About Us

Ashton Sixth Form College is a 16-18 Sixth Form College, hosting around 2,000 students in the heart of Ashton-Under-Lyne established in the 1980s from Ashton-Under-Lyne Grammar School.

Led by Centre Principal Lisa Richards, the college was rated Ofsted Outstanding in 2020.

Our Vision is to transform lives through learning. We aim to reach Our Vision through Our Mission to lay the foundations for career success, to engender a love of learning through an excellent standard of teaching and learning for all and to promote well-being and inspire students and staff to lead fulfilling lives.

Ashton Sixth Form College is part of Stamford Park Trust, a multi-academy established in 2019, with the aim of improving the life changes of young people in Tameside. Ashton Sixth Form College works closely with schools in the Tameside Borough to deliver Excellence and Ambition for all.

Welcome from the Centre Principal, Lisa Richards

Welcome to Ashton Sixth Form College. I am very proud to be Centre Principal at this successful, inclusive and vibrant college and I am delighted that you are considering joining us.

Our approach here is simple. We put our students at the heart of everything we do, treating you as an individual, nurturing your talents and igniting your passions. We have high expectations for each and every one of our students coupled with an understanding that you can only achieve your potential in an environment where you feel a sense of belonging and where you feel happy and safe. These things are very important to us. Our staff at ASFC are passionate, highly skilled and caring, and they will go the extra mile to ensure that you feel valued, supported and appropriately challenged.

We are very proud of our students’ achievements which are consistently outstanding and place ASFC as one of the highest performing colleges in the country. Crucially, our students’ achievements enable them to progress onto their chosen next steps, whether this is taking up a place at a top university or securing a highly competitive employment or apprenticeship opportunity. However, ASFC is more than just a place to study. We are here to help you broaden your horizons. As such, we strongly encourage our students to engage fully with our extensive enrichment programme which includes additional courses, an array of visiting speakers and a wide range of trips and visits. Ultimately, we want you to move on from Ashton Sixth Form College with skills, confidence, excellent qualifications and importantly, choices. 

Our History
Our reputation as the top education provider in Tameside has stood the test of time even from our humble origins.

We first began as a grammar school of sorts attached to the parish church in Ashton during the seventeenth century. However, the Ashton Grammar School that came before our 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 unfortunately the famous day school closed in 1926 and the pupils were transferred to the new council school on Mossley Road.

Our journey to our campus now on Darnton Road began with Titus Tetlow Esq of Ashton-under-Lyne. He left a sum of money in his will (June 26th 1890) 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. In addition, George Hegginbottom another Albion man and mill owner amongst his many instances of goodwill 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 and one of the most important in Lancashire. Then in 1903 the Education Act paved the way for the formation of Secondary Schools in Britain.

In October of 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. Although formed from Congregational roots, Ashton Secondary School was the first in the district where parents of any religious doctrine could send their children free from sectarian doctrinal influence. When in 1928 this school obtained its own building on Darnton Road, it acquired the name of Ashton-under-Lyne Grammar School, and the school was co-educational from day one.

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

Specialising in further education for 16-18 year olds for more than thirty years, Ashton Sixth Form College continues to provide excellent educational opportunities for the variety and individuality of our students. We continue in the values set by the foundation of the Grammar School: equality, aspiration and excellence.