The Ashcombe School
3728699
224291557
2008-07-08T05:05:17Z
132.185.144.122
/* Notable alumni */
{{Infobox UK school
| name = The Ashcombe School
| image =
| size =
| latitude = 51.2387
| longitude = -0.3295
| dms = dms
| motto = 'I could teach you a thing or two. Yeah. Yeah.'
| motto_pl =
| established = 1976
| approx =
| closed =
| c_approx =
| type = [[Comprehensive school]], [[Community school]]
| religion =
| president =
| head_label =
| head = David J. Blow
| r_head_label =
| r_head =
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| founder =
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| specialist = Language
| specialist_pl =
| street = Ashcombe Road
| city = Dorking
| county = Surrey
| country = [[England]]
| postcode = RH4 1LY
| LEA = Surrey
| ofsted = 125264
| staff =
| enrollment = c. 1500
| gender = Coeducational
| lower_age = 11
| upper_age = 18
| houses = 4
| colours = Navy blue
| publication =
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| website = http://www.ashcombe.surrey.sch.uk/
| website_name = The Ashcombe School
}}
'''The Ashcombe School''' is a mixed [[LEA]] [[comprehensive school|comprehensive secondary school]], in [[Dorking]], [[Surrey]]. It has been classed as a specialist [[Language College]] under the [[Specialist Schools Trust]] since September 1998.
It was featured in [[the Independent]] and [[the Guardian]] as a school that teaches [[Standard Mandarin|Mandarin]].<ref>{{cite web
| last = McCormack
| first = Steve
| title = Language of the future: Why Mandarin Chinese is taking off in schools
| work = Education
| publisher = independent.co.uk
| date =2007-07-05
| url = http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/language-of-the-future-why-mandarin-chinese-is-taking-off-in-schools-455913.html
| accessdate =2008-04-18 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web
| last = Cutforth
| first = Sarah
| title = The future is ... Mandarin
| work = Education Guardian
| publisher = Guardian News and Media Limited
| date = 2004-04-06
| url = http://education.guardian.co.uk/egweekly/story/0,5500,1186057,00.html
| accessdate =2008-04-18 }}</ref>
The Ashcombe School is a mixed community comprehensive school maintained by the Local Authority. It was founded in 1976, following the amalgamation of Dorking County Grammar School and Mowbray Secondary School. The school is situated in close proximity to some delightful Surrey countryside including [[Box Hill, Surrey|Box Hill]] and [[Ranmore Common]]. The [[A24 road (Great Britain)|A24]], [[A25 road|A25]], both [[Dorking Deepdene railway station|Dorking Deepdene]] and [[Dorking railway station|Dorking]] railway stations (serving Horsham, Epsom, Guildford and Reigate) and [[Dorking F.C.]] are close by.
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.
The school aims to provide opportunities for pupils of
all abilities to achieve high standards. An excellent
range of courses is available and the level of the
school’s academic success is widely recognised.
Our 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 (which are now divided into AS and A2
level courses), 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
of our students have been offered university
places, including entries to Oxbridge.
Curriculum provision is based upon the National
Curriculum which was first introduced in
1988 with the intention of providing a broad,
balanced, relevant and differentiated curriculum for all pupils until the age of 16.
The school seeks to promote the personal growth
of all pupils by developing appropriate skills and
aptitudes by providing a cultural framework within
which pupils can express their individuality and
develop positive social attitudes.
'''A Specialist Language College'''
Specialist schools are existing secondary schools
which provide rich experiences in their chosen
specialism in addition to the National
Curriculum. They are also expected to provide a
resource for other schools and for their local
communities and to have a particular concern
for the vocational importance of their area of
specialism.
The Ashcombe School became a Language
College in September 1998. It sought this
specialism in view of the predominance of
service sector businesses within this area of
Surrey and the increasingly international
commercial world. The school is very aware that
employers need people who can operate
effectively across linguistic and cultural boundaries.
As a Language College we receive additional
funding to enable the school to apply the most
modern information and communication
technology to the teaching and learning of
languages, to extend opportunities for pupils to learn languages (which now include Mandarin
Chinese) and to widen the scope for all pupils to
communicate directly with students overseas both
through exchange visits. Two multi-media rooms
dedicated to the teaching of languages give the
school outstanding facilities. Language and international
links are not confined to the Modern
Languages Department but pervade the whole
curriculum. The language college opportunities
enhance our commitment to a broad and balanced
curriculum.
==Notable alumni==
*[[Evan Davis (journalist)]], journalist
*[[Jamie Mackie]], footballer
==External links==
*[http://www.ashcombe.surrey.sch.uk/ The Ashcombe School's official website]
*[http://www.ashcombedorkinian.com/ Ashcombe Dorkinian Association]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ashcombe School}}
[[Category:Schools in Surrey]]
[[Category:Language Colleges in England]]
[[Category:Educational institutions established in 1976]]