York, North Yorkshire · YO62 4ER
Ampleforth College is a Catholic Benedictine boarding school set in the North Yorkshire moors, founded and run by the monks of Ampleforth Abbey. It occupies a vast rural estate and offers an education shaped by the Benedictine values of community, prayer, work, and service. The school has undergone significant scrutiny and reform in recent years following historical safeguarding failures, and under current leadership has committed to cultural renewal and transparency. Despite its troubled recent past, it retains a distinctive spiritual and communal identity that sets it apart from secular independent schools.
Who thrives here
A pupil who flourishes in a faith-centred, full-boarding environment and values community, character formation, and service alongside academic development. Those with Catholic family backgrounds, or who are open to a structured spiritual life, tend to feel most at home.
Percentiles within UK independent + grammar schools we track.
Ampleforth
York, North Yorkshire
YO62 4ER
Nearest stations
Rupert Everett
Actor and author
Lord Garel-Jones
Conservative politician and Minister of State
Hugh Laurie
Actor (attended briefly — attribution disputed)
Cardinal Basil Hume
Archbishop of Westminster and former monk of Ampleforth
Sir James Wilby
Actor known for films including Gosford Park and Maurice
Day fees at Ampleforth College are approximately £41,700 per year (2024/25). Boarding fees are higher.
Ampleforth College admits pupils at 11+, 13+, 16+. Entry is assessed by Interview, Assessment. See the Admissions section above for open days and key dates.
At Ampleforth College, 16.9% of A-levels were graded A*–B and 21.4% of GCSEs were grade 7/A or above. Full results are in the Results section above.
Ampleforth College offers boarding as well as day places.
Ofsted rated Ampleforth College “Good” (2023).
Frequently praised
✓Genuinely tight-knit boarding community where staff and pupils know each other well
✓Strong spiritual and values-based formation that parents feel is lacking in secular schools
✓Outstanding music and choral tradition enriching daily school life
✓Warm, dedicated housemasters who take pastoral care seriously
Common concerns
!Historical safeguarding failures have damaged trust and required significant reassurance from current leadership
!Academic outcomes and league-table results trail behind comparable fee-paying boarding schools
!Remote location can feel isolating for some pupils, particularly those joining at 16
!Transition following the closure of Gilling Castle prep has disrupted traditional feeder pipeline