Ashton Sixth Form College

Ashton Sixth Form College is the leading provider of 16-18 education in the area. The college is located in Tameside, Greater Manchester and supports around 2,000+ students on A-Level and vocational programmes. The college also offers a number of Adult and Higher Education courses.

Over the past three years, Ashton has been ranked in the top 25% of colleges nationally. The DfE performance tables have also placed Ashton as the top college in the borough for the fourth year running (DfE, 2020).

The college community at Ashton is vitally important. Students have access to an extensive range of opportunities, trips, visits, guest speakers and support, to ensure that they are able to make informed decisions about their futures.

The college’s history at the Darnton Road site dates back to 1928 and since then, the campus has been transformed, making way for the latest technology and state-of-the-art facilities.

Centre Principal

Lisa Richards

Our Vision

Transforming lives through learning

Our Mission

• To engender a love of learning through an excellent standard of teaching and learning for all
• To lay the foundations for career success
• To promote well-being and inspire students and staff to lead fulfilling lives

Our Strategic Aims

• To achieve excellence in all aspects of our work
• To deliver relevant and coherent 16-19 study programmes which meet the needs of students and the wider community
• To deliver a relevant adult and Higher Education curriculum which meets the needs of students and the wider community
• To enhance the well-being of students and staff
• To secure a sustainable and successful future for the college

Ofsted report

In 2020, Ofsted judged the college as 'Outstanding' in all areas. Highlights from the Ofsted report include:

"Students are exceptionally polite, self-assured, respectful and resourceful. They enjoy their studies, take pride in their work and have an overwhelmingly positive attitude towards their learning."

"Staff accurately identify and meet the support needs of students with high needs. As a result, students develop their independence over time, which improves their life chances"

"Students enjoy an extremely well-planned curriculum that teaches them much more than the knowledge they need to pass their qualifications."

"Staff help students to achieve high grades and produce work to a consistently high standard."