Clifton College

Mission statement

“To inspire each child to seize learning and opportunity and realise their full potential through an eagerness to embrace life with passion, integrity and resilience, and to make a positive difference to the lives of others.”

Academics

Clifton College follows the GCSE curriculum, with a wide range of subjects available, and in Sixth Form pupils can choose between studying for A Level exams or BTEC qualifications. At GCSE, students are encouraged to pursue their own interests whilst also following a core curriculum of subjects such as maths, english, sciences and a modern language.

Pupils at Clifton College achieve impressive results – in 2021, 88% of A Level exam results were between A* and B. In recent years, popular university destinations for students after Clifton College have included Edinburgh, Exeter, Durham, University College London, Birmingham and Cardiff.

Activities & sports

Clifton College follows the ethos of ‘Sport and Fitness for All’, with all pupils participating in sport 3 afternoons each week. Each term, there are up to 20 sports available for students to choose between and students have the option to get involved competitively or non-competitively. 4 of the key sports that Clifton College focuses on are rugby, cricket, hockey and netball. Hockey players are coached by former GB and England Captain, Adam Dixon. Furthermore, the sports facilities and pitches at Clifton College span out across 90 acres of land. The school's rugby tradition is particularly strong and all boys play rugby during the first term of the school year. A number of former professional rugby players contribute to coaching, and the school has excellent links with local rugby clubs such as Bristol Rugby and the Clifton Rugby Football Club.

With regards to the performing arts, drama is a key aspect of life at Clifton whether pupils choose to study it at exam level, or whether they just enjoy the art of performing. The Redgrave Theatre and the Joseph Cooper Music school provide excellent facilities for young performers. Clifton College also has a music recording studio with two live rooms. The school play that is put on every year gives students the opportunity not only to be on stage, but also work offstage, in the band or on lighting or sound, among other aspects of a full production.

International student community

Clifton College welcomes pupils from all over the world. Currently, approximately 20% of students are international pupils, with more than 40 countries represented. International students who do not speak English as their first language are given support at every level to help them master the language. At Clifton College, English as an Additional Language (EAL) is offered as its own individual academic subject, and as an extra. If additional support is required, there is the possibility of arranging individual EAL lessons. In the Sixth Form, pupils can choose to attend classes to prepare for IELTS exams.

Boarding life

At Clifton College, there are 7 boarding houses in the Upper School (4 for boys and 3 for girls) and 2 boarding houses for Prep School pupils (1 for boys and 1 for girls). Only a small percentage of pupils are boarders within the Prep school (approximately 10%), whereas almost 40% of pupils in the Upper School are boarding students.

Both the College and the individual Houses organise weekend trips and activities for pupils. Boarding houses at Clifton College aim to create a home away from home for students where they can create lifelong friendships.