Ashbourne College, London
Ashbourne College is an independent school for pupils aged 13 to 21 in London. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2024.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2024)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Ashbourne College in detail
Results
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Ashbourne College can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other independent schools to Ashbourne College are Thomas's Kensington (0.3 miles); Kensington Park School (0.6 miles, selective); Pembridge Hall School (0.6 miles); and Wetherby School (0.6 miles).
Thomas's KensingtonKensington Park SchoolPembridge Hall SchoolWetherby School
What parents say
30 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Ashbourne College (as of September 2025): 97% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that the school has high expectations for their child (93%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 116 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 63% went on to university or other higher education, 1% to apprenticeships and 6% into work.
Who goes there
In 2026, 51 pupils (22.9%) received SEN support and 1 (0.4%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest Underground station is High Street Kensington Underground Station, about 300 metres away (roughly a 4-minute walk).
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Kensington Palace, 90 metres away.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport)
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Sixth Form
Safeguarding: effective
Independent school standards
Met all the independent school standards.
- Part 1: quality of educationMet
- Part 2: pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural developmentMet
- Part 3: welfare, health and safetyMet
- Part 4: suitability of staff and proprietorsMet
- Part 5: premises and accommodationMet
- Part 6: information for parentsMet
- Part 7: handling of complaintsMet
- Part 8: leadership and managementMet
Source: Ofsted, non-association independent schools inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Ashbourne College excels at creating a welcoming, multicultural community where pupils from different countries and cultures thrive together. The school provides exceptional academic support through weekly subject clinics, high-quality teaching and personalised feedback, enabling all pupils - including those with additional needs - to achieve consistently high results. Beyond the classroom, pupils enjoy rich enrichment opportunities including museum visits, theatre trips, university lectures and international travel.
Key Strengths
- Pupils display exemplary behaviour and attitudes, creating a happy, calm and purposeful environment
- Broad, ambitious curriculum with demanding, thought-provoking work across all subjects
- Exceptional careers guidance tailored to individual pupils' interests, including support for university and apprenticeship applications
- Outstanding support for pupils with SEND and those speaking English as an additional language
- Consistently high academic results, with national qualification results above national averages in all subjects
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with leaders creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Model United Nations club, entrepreneur club, museum and art gallery visits, theatre trips, observatory visits, university lectures, UK and overseas trips, volunteering opportunities, go-karting, sushi making, annual Revue event with fashion shows and musical performances
Ashbourne College is an independent school for 13- to 21-year-olds studying GCSEs and A levels in central London. It has been rated Outstanding across all areas, maintaining this rating from its previous inspection.
About
Ashbourne College is a private sixth form college located in Kensington, London, England. It was founded in 1981 by its current principal, Michael Kirby.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
30 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Ashbourne College
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 213
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 44
- Children hurt
- 7
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 213 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 44 serious and 168 slight.
7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
32 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Kensington and Chelsea is 204.5 (the median across 74 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
74%
Available places
223 pupils
300 places
77 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - London
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for London
Across Kensington and Chelsea council
Places available
1,110
Applications
602
Got 1st preference
66.8%
Got preferred school
92.7%
All secondary applications across Kensington and Chelsea council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(5)
Independent School standard inspection
Met all the independent school standards.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
51
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
23.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
223
Total Pupils
113
Boys
110
Girls
2026 academic year
Questions parents ask about Ashbourne College
What are GCSE results like at Ashbourne College?
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Ashbourne College can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
What is Ashbourne College's Ofsted rating?
Ashbourne College was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2024.
Does Ashbourne College meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in November 2024, Ashbourne College met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Ashbourne College?
Ashbourne College has around 223 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Ashbourne College?
Ashbourne College is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near Ashbourne College?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 213 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 44 serious and 168 slight. 7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 32 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Kensington and Chelsea is 204.5 (the median across 74 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Ashbourne College?
Ashbourne College is at 17 Old Court Place, Kensington, London, W8 4PL.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)