School Details

Clifton College

Type of school: Co-educational boarding 10-18 and day 3-18

Age Range: 3-18
Number of Pupils: 1,330
(Butcombe 220, Prep School 400, Upper School 710)
Number of Boarders: 375

Fees Per Term: Boarding £7,725–£10,250; Day £4,490–£6,995

School profile
News
Scholarships & Burs
Open Days/Events
Student Profile

Clifton College is one of England’s most famous boarding schools. Founded in 1862, it has always enjoyed the reputation of being at the forefront of education in the UK, and the vast range of activities and opportunities reflect this. Butcombe Pre-Preparatory School (ages 3–8), the Preparatory School (ages 8–13) and the Upper School (ages 13–18) occupy adjacent sites and share such facilities as the Chapel, theatre and sports facilities.

The School is situated in an attractive suburb on the northwest fringe of Bristol, with good access to Heathrow, Gatwick and Bristol Airports, the two Bristol mainline railway stations, the National Express coach station, and the M4 and M5 motorways.
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Academic excellence
Academic standards are high and the School is equally strong in literature, languages, the arts and science. Up to the age of 11, there is a strong emphasis on traditional literacy and numeracy skills. Each pupil has an academic tutor who monitors effort and achievement. Reports are supplied each term and parents have the opportunity to meet teachers each year. Most leavers go on to higher education at a university of their choice, with successful Oxbridge pupils, particularly to read law, engineering or medicine.

Tuition in English as a second language
Overseas students for whom English is not their first language are entitled to extra English tuition within the curriculum. There is also an Academic Preparation Course, designed for motivated overseas

students aged 14–17 who intend to study at Clifton, or who want to find out more about what it is like to live and study at this type of school. This popular two-week course takes place in the summer holiday.

Facilities and new developments
Sports facilities are extensive: an indoor tennis and netball centre, 3G FIFA/IRB-approved pitch, water-based hockey pitch and training D, real tennis, fives, Firefly sailing boats, etc. The School has a 330-seater, purpose-built theatre; enjoys an annual House Drama Festival Week where all 11 Upper School Houses stage their own play produced entirely by pupils; ‘big shows’ include Evita last year and Phantom of the Opera this year (as well as an outdoor production of Romeo and Juliet). The Science School was extensively refurbished in 2008 and the Joseph Cooper Music School opened in 2009 with state-of-the-art facilities. A new Sixth Form Centre opened in 2011 and in 2012 the Prep School opens new girls’ and boys’ Houses due to growing demand. All Houses are refurbished to modern standards.

Scholarships, awards and bursaries
Clifton offers a wide variety of scholarships, awards and bursaries at ages 11+, 13+ and 16+. Discounts are also available for the Armed Forces and siblings. For more information on these please contact the Admissions Department or visit our website.

The House system
Our community is a rich and enriching mix of pupils from different backgrounds and nationalities drawn from local, regional, national and international catchment areas. It is a strong feature of Clifton that pupils are supportive and respectful of each other irrespective of age, sex, race, religion or status.

For many children, both day pupils and boarders, the House they belong to becomes their home away from home. This is particularly important for children whose real home is abroad. Clifton College 2013

The House system delivers outstanding individual care. Living in every boarding House is a Housemaster or Housemistress and their family, an Assistant and a Matron. In addition, each House has up to four non-residential tutors. The Day Houses for girls and boys have the same pastoral structure, with the Housemaster or Housemistress living in the House or close by.

Spiritual and social development
Whilst the School has a firm Christian foundation, we welcome pupils of all faiths, giving them the chance to explore and to question spiritual issues affecting the world and themselves. The Chaplain lives with his family close to the campus. He is involved in all aspects of school life and is available to any member of the community of any faith who needs spiritual guidance, or just a sympathetic ear and a mug of coffee. Clifton’s relationship with the Jewish community goes back to the founding Headmaster, John Percival, and these days facilities for the Jewish community are run from The Polack Centre which includes a synagogue for morning and Sabbath services; Friday night suppers; Bar/Mat Mitzvah preparation; Jewish Studies and Hebrew teaching up to GCSE and A-level; kosher food; and many links to both Orthodox and Liberal communities. Many key national festivals from around the world are celebrated during term time, such as the Chinese New Year, a Russian evening, and a Language Fest.

