Ashton Sixth Form College (commonly referred to as ASFC) is an 'Outstanding'

sixth form college A sixth form college is an educational institution, where students aged 16 to 19 typically study for advanced school-level qualifications, such as A Levels, Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) and the International Baccalaureate Di ...

Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester Ashton-under-Lyne is a market town in Tameside, Greater Manchester, England. The population was 45,198 at the 2011 census. Historic counties of England, Historically in Lancashire, it is on the north bank of the River Tame, Greater Manchester, ...

. Founded in 1928 as Ashton-under-Lyne Grammar School, the college has an acceptance rate of 28% (2021).

History

19th century

Ashton Sixth Form College first began as a grammar school attached to a parish church in Ashton during the seventeenth century. The Ashton Grammar School that came before the Sixth Form College has its roots in the nonconformist Independent Congregational school at Albion, completed in 1862. It was the largest Sunday school in England at the time, but the school closed in 1926 and the pupils were transferred to the new council school on Mossley Road. The campus now lies on Darnton Road along with the corporate buildings of Titus Tetlow Esq of Ashton-under-Lyne. He left a sum of money in his will to promote the education of both sexes. He also left money to the trustees in order to devote money for prizes and for the salaries of Science and Art teachers at the Mechanics Institute. Technical Schools and Colleges then emerged from the Mechanics Institutes. Additionally, George Hegginbottom, another Albion man and mill owner, left the sum of £10,000 in his Will to the corporation. The money was used to erect a "Free Library and Technical Institute" on Old Street. The Hegginbottom Technical School opened in 1892 - one of the first in the country.

20th century

In October 1904, Ashton-under-Lyne Secondary School was formed from the School of Science in the Hegginbottom Technical School. Each year, places were awarded to 32 pupils, 16 for girls and 16 for boys. In 1928, the school obtained its own building on Darnton Road, where it acquired the name of Ashton-under-Lyne Grammar School.

21st century

In 1980, under educational re-organisation, high schools for 11-16-year-olds were created and Ashton Grammar School became Ashton Sixth Form College.

Academic performance

Ashton Sixth Form College is the highest

Ofsted The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) is a Non-ministerial government department, non-ministerial department of Government of the United Kingdom, His Majesty's government, reporting to Parliament of the U ...

-rated institution in

Tameside The Metropolitan Borough of Tameside is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester in England. It is named after the River Tame, Greater Manchester, River Tame, which flows through the borough, and includes the towns of Ashton-under-Lyne, Aud ...

with an 'Outstanding' rating. In 2022, 1,356 A* and A grades were rewarded to students, and 38 courses at the college achieved 100% pass rates. Ashton Sixth Form College was ranked fourth in Greater Manchester by the

Department for Education The Department for Education (DfE) is a department of His Majesty's Government responsible for child protection, child services, education (compulsory, further and higher education), apprenticeships and wider skills in England. A Department ...

, and is the highest performing college in Tameside since its inception. It is consistently ranked in the top 25% of colleges nationally. The college is increasingly competitive and oversubscribed, with an acceptance rate of 28% (2021)

Notable alumni

Gerard Kearns Gerard Kearns (born 4 October 1984) is an English actor. He is best known as Ian Gallagher in '' Shameless''. Career Kearns starred in the film '' The Mark of Cain'', for Film4 Productions, based on British soldiers' abuse of Iraqi prisoner ...

: Actor *

Melanie Sykes Melanie Ann Sykes (born 7 August 1970) is an English television and radio presenter. She is best known for co-hosting '' Today with Des and Mel'' with Des O'Connor and '' Let's Do Lunch'' with Gino D'Acampo. She also co-hosted '' Going Out with ...

: Model and Television Presenter

Ashton-under-Lyne Grammar School

* Peter Buckley: Professor of International Business at the University of Leeds * Ronald Fraser: Actor *

John Pendry Sir John Brian Pendry, (born 4 July 1943) is an English theoretical physicist known for his research into refractive indices and creation of the first practical "Invisibility, Invisibility Cloak". He is a professor of theoretical solid state ph ...

: Professor of Theoretical Solid State Physics at

Imperial College London Imperial College London (legally Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine) is a public research university in London, United Kingdom. Its history began with Prince Albert, consort of Queen Victoria, who developed his vision for a cu ...

John Savident John Savident (born 21 January 1938) is a retired British actor, known for his numerous television roles, including his portrayal of Fred Elliott in the soap opera '' Coronation Street'' from 1994-2006. He is also known for his performance as ...

: Actor * Gordon Taylor: Footballer and CEO of the

Professional Footballers' Association The Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) is the trade union for professional association footballers in England and Wales. Founded in 1907, it is the world's oldest professional sport trade union, and has over 5,000 members. The aims of ...

References

External links

*
Former school

EduBase
{{Authority control Education in Tameside Educational institutions established in 1928 Sixth form colleges in Greater Manchester 1928 establishments in England