Clifton College is a top co-educational boarding and day school for pupils aged 3-18, founded in 1862 and incorporated by Royal Charter in 1877. The school is nestled in the heart of Clifton, and takes advantage of the many cultural and educational activities on offer in the modern and vibrant city of Bristol, with plenty of countryside nearby.
Admission. Pupils are normally admitted in September for the Upper School, between the ages of 13 and 14. Most are required to pass the Common Entrance examination, which can be taken at their Preparatory Schools. Each pupil is assessed by considering their academic potential, along with their educational background and profile, including conduct and attitude. Their current school’s recommendation is an important part of this process. For an applicant resident overseas, the entry requirements will be appropriate to previous educational experience. Such pupils for entry into Years 9, 10 and 11 will normally be asked to sit UKISET entry tests, focusing on aptitude.
Interested families should get in touch with the College’s admissions team on 0117 3157 110 or admissions@cliftoncollege.com who will then provide an application form to complete. Once the non-refundable registration fee has been paid, the arrangement of interviews and appropriate entry tests will begin. Age range. 13–18.
Number of pupils. 778.
Fees per term (2023-2024). Years 9–11: Boarders £14,875; Flexi Boarders (4 nights) £13,410; Day Pupils £9,890. Sixth Form: Boarders £15,480; Flexi Boarders (4 nights) £13,915; Day Pupils £10,045.
Houses. Pupils are assigned a House when they join the College, where they will meet their Tutors, spend time with their peers and benefit from a supervised environment in which they can meet, work or relax, providing a true home away from home. Each House is led by a Housemaster/Housemistress and their spouse, along with Tutors, Matrons and the occasional House dog.
There are four boarding Houses for boys; Moberly’s, Wiseman’s, School House and Watson’s House and three Houses for girls; Hallward’s, Oakeley's and Worcester. There are a further three day Houses for boys, and two for day girls, these have the same status as Boarding Houses and day pupils are encouraged to take part in the abundant activities available as an active member of their House.
Catering. In-house catering is managed by Sodexo, with pupils and staff enjoying a wide variety of food. All meals are eaten in the main dining hall, this includes supper for Boarders, and day pupils if pre-arranged.
Academic structure. 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 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.
Pupils then move up to the Sixth Form and typically choose 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.
Service. The Outdoor Education Department at Clifton College facilitates and develops teamwork, leadership, confidence and self-esteem. Various outdoor activities are available that include; geocaching, archery, low ropes, initiative tasks, bouldering, indoor climbing, first aid and mountain biking. As well as the weekly programme, pupils also participate in 2 field days where they get to work as a team in height based and water based activities. Kayaking and Canoeing, the Duke of Edinburgh Award, Overseas Expeditions, Winter Mountaineering and Wilderness and Survival Skills are also encouraged.
Combined Cadet Force (CCF) is offered at the College, and provides a disciplined youth organisation, enabling pupils to develop powers of leadership. All pupils may join any of the three sections: Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. The Army concentrates on the self-discipline of field tactics; the Navy provides the opportunity to engage in a wide range of maritime activities, using the College’s own boats located in the nearby docks; whilst the RAF takes full advantage of the availability of local air experience flights.
There is a certain amount of military training, which is designed to give young people a chance to exercise responsibility and leadership, to provide them with some knowledge of our defence forces, and to encourage those who might be interested in becoming members of the Armed Services.
Societies. The College provides a varied programme of events for day and boarding pupils, ensuring each child is given the opportunity to develop and nurture lifelong interests. More than just add-on ‘extras’, the societies and clubs form a central part of the well-rounded education that is the Clifton College Experience. Mid-week activities take place in the Art, Technology and Music departments. These are complemented by physical activities such as dance, basketball, real tennis, fencing, volleyball, swimming, horse riding and fitness. At the weekend, pupils can take part in organised voluntary activities such as theatre or cinema trips, horse riding or dry-slope skiing.
Music and Art. The musical activities of the school are wide and varied, and are designed for musicians of all standards. They include the Chapel Choir, Choral Society and Chamber Choir, a full orchestra, two string orchestras, two wind bands, a jazz band, as well as numerous chamber music activities. Visiting concert artists regularly run masterclasses, and there are numerous opportunities to perform. Music lessons are available for virtually all instruments, across many styles. Annual instrumental and vocal competitions are held both at House level and individually. The well-equipped and recently refurbished Joseph Cooper Music School includes practice facilities, computers, a dedicated recording studio.
Drawing, Painting, Sculpture, Pottery, Textiles and various Crafts are taught under the supervision of the Director of Art in the Art School. There is an annual House Art Competition and various exhibitions throughout the year, with many pupils also choosing Photography.
Theatre and Drama play an important part in the life of the school with an increasing number of pupils achieving success in LAMDA and PCERT LAM examinations. The Redgrave Theatre is used for the House Drama Festival, the annual school musical and for plays prepared and performed by individual Houses, the staff or the Modern Languages Society. It is also used for teaching purposes, and in addition for concerts, lectures and meetings.
Physical Education. Clifton College offers a proven pathway to excellence in Sport and has produced many international and current professional players. High Performance Sports Programmes and player-specific conditioning is offered by professional coaches such as a GB Hockey Olympian, former Superleague Netball player, former Welsh Cricketer and former players for England, Bristol and Ireland Rugby.
In the Michaelmas Term, boys play Rugby and girls play Hockey, with an extensive multi-sport option for seniors who are not in team squads. In the Lent Term, Hockey and Football are the main options for boys whilst girls mostly play Netball. Rowing, Running, Squash, Swimming, Shooting, Climbing and Rackets are among the alternative options.
In the Summer Term, Cricket is the main sport for boys and Tennis for girls, with Athletics, Rowing, Swimming and Shooting as alternatives for seniors. The College’s 90 acre sports complex at our Beggar’s Bush site includes three floodlit all-weather Hockey and Football pitches, six floodlit Tennis courts, a 3G artificial pitch for Football and Rugby, a water-based Hockey pitch with training D, and a Real Tennis court.
The development of a new state-of-the-art sports complex at Beggar’s Bush, ‘The Chellaram Sports Complex’, will house an eight court hall for netball, tennis, basketball and badminton amongst other sports, as well as extensive hospitality and catering facilities, and is set to be completed for the 2024 school year.
Careers. Careers advice is led by a dedicated staff member in charge of Careers, with Housemasters/mistresses overseeing individual applications. Tutors, Heads of Departments and the Head of Sixth Form also offer a wealth of support. The College hosts an excellent Careers Fair in the Summer Term, alongside careers seminars and events throughout the year. The Old Cliftonian community offers a host of advice and work experience opportunities which pupils are encouraged to explore. The school is a subscribing member of the Independent Schools Careers Organisation and of the Careers Research and Advisory Centre at Cambridge.
Clifton College Preparatory School. Headmaster: J Walton, BA
There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach at Clifton College Preparatory School, a friendly and inspiring co-educational boarding and day school for pupils aged 8-13. Each child is considered and treated as an individual with a unique profile of skills, passions, talents and undiscovered potential. Clifton College offers a stimulating and challenging curriculum, which combines traditional methods with programmes of study relevant to the needs of the next century.
Charitable status. Clifton College is a Registered Charity, number 311735. It is a charitable trust providing boarding and day education for pupils aged 3–18.