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Ardingly College[1]

Independent · ages 2–20

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Headline results

A-level average grade
AL B+ B+ 2024/25[2]

Results

GCSE (key stage 4)

Attainment 8
2.9 2025/26[3]
Grade 5+ in English & maths
0% 2025/26[3]
Grade 7+ in English & maths
0% 2025/26[3]
Progress 8, 2025/26
Not calculated[4]
Progress 8, 2024/25
Not calculated[4]

IGCSEs don't count towards Attainment 8, so it understates many independent schools.

Earlier years
Year Attainment 8 Grade 5+ in English & maths Grade 7+ in English & maths
2024/25 7[5] 0%[5]
2023/24 12.1[6] 0%[6]
2022/23 12.5[7] 0%[7]
2021/22 11.4[8] 0%[8]

A level (16–18)

A-level average grade
B+ 2024/25[2]
AAB or better, at least two in facilitating subjects
32.4% 2024/25[2]
All results, 2020/21
Not published (exams cancelled, COVID-19)[9]
All results, 2019/20
Not published (exams cancelled, COVID-19)[9]
Earlier years
Year A-level average grade AAB or better, at least two in facilitating subjects
2023/24 A-[10] 31.4%[10]
2022/23 A-[11] 20.8%[11]
2021/22 A-[12] 26.3%[12]
2018/19 B+[13] 21.7%[13]

Destinations after 16–18 study

Sustained education, apprenticeship or employment
70.8% 2023/24[14]
UK higher education
58.4% 2023/24[14]
Education
61.3% 2023/24[14]
Apprenticeship
0% 2023/24[14]
Employment
9.5% 2023/24[14]
Earlier leavers
Left in Sustained education, apprenticeship or employment UK higher education Education Apprenticeship Employment
2022/23 71.9%[14] 61.2%[14] 63.3%[14] 0%[14] 8.6%[14]
2021/22 75.8%[14] 63.3%[14] 67.2%[14] 0%[14] 8.6%[14]

Shares of the pupils who left in the year shown. Russell Group and Oxford or Cambridge figures were published for leavers up to 2019/20 only.

For independent schools the DfE publishes destinations after 16–18 study only: no destinations after GCSEs and no university progression figures (top third, Russell Group, Oxbridge).

Ofsted

Inspected by
Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI)[15]

ISI inspection

Inspection
April 2024[16]
Framework
Framework from September 2023[16]
Leadership and governance
Standards met[16]
Quality of education
Standards met[16]
Health and wellbeing
Significant strength[16]
Social and economic education
Standards met[16]
Safeguarding
Standards met[16]

Health and wellbeing

  • ISI found (April 2024): Boarding is a strong area, with students feeling safe and happy, leading to high self-awareness and confidence, and successful, positive living arrangements.

Social and economic education

  • ISI recommended: The school should develop a structured and unified careers education programme for students below sixth form to help them make better choices for the future.

Previous ISI inspections: 2021, 2018, 2015, 2012 (2021 report, 2018 report, 2015 report, 2012 report).

ISI's page for this school

Findings of the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), restated in our own words: not ISI's wording. Read the full report on ISI's website.

Competition to get in

No published data for this school.

Character & practicalities

Fees

No fees published on the school's website that we could verify.

Type
Other independent school[1]
Ages
2–20[1]
Boys / girls
Mixed[1]
Faith
Church of England[1]
Sixth form
Yes[1]
Boarding
Boarding school[1]
Capacity
1130[1]
Local authority
West Sussex[1]
Website
www.ardingly.com[1]
Nursery classes
Has Nursery Classes[15]
Special classes
No Special Classes[15]
Section 41 (can be named in an EHC plan)
Not approved[15]
District
Mid Sussex[17]
Postcode
RH17 6SQ[1]
URN
126133[1]

School details as recorded in Get Information About Schools on 14 Oct 2026.

Pupils

Number on roll
1048 2024/25[18]
SEN support
8.3% 2024/25[18]
EHC plan
0% 2024/25[18]
Free school meals in the last 6 years
0% 2024/25[18]

Sources

  1. Department for Education: Get Information About Schools: all establishments. Period 2026-10-14, published 2026-10-14. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  2. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS5 (16-18) final. Period 2024/25, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  3. Department for Education: Performance tables schools data (explore education statistics). Period 2025/26, provisional, published 2026-10-15. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  4. Department for Education: Key stage 4 performance 2024/25: data guidance. Period 2024/25. Archived copy; original. Licence: OGL-3.0.
    Quote
    It is not possible to calculate Progress 8 for academic years 2024/25 and 2025/26 due to gaps in the baseline caused by COVID-19 disruption.
  5. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS4 final. Period 2024/25, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  6. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS4 final. Period 2023/24, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  7. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS4 final. Period 2022/23, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  8. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS4 final. Period 2021/22, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  9. Department for Education: A level and other 16 to 18 results 2020/21. Period 2020/21. Archived copy; original. Licence: OGL-3.0.
    Quote
    Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the summer exam series was cancelled in both 2020 and 2021, and alternative processes were set up to award grades.
  10. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS5 (16-18) final. Period 2023/24, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  11. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS5 (16-18) final. Period 2022/23, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  12. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS5 (16-18) final. Period 2021/22, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  13. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS5 (16-18) final. Period 2018/19, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  14. Department for Education: 16-18 destination measures: 16-19 study leavers institution level destinations. Period 2023/24. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  15. Department for Education: Get Information About Schools: all establishments (independent schools' inspectorate and provision). Period 2026-10-17, published 2026-10-17. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  16. Independent Schools Inspectorate: School inspection report, Ardingly College, April 2024. Period 2026-10-17. Licence: all-rights-reserved (restated only, D71).
  17. Office for National Statistics: Parish to Ward to Local Authority District (May 2026) Lookup in EW. Period 2026-05-01. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  18. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: School census. Period 2024/25, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.