SENIOR PROSPECTUS
World Ready
HEADMASTER’S WELCOME Great schools are not just providers of education. They are places of discovery. The seeds of their future selves lie within every child well before they arrive at school. The challenge and the joy of education is to help them to find their special aptitudes and talents, and thereby help them to flourish. At Ardingly, we believe in engaging with the world around us. Engaging with human knowledge; engaging with the practical application of knowledge; and engaging with people in other communities and workplaces. In short, engaging in ways that help children to become young adults ready for life in an inter-connected world. We call this World Ready. We believe that education needs to connect children to the world outside and to their future lives, so that they are ready for the opportunities and challenges that lie beyond. Please come and talk to us about preparing your children for tomorrow’s world.
Ben Figgis Ardingly College Headmaster
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The smart money is going to Ardingly Tatler 2018
THE BEST IN EVERY CHILD
Ben Figgis, Headmaster
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No child excels at everything but every child can excel at something
A great school is one in which every child can find their place and be valued for who they are and what they do. If you strive for intellectual stimulation and academic excellence, you will find inspiration and challenge. If you are a natural sports player, a persuasive debater or charismatic actor, you will have a stage to play on. If you long for an outlet for your imagination or creative potential, you will find fertile ground for your ambitions. The bad news is that you can’t be brilliant at everything. The good news is that you can excel at something. We believe that we can help every child to find the best that lies within themselves, and in so doing make a valuable contribution to their community at school and beyond.
Parent
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We are over the moon with the school ... I can’t believe what they got out of him
STARTING OUT AND SETTLING IN Starting a new school is a time of great excitement. It can also be a time of some anxiety for children and parents. Our first priority is to provide every girl and boy with a sound foundation of friendships and a sense of belonging. Whether you are a day or boarding pupil, House life creates the foundation for friendships and community. Once children have found their feet in the House, the School is their oyster. Pastoral care to us means one thing: making sure that every girl and boy has the support of staff and pupils to be happy and confident at school. Once we have achieved this, you can start writing your Ardingly story.
BRINGING LEARNING TO LIFE What aptitudes do our children need to be educated for the 21st Century? To be articulate in speech and writing; to be numerate and able to process data; to have an understanding of the history and philosophy of mankind; to have a foundation knowledge of the laws and applications of science and technology; to appreciate culture and the arts, and to be able to communicate across language barriers. Our curriculum is designed to enable every pupil to learn all this, and to adjust their academic programme to suit their abilities and interests. In Year 9 pupils study a broad foundation of Maths, English, Sciences, Languages, Humanities and Arts subjects. Pupils also study a course of core IT skills and a course of independent research skills leading to an individual project. All pupils study a standard course of nine GCSEs, and can adjust their programme according to their abilities and interests in Science, Technology, Humanities, Languages and Arts subjects.
A LEVEL OR IB DIPLOMA? It is in the Sixth Form that the choices our students make start to define their futures. At Ardingly we offer a unique choice: to study an A Level programme of three or four subjects, or to study the IB Diploma programme of six subjects plus the Diploma Core that comprises an Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge course and CAS (Creativity, Action Service). The reason for offering this choice goes to the heart of the purpose of a modern education. It is to enable students to make choices that are right for them, and that will secure the best prospects for their futures. We believe that it is not right for every student to study just three subjects after GCSEs; neither is it right to force every student to study six. Choice is essential in a modern education, and Ardingly offers an unrivalled choice of Sixth Form academic programmes. A Level or IB Diploma: a quick guide A Level
IB Diploma
For students wanting to specialise at For students wanting to continue with a an early stage after GCSEs. range of subjects after GCSEs. Initially selecting four subjects in the Lower Sixth
Six subjects: three at Higher Level, three at Standard Level
An extended project qualification in the Lower Sixth
Diploma Core: Theory of knowledge, Extended Essay and CAS (Creativity, Action, Service).
