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FAQ
Q. How many students are there at Padworth?
Q. What is the student/teacher ratio in the school?
Q. What is the ratio of boys to girls?
Q. How big is the sixth form?
Q. How many students are there in a class?
Q. Which countries do the students come from?
Q. Do we have to take an entrance exam to come to Padworth College?
Q. Does Padworth offer scholarships?
Q. Is there Saturday school?
Q. Do you have exeat weekends?
Q. Can I stay at school at half-term?
Q. We are thinking of moving our child to Padworth - can you accept students mid-term?
Q. Where do Padworth students go after the sixth form?
Q. Why is there no uniform?
Q. How much guidance and support will my son/daughter receive?
Q. What happens if I'm ill?
Q. Do you provide transport for local students?
Q. What can boarders do in their free time?
Q. How do you support students for whom English is a second language?
Q. My child has not achieved the required grades to continue at their school - can you help?
Q. My child needs to re-sit a number of GCSE or A Levels - can you help?
Q. Do you offer English as a foreign language?
Q. Will I need a guardian?
Q. Do you provide transport to and from the airport?
Q. Why are your terms shorter than other schools?
Q. Do you provide extra English Language support to GCSE and A Level students?
Q. Do students share rooms?
Q. I have a question which is not answered here - can you help?
Q. How many students are there at Padworth?
A. There are about 120 students at Padworth College.
Q. What is the student/teacher ratio in the school?
A. Approximately 1:8.
Q. What is the ratio of boys to girls?
A. It is approximately 60:40.
Q. How big is the sixth form?
A. There are approximately 40 students in the sixth form.
Q. How many students are there in a class?
A. On average, there are 10 students in a class but this varies according to year group and subject as some A Level subjects are taught in smaller groups.
Q. Which countries do the students come from?
A. We have students from 20 different countries including the UK. Currently about 20% of our students are British and a number of students from other countries have been educated in English and so have a high degree of fluency which benefits the international students who are not yet fluent.
A. No. At the heart of the Padworth ethos is that students are not selected on the basis of previous academic success and that every individual is given the necessary individual attention to enable them maximise their potential. Places are allocated on the basis of school reports and academic references from their current school and where possible, an interview with the Principal.
Q. Does Padworth offer scholarships?
A. Yes. Padworth operates a scholarship programme to assist exceptional day and boarding students to study at the College. A number of academic scholarships are offered every year for study at GCSE or A level. We do not set scholarship examinations but ask that applicants provide a personal statement, For full details of the scholarship process, please email the Admissions Office at info@padworth.com
Q. Is there Saturday school?
A. No, we do not run lessons at weekends. We operate a weekend programme of activities and excursions. Students may receive visitors as long as we are given notice or be taken out by parents or friends as long as parental permission has been given.
Q. Do you have exeat weekends?
A. No, we do not have exeat weekends but students may go out or away with friends or family at weekends by arrangement with their parents or guardians and the College.
Q. Can I stay at school at half-term?
A. Our half-term holidays are kept short (5 days) and only occur during the Autumn and Spring terms. Boarders do need to make arrangements to either return home or to stay with their guardian or other suitable arrangements as the school is closed during this time.
Q. We are thinking of moving our child to Padworth - can you accept students mid-term?
A. Yes, subject to places being available, we can accommodate students at any time during the school year as our flexible programmes enable us to tailor each student's timetable to their individual needs. This makes Padworth ideal for families relocating to the UK from overseas as we will do our level best to minimise the disruption of a move and ensure the smooth continuation of the student's studies.
Q. Where do Padworth students go after the sixth form?
A. All our A level and Access students go to on to Higher Education, almost all to Universities in the UK, and choose a wide variety of degree subjects which range from Financial Economics and Mechanical Engineering through to Podiatry and Pharmacology. The College provides an university counseling service throughout the Sixth Form years to help all students decide which courses to apply for and to assist with every stage of the application process.
Q. Why is there no uniform?
A. This policy is in line with the founding principle of the Oxford University tutor who set up Padworth College in 1963 with the aim of bringing the informal tutorial atmosphere of a university to school-level education. Our rules are kept to the sensible minimum necessary for a happy residential community and whilst students are treated as young adults, there is a strong expectation that students come here to work, to achieve their potential and to become broadly educated as a preparation for university life.
