In the use of great books, profound thinkers, and foundational skills for learning, Ambleside is similar to classical schools. However, our view of the child’s mind is different from that of many classical schools.  At Ambleside, we see the mind as an immature, but complete spiritual organism. While we recognize that facts and information are necessary parts of education, we also believe what Charlotte Mason taught to be true.  She claimed that an intellectual diet of facts alone was like a meal of sawdust to the body and that the mind lives and grows upon ideas.  And so, our curriculum emphasizes ideas which allow students to form relationships with knowledge rather than merely memorizing information about the subject matter.  We integrate the elements of the trivium (grammar, rhetoric and logic) into every grade level. While we acknowledge the developmental sensitivities as children pass from one stage to another, we believe the child is capable of acquiring skills and cultivating higher order thinking throughout childhood.

A “Culture of Engagement” means more attention from a teacher and better attention from the students. In a class of 14, all students can be engaged. In a class of 40, a few can disrupt the whole body.

Studies have shown that small schools produce, on average, students of a higher academic standard than larger schools. This has been attributed to “the culture of engagement”. Students in small schools do not just have the advantage of greater attention from the teacher due to smaller classes, they also benefit from a school culture which is a lot more manageable. It is far easier to tailor education plans to suit smaller groups than it is to do so for larger ones. Other areas such as discipline, teacher-parent relations, morality, spirituality and ethos are far more manageable in smaller schools. Students are more easily engaged and therefore included in the school life and program.

Teachers are required to undergo intensive training in the Ambleside Method of education at one of our model schools. In addition, we offer frequent classroom observations and in-service training, as well as peer mentoring. Visitors from Ambleside Schools International observe our teachers several times a year.

We have a school-wide discipline policy that is published in our handbook.  Students are expected to come to school ready to learn and respond to the authority of the teacher.  Our desire is to train students in habits and to support their weakness in every way possible.  Natural consequences are used as much as possible for inappropriate behavior (for example, undone homework may result in after school study time).  Classroom interventions, a conversation in the hall, jogging instead of playing at recess, a visit to the principal, are all strategies used in training our students.  If a student is unresponsive to the teachers or administration, the child may be sent home.  Consistent difficulties in discipline generate a broadened discussion to determine whether the school / parent partnership is strong enough to continue to educate the child.

Applications to Ambleside for grade 6 and 7 will be evaluated on a strict case by case basis due to the level of academic rigor and importance of submission to the philosophy.  In order to attend Ambleside High School (grades 9-12), the student must be enrolled by the Fall Semester of 8th grade.

Yes, students from kindergarten through twelfth grade are all required to wear Ambleside uniforms.  This follows our adherence to minimizing distraction on who wears what, so the focus is on learning, not what someone is wearing.

Students in any grade are not allowed to bring electronic devices to school. However, we introduce technology in the classroom when it supports the education our students are getting from books (e.g. Students might work on an Excel spreadsheet in a higher math class). Our emphasis in our classrooms is on the education our students will not receive elsewhere — good books, writing, neat calculations, frequent contact with nature, and exposure to a vast wealth of knowledge.

No, Ambleside is a non-denominational, private Christian school. We are affiliated with Ambleside Schools International, which is also non-denominational.

Yes, Ambleside does not require any student or parent to sign a statement of faith, as long as there is clear understanding and support of the school’s commitment to Christ-centered education. Teachers, staff and board members are all required to sign a statement of faith.