Graded A* - E
Graded out of 45 points (7 per subject plus 3 core points)
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And check out the A Level results Tatler 2018
CONTINUOUS ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT A LEVEL RESULTS 2013-2017 A*-B
COMBINED A LEVELS (A*-B) & IB (7-5)
90
90 87.5% 82.6%
84 77.1%
78
87
86.2%
84 82%
73.9%
72 66 60
81 66.3%
2013
80.5% 78.5%
65.3%
2014
78 2015
2016
2017
75
GCSE RESULTS 2013-2017 A*-A
2013
2014
89
67
66.2%
64
2017
88.6%
88 87.4%
64.9% 62.8%
87
62.6%
86
59.3%
58 55
2016
GCSE RESULTS 2013-2017 A*-B
70
61
2015
86.7%
86.2%
85.6%
85 2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
84
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
WELLBEING FOR ALL Protecting the physical and mental health of our children is an increasingly important consideration when choosing a school. At Ardingly we set great store in supporting every child to find balance and fulfilment, and to develop the resilience to overcome the challenges of their young lives. We take a pro-active approach, at the heart of which is the personal relationship between House staff, pupils and parents. Several layers of support mean that every child has professional adult support from their Housemaster or Housemistress as well as a personal tutor and peer mentoring from older pupils. Tutor groups are kept small so that every tutor has time to look after the pastoral and academic needs of their tutees. Personal Education (PSHE) explores contemporary, moral and social issues facing young people, enabling them to explore values and attitudes, and to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to make responsible, informed decisions. Topics covered include relationships, internet safety, body image and stress. An on-site Health Centre is staffed round the clock by a professional team of nurses, with specialist medical and counselling support available.
Parent
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My daughter has the loveliest group of friends imaginable and they are all so happy together! Many years ago another mother told me that, of all the different schools her four children went to, the nicest friends came from Ardingly. She was right!
A WINNING PARTNERSHIP: PARENTS AND TEACHERS
We place great value in developing strong relationships with our parents. At an individual level, our pastoral staff of Housemasters and tutors maintain regular contact with parents. We seek to understand the needs, anxieties and aspirations of our parents, as well as of our students, in order to provide professional and caring guidance for both. Formal parent-school communications include half-termly written reports, annual parent-teacher consultations, and parent-school forums each term, providing the structure within which positive parent-school communications can be developed. We also facilitate ways for parents to meet and develop friendships. Our Parents’ Association runs a busy programme of social events, from annual House dinners to informal events such as walks and talks. Partnership is everything, and we look forward to building our relationship with you to support your son or daughter’s education.
will be happy and successful. Ben Figgis, Headmaster
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If parents and staff work well together, the chances are that a child’s school life
ENRICHING LIVES Some people find their passion in the classroom. Others find it beyond the classroom, in activities that range from sport to singing and from acting to adventure. Our Enrichment Programme is intended to achieve what it says – to enrich children’s lives through a choice of over 70 activity sessions per week. Most importantly, we find ways to connect knowledge learnt in the classroom to practical applications in the real world. In Science and Technology, our pupils have designed and built a solar-powered car; each year our English students organise a nationally recognised Shakespeare conference in which pupils as well as teachers deliver academic papers; our top Chemistry students recently won the National Top of the Bench prize for experimental science. As well as enriching their own lives, Ardingly pupils are encouraged to enrich the lives of others. Voluntary Service plays an important role in school life, and enables us to learn the values and satisfaction of giving something of ourselves to others.
WORLD READY™: A PREPARATION FOR LIFE We are living in a diverse and competitive world. At Ardingly College we understand this and encourage our students to grasp every opportunity to make themselves ready for the world that awaits them as young adults. This could range from having the confidence to work effectively in a team, to exploring the world of work, to learning everyday life skills such as typing, cooking, self-defence and DIY. We believe in getting the students involved hands on and letting their voice be heard to shape their own futures. From the Dragons’ Den style Take-A-Risk to Careers Networking evenings, an Ardingly education will be enjoyable while you are at school, and useful when you leave it.
ART Art is exceptionally vibrant and strong at Ardingly. Our bright, spacious Art School houses a large gallery, four studios including a textiles room, sculpture studio and Sixth Form teaching room, an extensive art library, IT facilities and a kiln room. We take students on trips to galleries such as the Tate, Courtauld, V&A and Saatchi, and further afield to Barcelona, Venice and New York. With the support of an exceptional department, our students develop into passionate, independent and skilled creative artists.
