The Ashcombe School


The Ashcombe School is a mixed community comprehensive secondary school in Dorking, Surrey, for children aged 11 to 16 with a sixth form for ages 16 to 18.

History

The Ashcombe School was established in 1976, by the merger of Dorking County Grammar School and Mowbray School. The co-educational Dorking County Grammar School had been founded in 1931 with the Amalgamation of the Dorking High School for Boys and St.Martin's Church Of England High School for Girls opened in 1903. Mowbray Secondary Modern School for Girls opened on an adjacent site in 1953.The schools were close enough to share the school kitchen

Pupils

Pupils range in age from 11 to 18 and the current number on roll is approximately 1600 with a standard admission number of 240 pupils in Year 7, the year of intake.
Each year, approximately 240 pupils join The Ashcombe School from nearly 30 different primary and independent schools. The number of Sixth Form students is approximately 300, including some from other schools.

Curriculum and academic performance

The school curriculum is based on the National Curriculum and the school has been noted for its academic success.
The school claims that GCSE results have been consistent over
several years with typically 100% gaining 5 A*-G,
around 80% gaining 5 A*-C and 70% 5A*-C
including Maths and English and over 20 pupils
gaining 5 or more A* grades. In addition to
A-levels, the sixth form offers a limited
number of GCSEs and GNVQ. In the
A-level examinations the average points score
per student is consistently around 350pts per student. As a result of these successes, most
students are offered university
places, including entries to Oxbridge.

Language teaching

The Ashcombe School became a Specialist Language College in September 1998, allowing it to receive additional funding. It was featured in the Independent and the Guardian as a school that teaches Mandarin.

Notable alumni

Dorking High School for Boys