Q. How much guidance and support will my son/daughter receive?
A. Each student is assigned an Academic Tutor whom he/she will meet each week during tutor time giving the opportunity to discuss issues relating to their academic studies. In addition, the team of resident House staff are always available to help with any personal and domestic issues which might arise for both day and boarding students. We are a small and friendly school which makes it easy for the teaching and house staff to get to know the students well and to build supportive relationships.
Q. What happens if I'm ill?
A. Our School Nurse is in attendance most weekday mornings and on call throughout the week to cater for any medical issues. Where necessary, she will make appointments to see the College Doctor. All boarders are registered with our local NHS Doctor's Surgery.
Q. Do you provide transport for local students?
A. Yes, we transport day students to and from Aldermaston Railway station, please contact us for more details.
Q. What can boarders do in their free time?
A. Our boarding students have access to a wide range of activities both organised and informal. Every House has a television room and a social area. A range of sports is available including swimming, tennis, table tennis, basketball, volleyball, wall climbing and horse riding. There are regular shopping trips, visits to a multiplex cinema and bowling alley. Most weekends, there is an excursion, either to a cultural or a recreational attraction. There is a weekly programme of activities and clubs such as choir, reading, Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme and football,. Trips to the theatre, ballet, concerts and festivals are also organised.
Q. How do you support students for whom English is a second language?
A. Our fully qualified teachers in the International Studies Centre (ISC) provide English Language tuition to all students who need it either as a full-time course prior to taking GCSE or A Level courses or as a component of a full-time academic course. The aim is to help students to study their academic subjects more effectively. Overseas students take the Cambridge IELTS examination to satisfy the English language requirement for entry into university
Visit the ISC for more information.
Q. My child has not achieved the required grades to continue at their school - can you help?
A. Yes we have often been able to help students in this situation and have enabled them to go on to achieve the grades they need go to the University of their choice. We aim to provide every student who comes to Padworth with the tuition and support they need to realise their ambitions.
Q. My child needs to re-sit a number of GCSE or A Levels - can you help?
A. Yes, we are able to accept students to re-sit both GCSE, AS and A Level examinations.
Q. Do you offer English as a foreign language?
A. Yes, Our International Study Centre (ISC) provides full-time courses for students of any level of English and English Language support is available for overseas students who are studying for GCSE or A Levels and who need to take IGCSE English as a second language or IELTS exams in order to fulfil the entry criteria for British universities.
Q. Will I need a guardian?
A. All boarding students whose parents do not reside in the UK are required to have a legal guardian appointed to bear responsibility for him/her and to provide a place to live during holidays, in case of an emergency, illness, suspension or expulsion from school. We can provide a list of guardianship agencies who will be able to help find a suitable guardian.
Q. Do you provide transport to and from the airport?
A. Yes, we provide escorted transfer for our students from Heathrow Airport on the official travel days at the beginning and end of term at no extra cost. However students arriving on other dates must make their own arrangements at their own cost.
Why are your terms shorter than other schools?
Our terms are a little shorter than some schools because we have very short half terms. Most schools have one or even two week half terms whereas we only have 2 or 3 days and so in this way, it equals out. Another factor is the school day which runs from 8.40am to 4.45pm.
Q. Do you provide extra English Language support to GCSE and A Level students?
A. All non native speakers are tested in the first week of term by the specialist English Language teachers in order to asses each student's needs and to provide an appropriate level of English support which is built into their timetable at no extra cost. A number of our A level students receive English for Academic Purposes support and are also prepared for IELTS exams as required. The only charge will be the IELTS or ESOL examination fees.
Q. Do students share rooms?
A. It depends on the age of the student and where possible, their own preference. A Level students have priority on single rooms - all A2 students are allocated their own rooms unless they wish to share and A1 students will either have a single room or share with one other student. Where students share, they will not be placed with another student of the same nationality in order to encourage them to speak more English and make friends with a student from another country.
Q . I have a question which is not answered here…
A. Please feel free to email us with your question if we have not answered it.