Ashbourne Independent Sixth-form College

Ashbourne A level Music students won two awards in the ISA Music Composition Competition (2019). Deniz Dortok won second place with Goldmunds Journey and Dominic Tso won third for Homage to Beethoven and Shostakovich, in the sixth form category. The Independent Schools Association (ISA) competition received more than 100 entries from a wide age range of pupils.

The judge was very impressed with Deniz’s piece describing it as “very accomplished writing, with luscious textures and surging climaxes. …the piece speaks to the soul with a yearning and tragic voice of loss.” He also applauded Dominic for his success in showing the surprising similarities in use of harmony and texture by two distinct composers.

https://vimeo.com/296879289

Music at Ashbourne

Piers Tattersall, head of Music at Ashbourne, has been composing for many years and his work has been performed widely including by the Britten Sinfonia, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, The Composers’ Ensemble and London Children’s Ballet. As well as teaching A level Music, Piers runs the college chamber choir, supports the House Band and encourages students to set up their own ensembles. He organises a variety of events in which students can perform their work and is instrumental in the production of the annual arts showcase event, the Ashbourne Revue.

 

Former Ashbourne Music students have gone on to secure places at prestigious institutions including Royal Holloway, Birmingham Conservatoire, Russell Group Universities and the Royal College of Music. Find out what students have to say about studying Music at Ashbourne.

Ashbourne A level Biology students won the Highly Commendable Award and Silver Award at the British Biology Olympiad 2019. The competition, open to students from around the world, is part of the Royal Society of Biology’s programme to inspire, engage and reward budding biologists. Four finalists are selected to represent the UK at the International Biology Olympiad. The competition comprised two 45-minute multiple choice papers set under exam conditions.

 

 

Find out more about A level Biology at Ashbourne and our long-running Medical School Programme

https://www.ashbournecollege.co.uk/a-level-college-london/a-level-biology/

https://www.ashbournecollege.co.uk/a-level-college-london/medical-school-preparation-at-ashbourne-a-level-college/

Ashbourne’s A level Drama & Theatre Studies students scooped three awards at the ISA Drama Festival (2019): Hurst Lodge Award for best senior production, Margaret Milner-Williams Medal for best senior boy performer and the Hollygirt Prize for best moment of theatre in senior production. The Independent Schools Association (ISA) competition included around 500 independent and specialist performing arts schools from across the country.

Daniel Kedge, who has directed many of his own productions including at Edinburgh Festival and who has been teaching theatre for many years, leads the A level Drama & Theatre Studies course at Ashbourne. Students follow the AQA syllabus which offers a good balance between physical performance and written theory.

A unique feature of studying A level Drama & Theatre Studies at Ashbourne is that students will see up to 15 productions in a single year at some of London’s outstanding theatre venues. They also have plenty of opportunities to perform including at Ashbourne’s thriving drama club and at the very popular annual showcase event, the Ashbourne Revue.

Ashbourne holds annual auditions for Drama scholarships. Prospective students are asked to perform a short monologue in front of a panel including Ashbourne’s Drama tutors and the Director of Studies.

 

Find out more about drama and scholarships at Ashbourne

 

https://www.ashbournecollege.co.uk/a-level-drama-college-london/

https://www.ashbournecollege.co.uk/private-sixth-form-college-london/a-level-scholarships-london/

Ashbourne offers a great selection of half-day Easter Revision courses for A level and GCSE.

Courses run over five days in morning (10am – 1pm) or afternoon (2–5pm) sessions, except GCSE Science which is a full-day course.

Our courses take place over a three-week period during the Easter holidays:
Week 1 – Monday 1st April – Friday 5th April
Week 2 – Monday 8th April – Friday 12th April
Week 3 – Monday 15th April – Friday 19th April

Please contact us to find out which courses are running and to apply: Easter Revision, easter@ashbournecollege.co.uk or 020 7937 3858 or via the website.

Ashbourne students got the chance to hear speakers from some of the UK’s top universities including Cambridge, Bristol and Edinburgh, London’s King’s College, LSE, UCL and Imperial College, and Exeter, Ravensbourne, UAL and Surrey, at an Ashbourne event this February to help students make successful university applications.

Students also received expert guidance and advice from Ashbourne’s Year 13 Deputy Heads, Amy Youngman and Sean Pillai, on how the university application process works, getting the best out of open days, how to write the perfect personal statement and developing a great reference.

Ashbourne students start to discuss and learn about their university application as early as possible so they can feel confident when sending their application through to UCAS. Each student is assigned a dedicated Personal Tutor, working closely with the Director of Studies Lee Kirby, who will guide them through every stage of the process as well as weekly group sessions.

Find out more from Admissions