CONTACT

Activities, Special Events & Clubs at Ashbourne College, London

Ashbourne offers a wide range of events, activities, clubs and trips for students to take part in throughout the academic year. This not only gives them an opportunity to get to know each other better and have fun but also to develop new skills, explore their creativity and discover a world of learning beyond the curriculum.

Due to COVID-19 we are unable to run all events and clubs this year; please refer to the schedule to find out what is taking place. Contact our Activities and Events officer to find out how to get involved or get further information.

Special events at Ashbourne

Creative Arts Evening

The Creative Arts Evening is an annual event to celebrate our students artistic and musical talents in a professional setting. This popular social event is open to all including current students, ex-Ashers and those interested in what Ashbourne has to offer. Find out more about our Art Faculty and Drama & Theatre at Ashbourne.

Tour of London

At the beginning of every academic year we organise a Tour of London for our new students so they have a chance to get a taster of what the capital has to offer. Students will visit a great selection of London’s sights and landmarks on this one-day tour.

The Ashbourne Revue

This all-singing, all-dancing extravaganza is a real highlight of the college year and for many students it is the most outstanding and memorable experience of their time at Ashbourne.

Students and staff from across the college come together to showcase their creative talents in this spectacular event, which takes place at Christmas, has been running for more than two decades and was originally set up by the art department as a fashion show. Today’s performances include acting, comedy, cultural display, drumming ensembles, fashion catwalks, football skills, graphic design, musical performance, modern dance, traditional dance and much more. The show usually pulls in a huge audience. Watch Ashbourne Revue highlights.

Music concerts

Ashbourne offers students many opportunities to compose and perform their own music and organises a variety of concerts hosted at nearby venues. We also bring in professional musicians to play our students compositions. Over the years we have put on a wide selection of chamber concerts, personal performances and ensembles. Find out more about Music at Ashbourne and watch an Ashbourne Music concert.

End of Year Awards

And the winner is … Ashbourne’s annual award ceremony takes place every year at a local hotel and includes a three-course meal with champagne, a DJ for dancing the night away, chocolate fountain and photo booth with silly costumes. It is a chance to celebrate our students outstanding achievements and personalities as well as to stay farewell before they go off to university and the wider world.

Back to menu

Activities at Ashbourne

Go Karting

Ashbourne’s student-versus-staff Go Karting is one of our longest running activities. This regular and hugely popular social event is both fun and competitive, especially against the staff who have racked up plenty of trophies over time.

The Go Karting usually takes place at the Docklands Greenwich Circuit, which offers fast karts and a long, twisting track. The venue is extremely well-equipped and meets all the required safety standards. Everyone is properly briefed and kitted out with go-karting clothing, helmets and gloves.

Bowling

Bowling is another of Ashbourne’s popular activities, again typically with students versus staff. The bowing teams head off to Bayswater bowling alley, which is a very peasant walk across Kensington Gardens in Hyde Park, and enjoy a quick meal before settling in for the real event. Students should be prepared to give it all they have got as Ashbourne staff count some star bowlers on their side.

Ice Skating and Winter Wonderland

Every December the National History Museum, which is a short walk from the college, sets up an outdoor skating rink in front of their world-famous building. All Ashbourne skaters are welcome from total beginners to budding Olympic champions with the hope that the steadier ones will help those struggling to stay upright (in true Asher spirit!). Students are rewarded with a well-deserved hot chocolate and seasonal treats before exploring the other Winter Wonderland attractions and stalls.

Musical theatre

Ashbourne takes full advantage of the superb selection of world-class shows and venues London has to offer. We organise regular outings throughout the year to see musicals and operas, and all students are welcome to come.

Back to menu

Clubs at Ashbourne College

Ashbourne offers a selection of clubs, subject clinics and programmes that run at lunch times, 1-2pm; with Film Club taking place after college. Clubs run on a first-come, first-serve basis, with an agreed maximum number of students allowed to attend at any one time, so please ensure you turn up on time to guarantee your place. New students are always welcome. Contact our Careers and Events Officer if you would like to take part in any of the clubs or clinics in the current schedule, or suggest new one.

About the clubs

Ashbourne Allstars Football Club

Budding footie players are welcome to join Ashbourne’s highly successful Allstars Football team. The team play against other London sixth form colleges and often land top of league. It’s a great chance to put your teamwork skills into practice and de-stress after a hard working week at college. The team trains at a sports venue near to the college.

Astro Particle Physics Club

Explore the laws of the universe and our place in it, at the Astro Particle Physics club. A real must for A level Physics students and anyone else fascinated by the world around them.

Chess Club

This popular and competitive club is run by Michael Peat and Chris Todd. Students who fancy challenging a member of staff to a game of chess should certainly chance their hand. All abilities welcome.

Computer Science Club

Develop your creative and analytical skills to create innovative software programs with potentially far-reaching applications in the real world. This club is ideal for A level Computer Science students and anyone else who has a passion for programming.

Debating Club

This club is for any student with a passion for critical thought, freedom of speech and logical discussion. At debating club meetings, students have the chance to discuss important issues, analyse ideas and learn the art of rhetoric. This is a fantastic club for anyone who has something to say and particularly A level English Literature, Politics, History and Drama students.

Drum Club

Fantastic club for those who need a strong beat and bit of rhythm in their lives. Open to all but great for A level Music students.

Economics Club

Chew over the issues of the day and delve further into the structures, forces and players that are shaping our economy and ways of life. Excellent club for those studying A level Economics and finance-related subjects.

Film Club

Films lovers can experience an eclectic selection of wonderful films, from art house to sci-fi and everything in between. The club is fun by our in-house film critic, producer and A level Film Studies teacher Dennis Fulcher. Bring popcorn.