Sculpture - figurative, abstract, ceramics, casting, slab, coil, pots, tiles Textiles - machine and hand-stitch, repeat print, fashion, construction Painting - acrylic, oil, watercolour, mixed media Printing - lino, silk screen, mono print, etching, calligraphy Drawing - life class, charcoal, graphite, ink, line, mixed media ICT - photographic manipulation, stop frame animation, stills
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Before she went to Ardingly I didn’t know she was so talented: the art teacher inspired her. Parent
DRAMA
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SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO PERFORM .. • Two major productions take place a year • The individual houses perform an annual play • Those studying GCSE Drama perform a total of six times during the course
Drama has built his confidence we really are so thrilled
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Drama provides wonderful opportunities for children to express their emotional selves in relation to the world. Through curriculum lessons and in multiple productions through the year, students are encouraged to explore the world and themselves through the art of performance. With outstanding recent productions such as Sondheim’s Into the Woods and Figaro’s Wedding by Beaumarchais, Drama at Ardingly provides opportunities for participation and, for those with the talent and application, to develop into leading actors and theatre practitioners.
SPORT Everyone has a sport in them. We emphasise the educational values of teamwork, leadership and sportsmanship, as well as being highly competitive regionally and nationally in our leading sports. Pupils fortunate enough to enrol in our Elite sports programme learn the physical and psychological aspects of sport, as well as how to develop the technical capacity to play at the highest levels of school sport. All pupils enjoy two afternoons of Games during the week, with fixtures on Saturdays. Sports clubs and activities run during the week as part of the enrichment programme. In recent years our sports teams have enjoyed national success, with the 1st XI Boys’ Football achieving the Double-Double as national cup and league champions two years in succession, and the 1st XI Girls’ Hockey team competing at the National Finals. In addition to football and hockey, our pupils represent the school successfully in a wide range of sports including Athletics, Basketball, Cricket, Crosscountry running, Netball, Rowing, Sailing and Tennis.
Parent
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Ardingly College has nurtured the passion for sport in my son.
MUSIC We maintain a proud and flourishing tradition of musical excellence at Ardingly College, and this year celebrated the distinction of one of our students winning the prestigious Woodard Young Musician of the Year competition. Whether for preliminary level musicians or those at Diploma level, hundreds of instrumental lessons are taught each week by 30 outstanding specialist musicians, covering both classical and contemporary musical styles. A varied and ambitious concert programme provides regular opportunities for ensemble and individual performances, both in the College and at external venues. A professional workshop and concert series hosted by the College enables our musicians to play with leading professionals and in larger ensembles with students from other schools.
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Find your own sound, don’t be afraid to experiment and don’t get caught up in the technicalities – enjoy music for you and others will enjoy it too!
Ashley Johnston, Pupil and Winner of the 2017 Woodard Young Musician of the Year
ENJOYING HOUSE LIFE The House is the foundation of every boy and girls’ school life.
As physical spaces, our Houses are designed for pupils to enjoy communal life as well as smaller rooms in which they can work and enjoy some privacy. Pupils join one of four boys’ houses (two day houses and two boarding) and three girls’ houses (two boarding and one day). Boarding options include options for full boarding, weekly and flexi (3 nights per week).
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Boarding at Ardingly is
Outstanding Ofsted 2015
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Whether in a day or boarding House, pupils have time for being as well as doing, for mutual support and individual reflection. Houses also provide the means by which the values of consideration, compassion and competition are fostered and shared between younger and older pupils. Above all else, our Houses are places in which every boy and girl can find friendship, support and a strong sense of belonging.
BOARDING Boarding is highly popular at Ardingly College. It offers a vibrant and international culture where there is the chance to meet and form deep relationships with people from a range of backgrounds. We offer three types of boarding: full, weekly and flexi (three evenings a week).
DAY Our Day provision is second to none. The houses have the same facilities as their boarding neighbours, with a holistic ethos of a second home. Students can arrive for breakfast and stay for dinner and make use of the facilities and library to study at the end of the school day.
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Boarders’ personal development and relationships with one another and boarding staff is
Excellent The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI)
A THRIVING STIMULATING ENVIRONMENT The historic main building is at the heart of our campus and houses the beautiful Chapel, grand Dining Room, light and spacious Art School, Drama Labs and Performance Spaces. Every day pupils walk through the iconic Archway, take in the most glorious views from the Terrace and enjoy a beautiful and collegiate atmosphere. Modern and purpose-built day and boarding houses are within a short walk of the main buildings, providing easy access to school facilities. Recent campus development includes new girls’ boarding houses, a second all-weather astroturf, a fully refurbished sports hall and a new fitness centre. The Science and Technology Faculty is shortly to undergo major development, to incorporate Science, Computer Science and Design Technology into a single modern block.
