Student numbers. 350, ages 12–20.
Fees per term (2025-2026). UK Day fees: £9.567; Boarding from £17,835.
Abbey College Cambridge is a community energised by a love of learning and the pursuit of outstanding achievements for all.
Founded in 1994, Abbey College Cambridge has grown from strength to strength to now be a thriving successful school with nearly 400 students from over 40 nationalities.
We provide a first-class British education in an international environment. We are renowned for academic excellence that stems from our students’ ambition and discipline, coupled with high-quality teaching and outstanding pastoral support.
Our purpose-built campus provides the perfect study environment. Lessons are taught in light, airy classrooms packed with modern technology. Our diverse learning community provides students with a different view to many aspects of the world, allowing them to become true global citizens who are prepared for an international work environment. Our students are hard-working and award-winning. We believe in challenging them to achieve beyond the traditional curriculum, and we have a proud record of success in national and international academic competitions.
We find that we don’t need the acres of sports fields or grand music halls. Cambridge itself can offer us everything we need. Our students can benefit from the most amazing sports facilities within Cambridge. This allows us to offer a wide range of sports and allow students the choice as to which sports they wish to participate in.
Our robust curriculum delivered by our high-calibre teachers allows our students to engage with their studies effectively. Students appreciate the small classes and supportive environment and feel comfortable to be able to ask questions and participate in class discussions.
Abbey College Cambridge students enjoy attending University-organised events weekly as part of our unique Abbey Inspires evening programme. These talks not only allow them to extend their knowledge in areas that interest them, but the students also benefit from the experience of engaging with the professors. Asking thought-provoking questions in busy lecture halls grows their confidence and encourages students to be inquisitive. Students also benefit from a programme of evening support lessons, practical activities, master classes and workshops. The Abbey Inspires programme develops students’ knowledge beyond the curriculum and provides them with an understanding of how to apply their learning in the real world.
However, we recognise that students need more than just lessons, and Abbey Cambridge has an extracurricular programme with over 50 clubs and activities weekly. Wednesday afternoons are dedicated to enrichment. Enrichment is divided into five categories: Active, Community, Thinking, Science and Technology, Music and Creative Arts. Each Enrichment activity has outcomes which are specifically tailored to give students experiences they will treasure for the rest of their lives but also, very importantly, experiences they can talk about at university or job interviews in the future.
Abbey College Cambridge students develop leadership skills and take on many varied leadership roles. Students seeking leadership opportunities can join our student council, Orientation Leaders, organise termly Student-led Conferences, nominate themselves to become a house captain, prefects or apply to be a part of the student leadership team, who work alongside our college senior leadership team.
There are also dedicated programmes for students wishing to progress to Oxbridge, or competitive university courses such as Medicine. Our Medicine preparation programme with the provision of seven additional lessons a week is globally respected. The outcome – 100% medical offers year on year and 25% of our A level students progress to prestigious G5 universities.
Our clubs and activities don’t stop for the holidays. The college is open to all during the half term and Easter holidays. Our dedicated staff arrange activities, trips, courses to upskill our students, and study support during these times, with many boarders choosing to stay in Cambridge.
We focus on supporting young people to take responsibility for their own learning and provide them with opportunities to develop life skills such as critical thinking, leadership, teamwork and time management to name a few.
Curriculum. UK Curriculum Year 9–Year 13, GCSEs and A levels. We offer an International Foundation Programme for International Students aged over 17.
Extracurricular activities. We have over 40 clubs and activities every week for students to participate in. Clubs and activities are grouped into: Active, Creative Arts, Community, Music, Science & Technology and Thinking.
Scholarships and bursaries. Scholarships are available.
The college is part of the Abbey DLD Group of Colleges.
Governors & Staff:
Chair of Governors: Mr Tim Haynes
Principal: Dr Ellen Hesse, PaedDr, MSc, Associate CIPD, CELTA
Senior leadership team:
Dr Carolyn Dunn (Vice Principal Pastoral)
Andrew Humphris (Vice Principal Academic)
Stephanie Stafford (Director of Operations)
Alison Bignell (Assistant Principal Pastoral)