Ashton Sixth Form College
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Ofsted Rating
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Capacity
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Pupils
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Demand
About Ashton Sixth Form College
Ashton Sixth Form College’s headline metrics place it broadly in line with the Tameside local authority average, though with some notable nuances. The college’s Progress 8 score for A-levels is -0.11, which sits slightly above the LA average of -0.19 for secondary schools, suggesting students here make marginally better progress than peers across the borough. However, the progress banding is officially classed as ‘Below average’, and the confidence interval (-0.16 to -0.06) indicates this result is statistically significant — meaning the college is performing below the national average, even if it beats the local one. The average points per entry of 33.75 (graded C+) is solid for a sixth form, and the best three A-levels average of 34.73 points (also C+) reflects a consistent middle-tier outcome. For families comparing options, this college offers a reliable, if not exceptional, academic profile relative to its immediate neighbours.
Looking at the detail behind those headline figures, the college serves a large cohort of 783 students in the 2023/24 academic year. The proportion achieving AAB or higher in at least two facilitating subjects is 10.8%, which is modest but not unusual for a non-selective state sixth form. The value-added score of -0.11 means that, on average, students leave with slightly lower grades than their prior attainment would predict — a pattern the college will be working to address. Compared with the LA’s top-performing schools like Laurus Ryecroft (ranking score 0.73) or Fairfield High School for Girls (0.55), Ashton Sixth Form College is clearly not in the same academic tier. But for a large, open-access sixth form, the results are respectable and provide a viable option for students who want to stay local and avoid commuting to higher-performing but more distant schools.
On the practical side, the college offers a strong range of facilities including art studios, a theatre, a swimming pool, a chapel, and astro turf, plus a library and dining hall. Sports provision is extensive, with gymnastics, swimming, dance, hockey, athletics, football, cross country, rugby, netball, and cricket all on offer. Clubs include drama, chess, Model UN, newspaper, art club, science club, and Young Enterprise — giving students plenty of enrichment beyond the classroom. The college is non-denominational and co-educational, serving ages 16 to 19 only. With no published admissions oversubscription data, it’s likely a straightforward application process for Tameside residents. This college suits families who want a large, well-facilitated sixth form with decent but not outstanding results, and who value breadth of extracurricular activity over top-tier academic selectivity.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 16 to 19 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Darnton Road, Ashton-Under-Lyne, Tameside, OL6 9RL |
| Headteacher | Lisa Richards |
| Local Authority | Tameside |
GCSE Results
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
38.2
'22/23
32.3
'23/24
33.8
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where school leavers go
2022/2357%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 1043 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
16%
Russell Group
19%
Top-third HE
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)57%
- Employment22%
- Not sustained8%
- Apprenticeship7%
- Further education1%
- Other education1%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Psychology222
- Sociology160
- Mathematics159
- Biology150
- Law137
- Business Studies:Single129
- Chemistry129
- History124
- Computer Studies / Computing75
- Economics71
- Physics66
- Geography57
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
Facilities
7Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
16
Total schools
13
Oversubscribed
12
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ashton Sixth Form College
Contact Information
Darnton Road, Ashton-Under-Lyne
Tameside, OL6 9RL
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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