International Sixth Form College in Wales, UK

UWC Atlantic College, Llantwit Major, Wales:
The founding college of a global education movement, UWC Atlantic College is an international residential school based in the UK. We are a co-educational, independent sixth form college in the Vale of Glamorgan, a 45 minute drive from Cardiff, Wales. Each year, 350 students aged 16 - 18 from 80 different countries benefit from a world-class International Baccalaureate educational experience. UWC Atlantic College is committed to making education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future.

UWC Atlantic College makes education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future.

Boarding Life:
- College life revolves around student houses, each home to 48 young people, with four students sharing bedrooms as part of the UWC ethos of international understanding. Houses bring people and ideas together. Here debates unfold, life-long friendships are shaped and myths and stereotypes are overcome.

- Two houseparents become family for the duration of student years. Based at an adjoining house, houseparents are there for their students throughout their life at the College. Every teacher, including the Principal, is a member of a House Tutor team.

- Student houses are home from September to December and January to May. Each student shares a room with three young people of different nationalities in a house with more than 40 others. Students also share study rooms, dayrooms and kitchen facilities. There are currently seven student houses on the campus.

- Residential Boarding Programme
- Day Programme option
- International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme
- Atlantic Pre-Diploma (Ages 15-16)
- Atlantic College Mission Initiative (Sixth Form)

Subjects include:
- Natural Sciences
- Literature Course in Mother Tongue Language
- Foreign Language
- Humanities
- Art, Music or Theatre Arts
- Integrated Development Programme

Extra-Curricular Activities:
In addition to community service, students also enjoy a wide range of extracurricular activities, lectures and debates that help to develop lively, critical and informed minds. Weekly music concerts, national cultural evenings, visiting speakers, and student debates on international issues enrich the experience and reflect the diverse cultures represented at the College.

As with all the UWC Colleges, service is a key part of the ethos and students at Atlantic College have some unique opportunities to help others and learn about themselves. On account of the College’s coastal location, students can train to become full members of rescue services such as beach Lifeguards, Cliff Rescue and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). There is an RNLI station on campus with students and staff providing 24 hour sea rescue for the local area.

Since its opening, over 7500 students from over 100 countries have benefited from the inspiring and innovative educational experience promoted at UWC Atlantic College. The College has also continued its tradition of famous visitors, including HM Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, Lady Diana, The Emperor of Japan, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, Lee Evans, Rhys Ifans and most recently the new Dr Who, Matt Smith!

After creating the International Baccalaureate Diploma alongside teachers from the International School of Geneva and the UN School of New York, UWC Atlantic College was the first school in the world to solely teach the IB and move away from its national curriculum. To this day the College remains an integral part of the success of the Diploma through the creation of school-based syllabi including Political Thought, Peace and Conflict Studies, World Religions and Environmental Systems (now Ecosystems and Society).

A core component of the UWC ethos is a commitment to community service and the service programme involves students in doing things that are needed by other members of the college community or local community. It is one of the most rewarding and transformative parts of the Atlantic College experience.Through service students learn to recognise their own strengths and to integrate them into a cohesive effort. The impact on self-esteem and confidence can be amazing. The opportunities to learn are outstanding and the insights into how young people can work together to achieve positive outcomes is lasting.

Every student commits to a service that occupies two afternoons or evenings per week over the two years.They can choose from a wide-spectrum of services including to running a fully-fledged lifeboat, working on the college’s own organic farm, providing music therapy for dementia patients or running activity sessions with disabled children.