Editing Ampleforth College (section)

==Education==
[[File:Ampleforth Abbey and College. - geograph.org.uk - 406908.jpg|thumb|280px|Ampleforth Abbey and College]]
The school says that its primary concern is to provide pupils with not just academic, sporting and other achievements, but also "a spiritual compass for life": moral principles to give guidance in a secular world;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.college.ampleforth.org.uk/the-school/an-introduction-from-the-headmaster|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080502225544/http://www.college.ampleforth.org.uk/the-school/an-introduction-from-the-headmaster/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 May 2008|title=An Introduction from the Headmaster|publisher=Ampleforth College}}</ref> within a context where the "Benedictine ethos permeates pupils' experience".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.college.ampleforth.org.uk/the-school/school-development-plan/school-development-plan-explored-further|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090614203658/http://www.college.ampleforth.org.uk/the-school/school-development-plan/school-development-plan-explored-further|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 June 2009|title=School Development Plan Explored Further|publisher=Ampleforth College}}</ref>

The ''[[Good Schools Guide]]'' called the school an "Unfailingly civilised and understanding top co-educational boarding Catholic school that has suffered from time to time as a result of its long liberal tradition." The ''Guide'' adds also that there is "A refreshing openness and honesty about the place these days."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://goodschoolsguide.co.uk/school/ampleforth-college.html |title=Ampleforth College, York |publisher=The Good School Guide|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110218230513/http://www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk/school/ampleforth-college.html |archive-date=18 February 2011 }}</ref>

Its academic admissions policy is not as exacting as that exercised by some other [[Public school (UK)|English public schools]]. The school is typically between 150-200 in the annual league tables of public examination results, although it was ranked 6th nationally in the 2004 "value added" table. It maintains a scholarship set, with about 5% of pupils gaining the offer of a place at Oxford or Cambridge.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ampleforthcollege.york.sch.uk/general/development_plan_full.htm#3 |publisher=Ampleforth College |title= School Development Plan 2006–2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080301230619/http://www.ampleforthcollege.york.sch.uk/general/development_plan_full.htm#3 |archive-date=1 March 2008 }}</ref> More than 90% go on to university.

In 2018 the school failed an inspection by the [[Independent Schools Inspectorate]] regarding boarding provision, and the school was issued with a formal notice requiring the school to produce an Action Plan to resolve the failings.  The [[Charity Commission for England and Wales|Charity Commission]] had earlier removed pupil safeguarding responsibilities from the school's trustees, and the headmaster had been suspended from the [[Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference]] over safeguarding concerns.<ref name=thetablet-20180730>{{cite news |url=https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/9500/ampleforth-faces-possible-closure-if-it-fails-to-improve-standards |title=Ampleforth faces possible closure if it fails to improve standards |last=Gledhill |first=Ruth |website=The Tablet |date=30 July 2018 |access-date=9 August 2018}}</ref>

In May 2019, the Department of Education performed an unannounced inspection, with poor results. In July 2019 it was reported that the school's acting head was stepping down after 10 months in the job.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/jul/03/head-of-top-catholic-school-stands-down-after-damning-report|title=Head of top Catholic school stands down after damning report|last=Sherwood |first=Harriet|date=3 July 2019|work=The Guardian|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
However, in spring 2019 the school passed a compliance inspection under a new head.{{citation needed|date=September 2020}}

Following a September 2020 report, still unpublished as of November 2020, the [[Secretary of State for Education]], [[Gavin Williamson]], wrote to the college ordering them to stop admitting new pupils over safeguarding failures; the college said that it intended to appeal.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Booth |first1=Samantha |title=Ampleforth College ordered to stop admitting new pupils over safeguarding failures |url=https://schoolsweek.co.uk/ampleforth-college-ordered-to-stop-admitting-new-pupils-over-safeguarding-failures/ |website=Schools Week |date=27 November 2020 |publisher=Lsect|access-date=27 November 2020}}</ref> The ban was lifted the following April.<ref name=":0">{{cite news|last=Turner|first=Camilla|date=16 April 2021|title=Exclusive: Ampleforth School saved from closure after intervention by Gavin Williamson|work=The Telegraph|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/04/16/exclusive-ampleforth-school-saved-closure-intervention-gavin/|access-date=17 April 2021|issn=0307-1235}}</ref>