Ellesmere Wants Each Student to Reach Their Full Potential
Thursday, 1 November 2012
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Ellesmere welcomes students from over 20 nationalities, with a wide range of academic ability and from all social backgrounds, aged between 7 and 18. Their location may be beautifully rural but their outlook is global and international. Ellesmere’s educational philosophy is that we all learn differently and that every learning style is a special gift. Ellesmere knows that students develop at different rates and at different times. The support for each individual student at Ellesmere whether in learning, language or their successful Gifted and Talented programmes, offer students the very best in education today. The school also recognises that these are tough financial times and offers a range of Bursaries and Scholarships enabling as many young people as possible the benefit of an Ellesmere education. In Ellesmere’s Lower School, with entry at every level from Years 3 to 8, the focus is on helping to nurture positive, independent, active and enquiring individuals. Set in a purpose-built facility, Lower School boasts its own wild-life garden, outdoor classroom space and adventure play area. Parents are an integral part of the Ellesmere community. This is not a school where students are dropped off at the start of term and collected at the end. On the contrary, Ellesmere works closely with parents communicating frequently and inviting them to meetings, sporting, cultural and social events. In Year 9, pupils join Middle School and the Ellesmere Curriculum begins with a broad range of subjects, which becomes the basis on which to build gradual specialisation towards the attainment of GCSEs. The subjects offered follow the National Curriculum, but the School takes advantage of its independence to develop opportunities way beyond this by providing a full range of activities outside of the classroom. All Ellesmere students, of all ages develop leadership and entrepreneurial skills through team sports, the Combined Cadet Force, and the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, as well as personal confidence through public speaking initiatives. Another example is the inter-House drama festival. Plays are chosen, directed, staged, and performed sometimes even written by the students themselves.

Those who join Ellesmere’s outstanding Sports Academies, often go on to represent their county and their country. Students have achieved international recognition in rugby, swimming, sailing, canoeing, tennis and shooting. Of course not everyone is brilliant at sport. Those who aren’t are just as important as those who are. Ellesmere’s highly-qualified coaches encourage everyone to play for the sheer joy of it and at the level at which they are comfortable, making sure students go as far as they can. The Ellesmere Sixth Form also provides a unique set of opportunities. The focus is on academic priorities and achieving the best possible results for each individual, offering both A Levels and the International Baccalaureate. Sixth Form students are encouraged to take on greater leadership responsibilities, and show initiative, being role models for students throughout the school. Brendan Wignall, Headmaster of Ellesmere College said: "Academic success at Ellesmere is doing the very best you can. We are not an exam factory. That is a vital message in an age driven by league tables and statistics. We are committed to the development of each individual student, seeing them reach their full potential.”