Day & Boarding Secondary School in North Wales

Ruthin School, North Wales:
Located on the outskirts of Ruthin, the county town of Denbighshire in North Wales, Ruthin School is a co-educational day and boarding school for students aged 11+. We are one of the oldest public schools in the United Kingdom, and we welcome students from all over the UK as well as international students from around the world. We provide a high-quality secondary school education with GCSE and A-level exam preparation, with full boarding study options available.

Day & Boarding School Programme for Boys and Girls ages 11+:
- Secondary school programme
- GCSE exams
- A-level exams / Sixth form
- Extra-curricular activities include music, drama & a wide variety of sports
- Full boarding available (including holidays)

Forms 1, 2 & 3:
All subjects are compulsory, and students are rigorously tested in them so that appropriate choices can be made in preparation for GCSE courses. Subjects taught include:

- Mathematics; English (or EAL - English as an Additional Language); History and Geography; Chemistry, Biology and Physics (taught separately); French (or extra EAL); Mandarin and Welsh; Spanish (introduced in Form 3); Music; Art, Design and Technology; Physical Education and Activities.

GCSE Level:
GCSE options are selected in the final term of Form 3. The majority of pupils undertake at least 9 GCSEs, though some elect to study fewer subjects - particularly those for whom English is an additional language. All pupils study English Language and Literature or English as an Additional Language (EAL), Mathematics, Geography and Biology. We encourage pupils to undertake a foreign language and a creative subject but the school is responsive to individual pupils' strengths and abilities.

Pupils choose their options from History, Chemistry, Physics, Business Studies, Design and Technology, Spanish, French, Mandarin, Art, Music and PE. In addition, pupils in Form 4 study Careers and spend a week getting a foretaste of employment. The School offers the BTEC in Public Service, equivalent to four GCSEs. This is studied through the auspices of the CCF and involves awareness of public services, navigation, expeditions and physical fitness.

A Levels / Sixth Form:
The School offers a range of AS and A level courses. Most pupils undertake 4 AS levels, some tackle 5 others 3; the number is usually reduced in Upper Sixth. Pupils are required to have gained at least a Grade B (or equivalent) in GCSE in each of their chosen subjects before embarking on the AS Level course.

Pupils choose their AS and A2 levels from English Literature, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, History, Geography, Art, Economics, Law, Mathematics, Music, Design Technology (AS only) and French (AS only).

Each pupil is formally tested in their AS or A2 subject under examination conditions every fortnight. This provides a good preparation for formal external examinations and enables parents and teachers to monitor their progress continually. An enrichment programme takes place each week, where pupils can learn Mandarin, Welsh, Critical Thinking, History of Art and other non-examination subjects.

Programme for Gifted Students:
Highly-gifted pupils are selected to be part of a small group for entrance to top universities, including Cambridge and Oxford, and specialist courses, including Medicine and Law. They receive extra lessons and support to give them the best opportunity to achieve top module scores and to develop the necessary academic interview skills.

For further information on our day or boarding school programmes, please email us via our Contact Us page.