Ashbourne’s prepares students applying for highly competitive courses in Engineering, Finance, Medicine, Natural Sciences, and Oxford and Cambridge universities. Specialist programmes are also offered for the Arts, Drama, EPQ and Music.
Ashbourne’s specialist university programmes equip students to make successful applications for highly competitive courses and universities. The programmes typical involve weekly workshops that broaden students’ understanding of the field and opportunities within, one-to-one guidance and support to prepare them for additional entrance examinations and admission requirements, interview practice and academic support to ensure they are making the required progress to achieve the highest grades.
Ashbourne’s A level courses, taken in conjunction with the specialist university programmes, offer outstanding opportunities for ambitious and hardworking students who will benefit from the individual support and choice we offer to help our students reach the highest grades.
Our students consistently achieve outstanding results, 51% A*A (2024-2025), 51% A*A (10-year average), with excellent progress that places the College in the top 2.5% of schools and colleges in the UK for value added.
Around 63% of our students applying for degree courses in the UK go on to study at Russell Group universities, including UCL, King’s College London, Imperial, Warwick, Oxford and Cambridge.
Ashbourne College complements its academic excellence with an exciting programme of events, activities, trips and clubs to suit many tastes and which offer our students fantastic opportunities to discover new ideas, share their creativity, develop skills, have fun and make great friends along the way.
Highlights include the well-loved European trip, Ashbourne Revue and Creative Arts Event. Other popular activities include the West End theatre trips, art exhibitions, Ashbourne Allstars Football Team and staff-versus-students go-karting.
We also run events and activities to help support our students’ academically throughout the year with subject clinics and careers events, and entry into internal and national competitions.
Ashbourne offers an adult-approach to learning which is less formal than most schools yet is demanding and disciplined. We believe this helps nurture confident, self-reliant and independent thinking students prepared for the next stages of their lives. We attract students from all over the world making the college a vibrant, diverse and exciting place to learn.
If you are interested in joining Ashbourne click here to contact our admissions team.
1. What are specialist university programmes at Ashbourne?
Our specialist university programmes are designed to help ambitious students apply successfully to competitive courses and universities. They include weekly workshops, interview practice, exam preparation, and one-to-one UCAS guidance
2. Does Ashbourne offer LNAT preparation?
Yes. While we do not run a specialised law programme, we do provide preparation sessions for students who need to sit the LNAT test. These sessions help students develop the critical thinking and analytical skills required for a successful application to competitive law courses.
3. How do specialist programmes prepare students for Oxbridge and Russell Group universities?
Students receive targeted entrance exam support, interview preparation, academic mentoring, and personal statement guidance. Around 63% of Ashbourne students progress to Russell Group universities, including Oxford and Cambridge.
4. What extra academic support is included in the programmes?
Programmes offer supplementary subject clinics, EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) support, and additional tutorials to help students reach the highest grades in their A-levels.
