When you join us in the Sixth Form, you will have a choice between a boarding and a day place. Two thirds of our Sixth Form students live within 45 minutes of the school, yet more that 75% of our students in the Sixth form choose to board. Day students enjoy almost all of the benefits of boarding and are more than welcome to stay on until 9.30pm each evening (and many do). On the weekends, at least half the boarders choose to stay in, while the remainder are weekly boarders. As you would expect from such a progressive school, Ardingly College has been fully co-educational for over twenty years, and in the Sixth Form the mix is roughly 50 – 50.
One of the big differences that you will notice when you join the Sixth Form at Ardingly is the way in which you are treated as a young adult by the staff and other students. You will have more freedom than you have had before, but you will also be given more personal responsibility. A key part of this will be managing your time in order to fit in your academic work and the many co-curricular activities that we offer.
After spending the Lower 6th year in one of the main houses, the Upper 6th Form students move to the Woodard complex, which was unique in this country when it was first set up in the late 1980’s. Woodard is a co-educational house for the entire year group, with the boys’ individual study bedrooms on one end of the building and the girls’ on the other end, with free access to either end until 10.30pm in the evenings. The two residential sections are linked by an attractive communal area with its own lounge and bar. Known as the Forum, this area forms the social focus for life in Woodard.
Your Upper 6th year in Woodard provides a transition between the regulated life of school and the relative freedom of university. Because the whole year group is located in the same building, the Upper Sixth Form students develop a powerful collegiate spirit and work ethos which does much to enhance academic results. With everyone working around you, there is a strong incentive to do your best and if you need help with your work, there are other students, tutors and House staff who will be happy to offer assistance.
When you enter the Sixth Form, your Housemaster or Housemistress will appoint a member of staff to be your tutor. You will meet with this person one-to-one on a regular basis and he or she will work with you to ensure that you are settling in well and making the most of your time at Ardingly. In due course, your tutor, along with our Careers Department, will help you to decide on the best course of study at the right university for you. Our more ambitious students are encouraged to join our Oxbridge programme, which prepares brighter students for entry into the top universities in this country and abroad.
