Welcome ACUK Team to Visit
From 10th to 13th September 2023, the core educational team from Ardingly College, UK(ACUK), consisting of Mr. Ben Figgis, Headmaster of Ardingly College, Mr. Jamie Large, Director of Ardingly College International, and Ms. Queenie Ouyang, Chief Representative of Ardingly College Greater China, visited Ardingly College Zhongshan(ACZS) to witness the inauguration of a future campus and discuss future-oriented education models and sustainable development projects with us.
It is noteworthy that Ardingly College, UK was also in the busy new term of this semester. However, due to the significant concern for ACZS and the continued development of the Ardingly International Family, Mr. Ben chose to lead the team all the way to Zhongshan to witness the first opening week of Ardingly College Zhongshan. Thus far, prospects for future collaborations between the two schools are limitless.
About Ardingly College, UK
Welcome ACUK Team to Visit
Founded in 1858, Ardingly College is a renowned private boarding school for boys and girls situated in West Sussex, UK. The school provides a future-orientated, personalised education for families with children aged 2-18 through a forward-thinking and academically successful 15-year model of holistic education.
According to IB World, Ardingly College was ranked in the top 10 of the global IB Co-ed Schools in 2021 for its excellent IB Average Point. In this year's graduate results, more than 98% of the school's students entered the Russell Group university, including the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford, Imperial College London, University College London and other top 10 universities in the world.
As the exclusive partner of Ardingly College in Greater China (including Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau) for the next 30 years, ACZS and ACUK signed an official contract on 28th June 2020, turning over a whole new chapter of education in the Greater Bay Area together.
Unlock New Memories
of Ardingly Education
Welcome ACUK Team to Visit
How many ways can a school campus in today's world fulfil the needs of a child's development? Can we still find the unique mark of education under the beautiful architecture? Accompanied by Mr. Simon Huang, Chairman of School Council, Mr. Genix Zhan, Head of Operation, Mr. Nick Nightingale, International Head of School, Mr. Alan Wang, Cheif Designer of School, and Mr. Victor Zheng, Director of Construction Project and Engineering, ACUK team visited the core areas of the campus such as the Innovation Centre, the Sports Centre, the Learning Centre, the Student and Staff Canteen and the Kindergarten.
ACZS, a winner of both the MUSE Design Award and the Golden Bund Award, was designed by world-renowned architect Mr. Alan Wang, with the micro-city as the core design concept to socialise and articulate the entire space; empowering students with the core values of the space as the basis for cultivating lifelong learners.
"The design of ACZS campus is unique and impressive. Especially in the creation of the space, the sort of wonderful sense of space both outside and inside, and children need a sense of space in their school."
"I was impressed by the scientific and technological campus at ACZS. The school has a Maker Space and sorts of spaces designed for innovative learning, all of which perfectly embed in the educational philosophy of Ardingly College!"
The ACUK team was praised for the design concept and style of ACZS campus. "While pursuing excellence in spatial art and diversified venues, the campus also fully preserves and presents the centuries-old education ethos of ACUK. This including Ardingly’s philosophy, school vision, World Ready Programme, dedication spirit of pelican. These elements provide clear guidelines for student growth and success."
Meeting with ACUK
& PLC Launch Ceremony
Welcome ACUK Team to Visit
As an important part of this trip, we were honoured to invite Mr. Ben Figgis, the Headmaster of Ardingly College, and a number of parents who are interested in future-oriented education to participate in an informative sharing session.
"Our relationship began with a delicious dinner." Mr. Ben's humorous sharing drew cheers from the parents as he said, "I'm finally able to visit the completed campus of ACZS after four long years of waiting and share my experience of holistic education with everyone, which has undoubtedly greatly facilitated the educational consensus and cooperation between the two sides."
Mr. Ben said, "As an established academic school, ACUK has the unique World Ready Programme that aims to help students achieve academic excellence while gaining more soft skills for the future. The two schools will be based on the same educational philosophy and will help our children succeed in the world of tomorrow through transformative education and more substantial collaboration!"
In the presence of the ACUK team, the launch of the Parent Learning Community of ACZS was announced, with the aim of creating a better tomorrow for our children. The inaugural Parent Learning Community event focused on the topics of "Integrating Chinese and Western Education" and "International Sentiments and Core Skills", and invited ACUK team, Mr. Simon Huang, the Chairman of School Council, as well as the principals of the Kindergarten, Primary, Middle and International High School, to hold a round-table discussion and have an interactive sharing with the parents.
Combining the Essence of
Chinese and Western Education
Welcome ACUK Team to Visit
What makes an Ardingly's education stand out in today's world is its academic rigour and outstanding teachers. That's why the team of ACUK chose to devote more than four of its five days visits to intensive academic seminars, faculty sharing, and even interaction with our students.
Throughout the trip, Mr Ben Figgis and Mr Jamie Large held several academic meetings with the core management team of each departments. They focused on the collision, integration and development of Western and Eastern education, as well as the optimisation and progression of the curriculum. ACUK team also shared the results of ACUK graduates in this year: for A-level, all students take exams in 3 subjects, more than 60% exam entries scored top grades A* or A grade; for IBDP, all students take exams in 6 subjects, more than 66% exam entries scored grades 7-6, and more than 20% exam entries scored top grade 7, which is the highest score in the IB exam. This also means that almost all of their graduates in ACUK entered the world's top universities like Oxford, Cambridge and Stanford this year.
The meeting with faculty members from all academic departments was noteworthy. Mr. Ben expressed high expectations, stating that ACUK will spare no effort in providing core support for the curriculum design and teaching methods with ACZS. This focus will be primarily in the International High School and Kindergarten, and ACUK will actively encourage teacher participation, providing full support to our students.
The most amazing part of the trip was the close interaction between the ACUK team and our students. Beginning with kindergarten and continuing through Primary, Middle, and International High School, Mr. Ben and Mr. Jamie actively joined our students' class, and engaging with our students.
During this time, the ACUK team also announced an exciting plan for our students: starting next summer (2024), Ardingly College, UK will open its summer exchange programme to all G10 students. They will be able to travel to ACUK and have a two-week experience of a genuine British education under the guidance of Dr Steven Dawson.
The brief visit from ACUK is much appreciated. Whether it was Mr. Ben's decision in putting aside his busy schedule to make the trip, the team's high recognition and expectations of the teachers and students, or the unanimous determination of both schools to share the same philosophy of education, it seemed to us that this collaboration between two models of education was becoming more harmonious and diversified, while the future was slowly opening its arms to the students of ACZS.
