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 10 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.
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 7-11 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.
Students joining in Year 10 sit GCSE and IGCSE examinations in key subjects, to assist with university entry
Supporting students so they adapt to living away from home in a boarding environment through facilitating their social integration into the College.
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 admissions 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.
International applicants may also be permitted to sit at the offices of the British Council, or at a lawyers’ office. Applicants based in the UK are usually expected to come to Ardingly to sit their entrance exams, this includes international applicants currently attending a UK Boarding school.
Visas – Ardingly has been licensed by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) to sponsor international pupils for the purpose of full-time study at the School. Please note that we do not sponsor international pupils to attend as Day pupils. If your child does not hold a UK passport, they will need to apply for a Child Student visa in order to commence their studies at Ardingly unless they hold an immigration status allowing them to study in the UK (eg. EU Settled or Pre-settled status)
Educational Guardians – We insist that every pupil whose parents reside overseas must have a suitable Educational Guardian living in the UK. Your child’s guardian could be a relative or a close family friend and must be over the age of 25. Alternatively, there are several Guardianship organisations who can assist you in appointing a Guardian to meet your and your child’s needs. We recommend parents refer to the AEGIS (Association for the Education and Guardianship of International Students) website for further information: www.aegisuk.net or email info@aegisuk.net
We are proud to be accredited with membership of AEGIS.
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.
