SOME of the highest academic scholarships for Cheltenham College and Shrewsbury School have been awarded to pupils at the Elms School near Malvern.

The Lord James of Hereford scholarship is the most prestigious offered at Cheltenham, recognising academic excellence, and it was awarded to Sebastian Cornwell, who has been boarding at the Elms since he was nine. Shrewsbury School’s Butler scholarship has been awarded to Charlotte Russell, who joined the school in the pre-prep.

Alastair Thomas, the headmaster of the school said: "We are all thrilled with these results, which show how hard the children, and the staff, have worked.

"Seb and Charlotte are amongst a very talented year group who have won between them 20 awards this year."

Sebastian Roberts was awarded a scholarship to Malvern College and Ben Percival an Exhibition to Cheltenham College.

The 16 other awards have been won in art, drama, sport and equestrian skills from a wide range of senior schools including Radley, Rugby, Shrewsbury, Tudor Hall, Dean Close, Hereford Cathedral School, Cheltenham Ladies College, Kings Gloucester and Malvern.

Mr Thomas added: "The awards the children have gained this year prove that encouraging them to engage in so many different areas of school life still leads to excellence."