Ashton Sixth Form College is proud to announce that all eight of this year's Oxbridge hopefuls have successfully secured their places at the prestigious universities of Oxford and Cambridge. This incredible achievement reaffirms Ashton Sixth Form College’s position as a leading institution for academic excellence in Tameside.

Centre Principal Lisa Richards expressed her delight at the students' accomplishments, stating, "I am thrilled that all eight of this year’s Oxbridge hopefuls secured their places following the publication of results. Our Oxbridge cohort have worked incredibly hard to push themselves to the highest levels academically, fully engaging with XL Academy activities. As such, they are ready for this exciting next stage of their educational careers – we wish them our very best!"

The success of the Oxbridge cohort is a testament to the robust support provided by the college’s XL Academy, a programme dedicated to nurturing high-achieving students. The Academy offers tailored guidance on making competitive Oxbridge applications, from entrance exams to interviews, ensuring that students are fully prepared for the challenges ahead.

Ashton Sixth Form College’s XL Academy is a well-established programme, with over 12 years’ experience in producing excellent outcomes for the college’s highest performing students. The programme ensures students can meet and surpass the demanding entry requirements of Oxbridge, Russell Group Universities and premium degree apprenticeships.

In keeping with the College’s long-standing history in the borough, The XL Academy was established in 2011 with the aim of giving high achieving students a space to express themselves, share their thoughts and discuss their ambitions openly.

With 100 students in the very first cohort, the programme is now enrolling over 500 students consistently, a testament to the specialist expertise of staff at the college.

Students Katy, Frank, and Arlo, who are among this year's successful Oxbridge candidates, shared their experiences and gratitude for the support they received from Ashton Sixth Form College:

Katy, who will be studying Medicine at the University of Oxford, said, "Opening UCAS on results day to read 'University of Oxford has confirmed your place to study Medicine' was incredible. The extensive support and mentoring from ASFC, including challenging mock interviews and personal statement feedback through the XL Academy, were key to my success. I am very grateful and cannot wait to begin my medical journey at Oxford."

Frank, who achieved AAA in his A-levels, along with an A in EPQ and an A in French, expressed his excitement about studying History and Politics at Oxford: "The support with mock interviews and the unique opportunities offered through the enrichments at ASFC, such as the BSL introductory course, were invaluable. I am looking forward to studying at Oxford later this year."

Arlo, who will be studying Maths at St John's College, Cambridge, highlighted the importance of the XL programme: "The XL programme at Ashton helped me succeed in many ways, from running mock interviews to providing personal statement advice. The maths department at Ashton has been invaluable in supporting my entrance exam preparations."

Dr Damian Windle, who heads up the XL Academy added “Applying and gaining a place at Oxford or Cambridge is no mean feat with a sustained level of effort and ability to cope with pressure needed at every stage of the journey: through writing a personal statement, completing entrance exams, enduring numerous interviews and finally gaining the actual A-level grades to get in. Therefore, this year's Oxbridge cohort has done remarkably well and these results not only showcases the individual brilliance of each student but also the excellence of the wider team around them in family, peers and staff at the college who have supported them along the way.

This stunning news regarding our Oxbridge 2024 cohort also comes at a significant time for The XL Academy as we launch our Oxbridge Scholars program for 2024/25. This has seen significant investment in the support that we give our Oxbridge applicants ranging from extra small group tutorials to a substantial increase in Oxbridge visits and shadowing in the hope that the college has even greater success in securing more places at Oxford and Cambridge universities and cementing our place as the number one college in the area for high achievement.”

Ashton Sixth Form College’s commitment to academic excellence is further exemplified by the broad range of universities and courses its students will be attending this year. Beyond Oxbridge, graduates are progressing to universities across the country, studying a wide array of subjects, as well as entering into excellent job and apprenticeship opportunities.

"Outside of Oxbridge, our completers are progressing to universities across the country to study an incredibly wide range of subjects, with over 600 students getting their first choice of university as well as taking up some excellent jobs and apprenticeship opportunities," added Lisa Richards. "It is great to see all of our leavers following their dreams and pursuing their passions. They have a bright future ahead of them!"

The outstanding achievements of the Class of 2024 have set new records and maintained the college's reputation for academic excellence across all qualification types underpinning Ashton Sixth Form College’s role in shaping the future of its students, providing them with the skills, knowledge, and opportunities needed to succeed at the highest levels.