Game Programming Club

This is student run club for anyone eager to get into the world of game programming and design or to develop their skills further. Find out more about this club on their blog. Excellent for A level Computer Science students and designers.

Italian Club

Come and discuss Italian culture, literature and film at this club. It is an excellent choice for A level Italian students but is open to all levels including total beginners and native Italians.

LGBTQ+

Meet up to discuss issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community and support available to help students have a fun and positive experience of student life.

Psychology

Explore psychology beyond the A level specification in this club. Previous topics discussed include 19th century neuroscience, Borderline Personality Disorder, the psychology of cults, the evolution of language and the psychology of terrorism. Excellent club for those studying A level Psychology.

UKMT Maths Challenge

Ashbourne’s ambitious Maths students are strong contenders for the annual UKMT Maths Challenge, having won gold certificates in the past for individual and group entries. This club is ideal for training for this extremely tough national competition which pushes students far beyond the scope of the A level syllabus. A real must for A level Maths, Further Maths and Physics students.

Back to menu

College trips at Ashbourne

Art trips

London is a gift for Art students with its sheer abundance of world-class museums, galleries and exhibitions. Ashbourne’s Art Faculty organises a variety of art trips throughout the year in the capital as well as a residential trip in the autumn to another culturally and artistically rich European city. Students are guided by an art expert and are expected to produce sketches and notes. It is both an inspirational and memorable experience, and lots of fun too.

Drama Trips

As part of Ashbourne’s ongoing commitment to its Drama and Theatre Studies course, drama students have an amazing opportunity to see some of the best plays that London has to offer at some of its world-class venues such as The Royal Court, The National Theatre and The Old Vic. Find out more about A level Drama & Theatre at Ashbourne.

Biology

A level Biology students go on a week-long field trip to the Algarve, Portugal in November. They will exam the existing ecosystems and carry out field research. It is also an opportunity to explore the beautiful coastline and east some great food. Find out more about A level Biology at Ashbourne.

Geography

The Lake District, situated in Cumbria in the north of England, is a spectacular landscape for our annual A level Geography field trip. Students will particularly focus their research on Blencathra, which is a small range of fells within the wider northern fells of the region; the highest peak in Blencathra is 868 metres. Find out more about A level Geography at Ashbourne.

Language and culture

Every year Ashbourne organises a trip to a major European city during the Spring half term to expand students’ cultural horizons and appreciation of the art, architecture, music and theatre that other cities have to offer. This is an extremely popular cultural experience and, like the Ashbourne Revue, is a highlight of many students’ time at the college. It has been running for many years and previous trips include Barcelona, Amsterdam, Athens, Madrid, Florence and Rome. Find out more about A level French, Spanish and German at Ashbourne.

Back to menu

Careers and education

A level taster days

We offer our year 11 students the chance to ‘try out’ different A level subjects before choosing which combination to study at Ashbourne. We organise a series of open evenings and webinar talks to introduce students to new subjects and to meet teachers. Find out more about GCSE and  A levels at Ashbourne.

Biology, Maths and Physics Olympiads

Ashbourne encourages its most enthusiastic and ambitious Biology, Maths and Physics students to take part in national and international competitions for their subjects, which are organised and set prestigious establishments such as The Royal Society of Biology, the United Kingdom Mathematics Trust and Oxford University. These are extremely tough competitions that challenge students to push far beyond the scope of the A level syllabus. Find our more about A level Biology, Maths and Physics at Ashbourne.

English Literature award

Ashbourne hosts an annual English Literature Essay Competition, open to anybody between 14 and 17 years old. Entries are welcome from both Ashbourne and external students, with a cash prize and a chance for new students to interview for scholarship places at the college. Find out more about A level English Literature at Ashbourne and our Scholarship Programme.

Drama Awards

Ashbourne has an exciting and successful Drama department where students not only achieve excellent A level results but also win awards. Our A level Drama and Theatre students take part in the ISA Drama Festival, which brings together around 500 independent and specialist performing arts schools from across the country. Find out more about A level Drama and Theatre at Ashbourne.

Critical Theory Seminars

Ashbourne’s very popular weekly Critical Theory seminars invite students to scrape the surface of their cultural and social worlds to discover and question the underlying forces and structures that shape and constrain them. These seminars are not only invaluable for A level students studying humanities and social science subjects, but are excellent preparation for university and beyond. The seminars are led by Wesley Rykalski and James Wykes. Find out more about Critical Theory at Ashbourne.

Film Awards

Ashbourne A level Film Studies students get the chance to enter the Moving Image Awards, set up by WJEC Eduquas exam board and the British Film Institute to celebrate and reward talented filmmakers. Film Studies is a very popular and successful subject at Ashbourne with students consistently achieving excellent results and often winning awards in this competition. Find out more about A level Film Studies at Ashbourne.

Subject clinics

Ashbourne runs a selection of key subject clinics that allow students to consolidate their core understanding of the subject, strengthen areas that need further work and explore new areas or ideas to widen their subject knowledge. These clinics take place at lunch times (1-2pm) and specific details can be found in the Clubs section above or by contacting our Activities and Events officer.

UCAS day

Every year Ashbourne we organise a one or two-day event for our Year 12 students to take part in UCAS and careers-focused workshops and hear talks by guest speakers from Russell Group Universities, working professionals and Ashbourne alumni. Find out more about University and Careers at Ashbourne.

University Entrance Programmes

Ashbourne’s University Entrance Programmes are designed to give students the best possible chance of gaining a place on highly competitive courses at top UK universities. Find out more about our programmes:

Back to menu

Menu ☰
Menu ☰