Ampleforth College: The history of the public school known as 'the Catholic Eton' as it is ordered to stop taking on new pupils

For over 200 years, Ampleforth College has been one of the country's most prestigious schools.
Ampleforth CollegeAmpleforth College
Ampleforth College

Opened by the Benedictine monks of Ampleforth Abbey in 1802, it has gone on to become one of the most popular schools among the leading Roman Catholic families of Britain and Europe, including the aristocracy. Its status has seen it nicknamed 'the Catholic Eton'.

Yet the campus, occupying its own valley deep in the North Yorkshire countryside, could fall silent after the government ordered Ampleforth to stop admitting new pupils, putting its future viability in doubt.

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The co-educational boarding school has never recovered from the damage to its reputation caused by the convictions of former monks who taught there for sexual offences against pupils.

An inquiry into historic child sexual abuse at the school that concluded in 2018 found there was a widespread culture of tolerance of the behaviour and that the monks of Ampleforth Abbey were 'evasive' with police and social services when suspicions were raised about members of the order.

Inspections of the school raised concerns about safeguarding and it was felt by the Department for Education that standards were not being met, despite a 'willingness to improve' in recent years.

The school's management has the option of appealing the decision, but further enforcement action, including de-registration of the school, could also be taken.

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The school has pointed out that the restriction begins from December 29, 2020 and it has the right to apply for the restriction to be revoked if the Secretary of State is satisfied that it would be appropriate to do so.

The restriction will not take effect until the outcome of the appeal, said the school, meaning it can still currently accept applications.

An eventual closure would come as a blow for the local community, as Ampleforth is a significant employer of both teaching and support staff. Although many pupils come from further afield, the property market in areas such as the Howardian Hills is influenced by demand from parents wishing to relocate nearer to the school.

The school's sports centre, St Alban's, which has a gym, swimming pool and squash courts, is open to the public.

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Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes attended Ampleforth, as did actors Rupert Everett and James Norton and Angel of the North sculptor Antony Gormley. The school also has a strong rugby tradition, having educated England's Rugby World Cup 2003 winner Lawrence Dallaglio and current Wales player Tomas Francis.

It was originally a boys' school which took boarders from 1900, and girls were admitted to all year groups in 2010.

During World War Two, the school was hit by tragedy when six boys burned to death after the carriage of a London to Newcastle train in which 100 Ampleforth pupils were travelling caught fire.

In August, an inquest found that Ampleforth College groundsman Andrew Cornforth, who had worked at the school for 25 years, took his own life in a workshop on the site, in part because of fears he would lose his job if pupil numbers declined following the sexual abuse scandal.

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Another Benedictine boarding school criticised for safeguarding in the 2018 inquiry, Downside in Somerset, announced this year that it was formally ending its association with the order. The remaining 12 monks at Downside Abbey left the site to live elsewhere.

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