| Academic Our students achieve excellent results at GCSE, A Level and in the IB Diploma. Many of these results are outstanding and up to a dozen students will receive offers of places at Oxford or Cambridge each year, but it isn’t just the academic high-flyers who do well here. Students at Ardingly have a wide range of academic ability and interests, but whatever their ability, they will be given every encouragement to achieve their full academic potential. As part of a broad education, we offer a wide range of traditional academic subjects, along with more contemporary subjects like Business Studies, Theatre Studies, Physical Education and Design Technology.
The first year in the Senior School (Year 9) provides an opportunity for students to sample up to 17 different subjects, so that by the end of that year, they are able to choose the best combination of subjects for their GCSE programme. In the Sixth Form, students can choose between the more traditional, specialised AS / A2 course, and the broader focus of the International Baccalaureate. About half of our Sixth Form students choose the IB, which offers a rigorous, balanced course of study that is highly regarded by universities in the U.K. and overseas.
As you would expect, class sizes are small (up to 18 at GCSE and 8 to 12 in the Sixth Form) and the teaching staff are highly-qualified and committed to getting the very best from each student. Lessons are lively and engaging, with a range of teaching and learning styles including group work, presentations and the use of ICT. Student progress is monitored carefully through our excellent tutorial system and parents are kept fully informed throughout the academic year.
Ardingly College has an excellent Special Needs Department and students with learning difficulties may be accepted after careful assessment as long as we can offer the level of support required for them to cope with a mainstream GCSE programme.
The Careers Department at Ardingly provides all the information necessary for students to choose appropriate universities and courses of tertiary study and there is also an active and successful “Oxbridge” programme that prepares up to a dozen students each year for places at Oxford or Cambridge.
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