Ampleforth College 13+ Guide 2026

Ampleforth College is a Catholic independent boarding and day school at Ampleforth, in North Yorkshire. The college is mixed, takes pupils aged 11 to 18 and has a Roman Catholic ethos; the school describes itself as a community of faith and scholarship.

This guide covers everything families need to know about the Ampleforth College 13+ admissions process in 2026: the January assessment, Common Entrance, offers, fees, scholarships, what life at Ampleforth is like and how to prepare effectively.

About Ampleforth College: Ethos, Visits and Inspection

Open Mornings include a tour of the school with current pupils, a visit to a boarding house, a chance to meet the Headmaster and key members of staff, and an invitation to stay for lunch. For boys and girls who arrive at 13+, the school encourages families to visit in person, often on multiple occasions.

The college’s proprietor is the St Laurence Education Trust, and the Department for Education’s register records its religious character as Catholic and its religious ethos as Roman Catholic.

The school describes its ethos as nurturing and educating its students to the best of their ability, supported by strong friendships in a community of faith and scholarship. It offers scholarships for academic ability and for talent in Art, Design & Technology, Drama, Dance, Music (instrumental, choral and piping) and Sport.

Ofsted’s latest standard inspection of the college, on 27 September 2023, was rated Good, and the Department for Education’s register names the Independent Schools Inspectorate as the college’s inspectorate.

Source: Ampleforth College admissions, fees and scholarships pages, the DfE register (GIAS) and Ofsted's provider page, retrieved 3 October 2026.

What Is the 13+ Admissions Process at Ampleforth College?

Ampleforth College’s 13+ admissions process is open to boys and girls, and for most pupils joining from a UK school it runs through the Ampleforth assessment and Common Entrance.

Enquiry: Families begin by contacting the Admissions Team. For September 2027 and 2028 entry, the school encourages families to apply at their earliest convenience.

Assessment Day: For most pupils joining at 13+ from a UK school, entry is through assessment at Ampleforth in January of Year 6 (or Year 7), and Common Entrance sat in June of Year 8. For 2028 and 2029 entry, the assessment is on Saturday 16 January 2027. Candidates not taking Common Entrance all take the Ampleforth assessment, in Year 6, Year 7 or Year 8.

Conditional offer: Following the Ampleforth assessment, and conditional upon Common Entrance for those taking it, most places are offered from the Autumn Term of Year 7 onwards, but can be as early as Year 6. Offers are subject to satisfactory school reports and a Head’s reference.

Common Entrance: For most pupils joining from a UK school, CE is sat in June of Year 8, and offers are conditional upon it. Strong preparation is still essential, particularly in core subjects.

How Do You Apply to Ampleforth College for 13+ Entry in 2026?

The application process for Ampleforth College 13+ begins with an enquiry to the Admissions Team. The key steps are as follows:

Step 1: Enquire. Visit the Ampleforth College admissions pages and contact the Admissions Team. The Admissions Office can be reached on 01439 766000 or at admissions@ampleforth.org.uk.

Step 2: Open Mornings and visits. Ampleforth holds Open Mornings for prospective families, and its admissions page gives the next Open Day as Saturday 23 January 2027. The school also welcomes individual visits. On an individual visit, families meet the Registrar and any members of staff they would like to talk to, tour the school and spend time with pupils, often over House Lunch.

Step 3: Assessment Day. For most pupils joining from a UK school, the Ampleforth assessment takes place in January of Year 6 (or Year 7); for 2028 and 2029 entry it is on Saturday 16 January 2027. Our specialist tutors at Leading Tuition prepare pupils for entry assessments.

Step 4: Conditional offer. Offers follow the Ampleforth assessment, are conditional upon Common Entrance for those taking it, and are subject to satisfactory school reports and a Head’s reference. On acceptance of a place a confirmation fee is payable, which the school refunds at the end of the child’s time at Ampleforth, less any final bill expenses.

Step 5: Common Entrance. In June of Year 8, most candidates joining from a UK school sit CE. Every June, pupils joining the following September are invited to New Starters’ Day to meet their future classmates; for 2027 entry it is held in June 2027.

Fees, Scholarships and Bursaries at Ampleforth College

Ampleforth College is a boarding and day school: from Year 9 onwards the options are to board fully or to be a day pupil, with the option to book ad hoc overnight stays. The school’s fees for 2026–2027, applying from September 2026, are £16,612 a term plus £3,323 VAT (£19,935 a term, £59,805 a year including VAT) for College Boarding in Years 9 to 13, and £11,569 a term plus £2,314 VAT (£13,883 a term, £41,649 a year including VAT) for College Day. Families planning for 2027 or 2028 entry should ask the Admissions Office for the fees that will apply in their child’s entry year.