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Every day I walked out on to the terrace to look at the view with friends. Sometimes we would talk about what we would become in the future. Everything I have achieved was started here at Ardingly.
A5
A120 A10 A1(M)
A12
M11
M1 A413
Air We are situated only 10 miles away from Gatwick airport.
Stansted
Luton
LUTON
A41
Ian Hislop OA
A41
A414 A12
M25
M40
M25
A10 M25
LONDON
Rail Haywards Heath (7 minutes from Ardingly College) to London in 45 minutes.
A130
A13
City M4
Heathrow
A2 M20
M25
A33 M3
A3
M2 M25
A24 A22
GUILDFORD Gatwick
A31
M23
A21
CRAWLEY A3
HORSHAM
A24
ASHFORD Ashford International
A28
A2
Channel Tunnel Terminal
Channel Tunnel
FOLKESTONE
A26
43%
26% 49%
A21
A22
74% 57%
51%
Dungeness
40 20
A27
A27
BRIGHTON Selsey Bill
80 60
A259
HAYWARDS HEATH
A23
A256
DOVER
ARDINGLY COLLEGE
A23
A3(M) M27
M20 A229
A26
A272
A272
A26
EAST GRINSTEAD
School Buses Burgess Hill, Nutley, Tunbridge Wells, Horsham, Oxted, Reigate and Clapham (Monday to Friday only.)
100
Beachy Head
Boy/Girl
Day/Boarding British/International
0
LEADING THE WAY Ben Figgis, MA(Cantab) MEd (Buckingham)
Nicola Burns, BSc (Queen’s Belfast)
Headmaster since September 2014,
Maternity Leave
from Oakham School as Deputy Head.
Assistant Head (Middle School)
• Ardingly since 2008, from Tonbridge
• Graduated in Modern History from Cambridge University.
Grammar School, where she was the Assistant Head of Mathematics.
• Early career in advertising and television news.
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• First teaching job at Abingdon School in Oxfordshire: boarding house parent; coached senior rugby, football and tennis, and directed plays. “The first day of the academic year is something I always look forward to. The buzz and energy of the School is wonderful.”
James Johnson, BA (London) MPhil (Dublin) Deputy Headmaster since 2016, from Tonbridge School
• Taught English, was a boarding Housemaster and coached the 1st XV and 1st VII rugby, cricket and athletics.
• Read English Literature at UCL and then studied for an MPhil in Anglo-Irish Literature at Trinity College Dublin.
• Completed PGCE at Cambridge. • First teaching job at Cheltenham College. “My six-word headline for Ardingly College is ‘Aspirational for all; global in outlook’.”
Read Mathematics at Queen’s University in Belfast.
• PGCE in Secondary Mathematics at the University of Brighton. “The highlight of my career was when an ex-pupil found me online to thank me for allowing her to believe it was okay for women to study Maths. She had just graduated from Oxford with a First. She’s now earning a lot more than I am, analysing statistics in the City.”
Georgina Stafford, MA (Oxon) Head of Sixth Form and Assistant Head, Ardingly College, since 2013 from Brighton College, where she was Head of Politics, an Assistant Housemistress and Deputy Head of Sixth Form.
• Read History and Politics at Oxford. • First teaching job at Uppingham. “The best bit of my job is supporting students through the university application process, talking to them about their ambitions and reading their interesting personal statements. It is particularly rewarding to share the excitement and joy on results day when they gain their university places.”
STEPPING STONES SIXTH FORM AND UNIVERSITY
For almost all of our pupils the Sixth Form at Ardingly College is a steppingstone to further study at university. The majority of leavers go on to study at the best universities in the UK and abroad, and to study a wide range of courses. New students are integrated into a diverse and talented year group.. Lower Sixth formers take positions of responsibility in leading their houses, organising house events and mentoring younger pupils. In the Upper Sixth students move into a new and purpose-built House, in which they are encouraged to live and work like undergraduates but still within the support structure of the College. A team of experienced staff guides them through their final and decisive year, and subject specialist tutors make sure that they are ideally prepared for university application.
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95% of our leavers gain entry to their 1st or 2nd choice of university Georgina Stafford, Head of Sixth Form
Upper Sixth House, Godwin Hall
Charlie
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Life Skills Week
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Thank you for the great opportunities.
Why not come and visit us: Open Mornings take place every term or we can arrange a personal visit. Please contact the Registry team on 01444 893320
www.ardingly.com World Ready