At Ardingly our international students greatly enrich our College community and around 20% of our Senior School are full boarders from overseas, who come from 30 different countries.
International students are often attracted to Ardingly because we are one of the top schools in the UK for the IB Diploma and by our reputation as one of the best boarding schools in the country. The latter was clearly demonstrated when we were the first school in the UK to be awarded a ‘significant strength’ in boarding by the Independent Schools Inspectorate, which is the highest accolade available under the inspection regime.
There are around 150-200 students at the College every weekend in term-time and we run a fantastic weekend programme for our full boarders, as well as a varied co-curricular programme of 150 different options during the week.
International Students’ Entry Points & Requirements
The main entry points for international students into our Senior School are the same as for those based in the UK; 11+ (Year 7), 13+ (Year 9) and 16+ (Year 13).
It is imperative that prospective applicants have an excellent command of English in order to access and cope with the rigours of the curriculum. As a guide, we require an IELTS score of 6.5 or above for Sixth Form applications. We can provide some EAL tuition, for which there is an additional charge.
We do, however, also offer a small number of places on two programmes which are specifically designed for international students to ease their transition into the College:
Integrated Academic Pathway
Many students around the world aspire to study in the UK and in English, but some find it challenging due to their developing English proficiency. The Integrated Academic Pathways (IAP) is a structured program designed for students in Years 7-9 who are academically strong but require additional English support at Ardingly College.
For more details on the IAP please see our brochure.
Entry into Year 10 and Year 11:
Every year we accept a small number of academically able overseas students into Year 10 (2 year GCSE programme) and Year 11 (Pre-Sixth Form programme) in preparation for studying either A Levels or the IB Diploma in Ardingly’s Sixth Form. This programme aims to enable a smooth transition into our Sixth Form by:
- Improving students’ fluency in English and acquiring basic technical vocabulary in the subjects they want to study.
- Strengthening the students’ knowledge in the ‘core’ subjects of Maths, English and Science.
- Supporting students so they adapt to living away from home in a boarding environment through facilitating their social integration into the College.
Students joining in Year 10 sit GCSE and IGCSE examinations in key subjects, to assist with university entry.
Pre-Sixth Form Programme (Year 11 Entry
Students joining the College in Year 11 for our Pre-Sixth Form Programme follow a bespoke, one-year course of study designed to prepare them for A Level or IB study. The programme leads to GCSE and IGCSE qualifications, with each student’s academic pathway tailored to their previous educational experience, language proficiency, and future ambitions.
Curriculum Structure
All students study a compulsory core of subjects:
English Language
(Students may also study English Literature, depending on prior experience and language level.)
Mathematics
Science
Biology and Physics are core subjects.
Chemistry is available as an enrichment subject for students intending to pursue it at A Level or within the IB Diploma.
In addition to the core subjects, students choose two optional subjects. These are selected in consultation with the Head of Middle School to ensure they align with each student’s interests and academic goals.
Optional Subjects May Include:
Chemistry*
Chinese
Computer Science*
French
History
Latin
Music*
Physical Education*
Religious Studies
Subjects marked with an asterisk are offered as enrichment and do not lead to a GCSE qualification.
Native Language GCSEs
Students who are native speakers of French, German, Spanish, or Chinese may be entered for an additional (I)GCSE in their native language.
For full course details, please see our Academic Prospectus.
International Application Process
There is a separate registration process for students who are based overseas, so please contact our admissions team on registration@ardingly.com who will ask you for some further information, before providing access to our overseas registration link.
The assessment process for international applicants is the same as for UK applicants and, as part of the decision process, the College takes into consideration the educational context of an applicant’s country of residence.
VISAS – Ardingly has been licensed by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) to sponsor international pupils for the purpose of full-time study at the College. Please note that we do not sponsor international pupils to attend as day students.
EDUCATIONAL GUARDIANS – We require every pupil whose parents reside overseas to have a suitable educational guardian living in the UK.
We are proud to be accredited with membership of AEGIS and the BBSN.
AEGIS accredited guardianship organisations have undergone a comprehensive, independent inspection and have met a clearly defined set of AEGIS Quality Standards – a publicly available framework for quality guardianship and student safety.
BBSN (The British Boarding Schools’ Network) connects schools and student recruitment agents, making it easy for them to work together.
AGENTS – Ardingly maintains good relationships with several professional agencies and educational consultants around the world. The College has a formal complaints procedure, which is available on request to registration@ardingly.com.