At 13+, the Basil Hume Scholarship Programme offers scholarships in Academic, Art, Dance, Drama, Design & Technology, Music and Sport; applications can be made for more than one scholarship, but a pupil cannot hold more than two awards. For 2027 entry, the 13+ Basil Hume Scholarship days are on Thursday 26 and Friday 27 November 2026 and include the entrance assessments unless these were previously taken; applications close on Saturday 31 October 2026. Basil Hume Scholarships are held for three years. From Year 9 onwards, scholarships are honorary and bring no fee remission, although Music Scholarships cover music tuition, and there is a non-refundable fee of £50 per scholarship.

The college offers a limited number of means-tested bursaries for new applicants; applications for Year 9 to 12 entry close on Saturday 31 October 2026. Fee support also includes a 10% sibling discount for younger siblings of new families joining after September 2026; children of HM Armed Forces and HM Diplomatic Service personnel in receipt of the Continuity of Education Allowance pay only the mandatory 10% of boarding fees, with no further discounts. The college’s admissions team can advise on eligibility and the application process. Ampleforth says it is committed to broadening access to the college and to supporting children who will benefit from an Ampleforth education.

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How Should Pupils Prepare for Ampleforth College 13+ Entry?

Preparation for Ampleforth 13+ entry has two distinct phases: the Ampleforth assessment in January of Year 6 (or Year 7), and Common Entrance in June of Year 8. Each requires a different approach, and families who plan their preparation programme carefully will be significantly better placed than those who leave everything until the last term of Year 8.

Assessment preparation: Ampleforth publishes sample 13+ academic papers in English, Liberal Arts, Maths and STEM in the Sample Papers section of its scholarships page, alongside the 13+ Basil Hume Scholarship dates. Candidates who are familiar with the format, the time pressures and the types of questions in papers like these are likely to perform more consistently. Leading Tuition tutors can work through papers like these with a pupil, building familiarity and confidence without over-coaching in a way that is unhelpful or inauthentic.

Common Entrance preparation: Common Entrance is sat in June of Year 8, so preparation across every subject a pupil is sitting needs to be steady through Year 8. Core subjects such as Mathematics, English and the sciences are the natural place to start, alongside Latin, French and the humanities for pupils sitting them.

Visit preparation: Ampleforth encourages families to visit in person, often on multiple occasions, and an individual visit includes meeting the Registrar and any members of staff a family would like to talk to. Preparation should involve thinking about why the candidate wants to attend Ampleforth specifically — and the answer should be authentic. Candidates who have visited the school, attended Open Mornings and engaged with the college’s ethos will naturally have more to say.

Reading and enrichment: Ampleforth’s stated ethos is to nurture and educate students to the best of their ability. Pupils with genuine passions — whether in music, sport, art, science or literature — have authentic things to talk about with staff and to draw on in their school reference. Encouraging broad intellectual and cultural engagement from an early age is the best long-term preparation for Ampleforth.

What Does Life at Ampleforth College Look Like?

Life at Ampleforth College includes its boarding houses: when confirming a place, families are asked to make a house choice, and the school welcomes return visits before that decision.

Pupils joining in September are invited to a New Starters’ Day each June, where time is spent in House and on everything from IT and ordering games kit to choosing co-curricular activities. The school describes an extensive co-curricular programme, and scholarships are offered in Music (instrumental, choral and piping), Dance, Drama, Art, Design & Technology and Sport. Families are welcome to stay after an Open Morning to watch sports matches in the valley and enjoy tea in the Pavilion.

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Junior House Fees and Flexible Boarding for Younger Pupils

Junior House is the school’s home for pupils in Years 7 and 8. Its fees from September 2026 are:

• Junior Boarding (Years 7 and 8): £11,857 a term plus £2,371 VAT, which is £14,228 a term and £42,684 a year including VAT.
• Junior Day (Years 7 and 8): £7,708 a term plus £1,541 VAT, which is £9,249 a term and £27,747 a year including VAT.

From September 2026, Junior House also offers flexible boarding. Termly fees including VAT are £11,411 for 3 Night Flexi and £12,601 for weekly boarding from Monday to Friday nights; an ad hoc night is £69. 3 Night Flexi is any 3 boarding nights a week (up to 3 nights must be taken each week and cannot be accumulated). Weekly Boarding is Monday to Friday nights inclusive, on set nights that cannot be swapped. From Year 9 onwards, the options are to board fully or to be a day pupil, with the option to book ad hoc overnight stays.

Reviewed October 2026: dates, figures and rules checked against Ampleforth College's admissions, fees, scholarships and Junior House flexible boarding pages, the DfE register (GIAS) and Ofsted's provider page.

Frequently Asked Questions