Clifton College, Guthrie Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 3EZ
Tel: 0117 3157 100
Website: cliftoncollege.com
Email: admissions@cliftoncollege.com
Name of Head Master: Dr Tim Greene
Age of pupils: 13 – 18 years
Number of pupils: 763
School fees: Years 9–11: Boarders £12,875; Flexi Boarders (4 nights) £11,605; Day Pupils £8,635. Sixth Form: Boarders £13,270; Flexi Boarders (4 nights) £11,930; Day Pupils £8,775. Sixth Form Joiners (from other schools): Boarders £14,065; Flexi Boarders (4 nights) £12,210; Day Pupils £9,095.
Religious denomination: Christian foundation, welcoming all faiths. The College has a beautiful Grade II listed chapel and its own synagogue on-site.
The curriculum: While the College strongly believes a first-rate education is not something which can be measured in league tables alone, a strong emphasis is placed on academic standards. It is these rigorous standards that enable Clifton pupils to go on to pursue the future they choose, whether that is attending Oxbridge or a Russell Group university, or diving straight into the world of industry or commerce. Pupils from the Prep enter the Upper school in Year 9 and follow a general course for their first year, with GCSEs chosen at the end of Year 9. The majority of pupils then move up through the Sixth Form, typically choosing four A Level subjects in the Lower Sixth, before narrowing this to three in the Upper Sixth. A great many combinations of subjects are available, including a number of BTEC Level 3 qualifications.
Extra-curricular activities: Music, art and drama play a large part in the life of the College, as do sport, outdoor pursuits, Clifton in the Community and the Combined Cadet Force. The wide range of activities available provide opportunities to develop leadership skills, to take on responsibility and to broaden interests.
Pastoral care: Staff work hard to create a caring and supportive atmosphere to help make each child feel safe and secure. The House and Tutorial systems are the formal structures for looking after pupils at Clifton College, but further support comes when needed from informal sources of spiritual and social guidance. Kindness, tolerance, good manners and honesty are all vitally important, and the College aims to instill virtues and values that pupils will carry with them for the rest of their lives. With an excellent support network of highly-trained staff who work tirelessly to ensure pupils are both happy and healthy. On-site medical facilities are first-class and catering staff work with nutritionists to optimise the health of pupils at every stage of their development.
Outstanding characteristics: Clifton College is uniquely situated in the leafy suburbs of Bristol, making for easy access to a wide range of activities from rock climbing at the Avon Gorge or sailing on Chew Valley Lake to visiting the museums and art galleries just a ten-minute walk from the College.
The core values of the college remain unchanged since it first welcomed pupils in 1862: intellectual agility, a capacity for boldness, social confidence, a sense of fun, and strength and decency of character. Today, Clifton offers academic excellence, myriad opportunities, state-of-the-art facilities and expert staff who deliver the very best learning and development. At the same time, providing a richly diverse school environment.
Clifton is a place that prepares pupils for life in the real world, not in a ‘bubble’. Pupils mature into individuals who are ambitious, open-minded and spirited – with an appreciation of privilege and social responsibility. They are able to count on an amazing support network of OCs internationally, and are empowered to make a positive difference through the relationships they make with each other and with the community that surrounds them.