Preparing for life
Sixth Form pupils at Clifton benefit from an unusually large selection of cultural and recreational amenities in Bristol. Few schools have access to such a range of museums, galleries, theatres, cinemas, cafés, restaurants and shops within such a short distance. Even fewer can offer pupils the chance to meet and engage with leaders of industry and commerce, which our local links with such organisations as the Institute of Directors and Business West enable us to do.

The Sixth Form is a time to select subjects that are of particular interest, or which are prerequisites for preferred university courses. The Upper School offers a very broad range of subjects for A-level study, including philosophy, psychology, politics, photography, sports studies, religious studies, business studies and economics. The most popular subjects at A-level are maths and the sciences. Full support is given to help students make the appropriate decisions and the timetable is structured to meet each pupil’s needs.

What makes Clifton special?
Most visitors notice the happy faces, the open and friendly atmosphere, and the clear sense of purpose. Our pupils come from a wide variety of backgrounds and from all parts of the world. They are naturally friendly, and they work and play hard.
Our location on the edge of a civilised city provides many theatres, museums, two fine universities, and a network of links with the business community, which in turn allows us to make important academic and cultural links, and to be outward-looking.
Our aim is that our pupils leave Clifton well equipped for the modern world, and with the confidence, character and qualifications to succeed.

Clifton Pupils meet owls: Pupils at Clifton School and Nursery in York got up close and personal with a variety of owls today.
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CLIFTON COLLEGE - LORD MAYOR SAYS 'WELL DONE!': Clifton in the Community is a Monday afternoon activity where pupils have a vast choice of organisations and businesses in the local area they can work with.
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Clifton College National Hockey finals: The Under 11 girls' hockey team represented Clifton at the National Hockey finals as South West Champions at Repton school.
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Clifton College celebrate GCSE results: GCSE success!
For the third year in a row, over 60% of the GCSE examinations taken by Clifton pupils were awarded grades A*/A.

122 pupils took 1,214 exams this summer: they were awarded 732 A* and A grades. Isabel Murphy led the way with 12 A* grades; a further 10 pupils achieved 10 or 11 A* grades.

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Clifton College – Best Ever Results: Clifton College – Best Ever Results

Clifton continues to raise the bar with results again the ‘best ever’ at 80% of all A Level results at A* to B.

James Kenny (picture 1) achieved a straight set of A*s in Further Maths, Maths, Chemistry and Physics;

Young Seop Jeon (picture 2) was delighted with a crop of As in Economics, Further Maths, Maths and Physics at AS;

Many other pupils achieved success in applications to the top universities.

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The Preparatory School offers various Scholarships and Bursaries at the 11+ (Year 7) entry point, awarded to those who perform outstandingly well in examination, assessment and interview. Smaller awards, called Exhibitions, may also be given, usually in cases of all-round ability. In the awarding of Scholarships and Exhibitions, excellence is the sole criterion. Full details of all Scholarships available are provided in the Scholarships Leaflet 2006.

Currently, the following Scholarships & Exhibitions are available in the Preparatory School (at the entry point of 11+ years):

The John James Scholarships - For pupils resident in Bristol or attending local education authority schools and whose parents can show that their income would not otherwise allow them to send their children to Clifton. In most cases the award is tenable throughout the child’s time at Clifton, continuing into the Upper School.

Open Scholarships - Open to all pupils. In most cases the award is tenable throughout the child’s time at Clifton, continuing into the Upper School.

Academic Exhibitions - Available to pupils who do not quite meet academic criteria for an open Scholarship but who display all-round ability. In most cases the award is tenable throughout the child’s time at Clifton, continuing into the Upper School.

The John and Anne Guy Music Scholarships - Open to all pupils, the award covers tuition for up to two instruments during a child’s time at the Preparatory School only.

Examinations for all academic awards consist of papers in English, Mathematics and Verbal Reasoning, and will take place at Clifton College Preparatory School on Friday 27th January 2006. Successful candidates will be called for interview on Wednesday 1st February 2006 and awards will be announced the following week.

The closing date for entries for all 11+ Scholarships is 14th January 2006.

Please contact Liz Turley, the Secretary to the Headmaster of the Preparatory School, on 0117 3157 501 for details of availability and how to apply.

Clifton College Open Days

NVITATION TO OPEN DAYS AT CLIFTON COLLEGE

Clifton College holds Open Mornings (and for Butcombe, Afternoons) during each term to allow potential pupils and their parents to visit Clifton on an informal basis.

If you would like to attend an Open Day event, please contact us on 0117 315 7110 to book your place.