circus skills, and in 2022 stage combat experts ran a workshop for visiting schools.
History
Concord is fortunate to have a beautiful and historic campus, sited adjacent to Acton Burnell Castle (English Heritage). Our highly qualified History department have led workshops for local partner primary schools which focus on history relevant to the site. The castle and land were once owned by Robert Burnell, Chancellor to Edward I. Parliament Barn in the College’s grounds is said to have been used when Edward 1st held Parliament at Acton Burnell, significant because it was the first time Commons took part in passing a law.
Microsoft Showcase School
In 2023 Concord College was named a Microsoft Showcase School for the third year running. There are around 80 schools in the UK who are currently Microsoft Showcase Schools. The College shares its expertise with other schools looking for support in how to effectively integrate technology to the benefit of students and staff alike.
