Pastoral Care

At Ardingly, we strive to create a boarding environment in which students gain confidence, independence, respect for others, broader cultural awareness and lifelong friendships.

In February 2012 The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) described the quality of boarding and the boarders' personal development as  'excellent' with pupils having  'excellent relationships with one another and with boarding staff'. With a varied choice of sporting, creative, musical and artistic opportunities, in addition
to the DofE scheme and the CCF the activities programme available to boarders was considered 'extensive'

In March 2011, OFSTED, in their latest inspection have awarded boarding and pastoral care at Ardingly ‘Outstanding’ across all six national standards: being healthy; staying safe; enjoying and achieving; making a positive contribution; achieving economic well-being and organisation.

As a parent you will want to know “why send my son or daughter to board at Ardingly College?” Your child will want to know “will I be happy here?”  This wide-ranging inspection recognises that your son or daughter will receive the highest level of outstanding care at Ardingly and it confirms that our boarding ethos is what makes Ardingly such a special place to live and to study.

What makes Ardingly outstanding?

“It's no surprise to us that Ofsted reported the boarding at Ardingly to be "outstanding" - we already knew that!”. (Shell Parent)

“Boarding at Ardingly builds up life-long friendships; all boarders are like one large community and we have great facilities, making my life here so enjoyable”. (Lower Sixth Full Boarder)

Pupils can join Ardingly College as a day student, a weekly boarder or a full boarder. Day students are encouraged to spend as much time as possible at school and often don't go home until 9pm on week nights. Weekly boarders spend their week living and working at school and then go home for most, if not all weekends depending on their Saturday sporting commitments. Full boarders come from further afield, either in this country or from overseas, and will spend most of their weekends at school. Ardingly is a school with a strong boarding ethos, which does not empty at the weekends, and in which there is a full range of activities outside the classroom. The boarding ethos also benefits parents of day pupils who know their children are gainfully occupied during the evenings, thus allowing them to follow busy careers.