Open House Event

See the college in action

Not a polished showcase - a real day with real students and teachers doing what they do best.

Subject discussions

Talk to tutors and students in the subjects you're interested in. Meet specialist teachers with decades of experience.

See the subjects we teach →

Student experience

Current students offer tours and give honest, first-hand insight into life at Collingham.

Time with the Principal

Meet Principal James Allder in person and ask him anything about how Collingham actually works.

Open House vs Open Day

Why an Open House, not an Open Day

Most schools run Open Days. We deliberately don't - here's the difference, and why it matters.

Open Day	Collingham Open House
Open to all, large in size, and less personal	A smaller, more personalised experience, tailored in scale and itinerary
Packed with sessions and activities that may not be relevant to you	Personal time with our Principal, tutors, and current students
Can leave an unrealistic impression	Experience Collingham in its authentic state - exactly as it is every day
You may leave with more questions than answers	Feel confident about the next step in your academic journey

Why Collingham

A home for independent minds

Small classes, big impact

Every student is known and heard. Seminar-style teaching helps you discuss, debate and work out what you think - not just how to remember it.

Built around the individual

We change the environment, not the child. If a student isn't thriving, we don't push harder - we think differently.

Subject specialists

Our teachers are here because they love their subject, not because they're enforcing a system. Many examine, research or write beyond the classroom. First names, adult conversations.

50+ years of excellence

We've been doing this since 1975, and it still works - just ask ISI, the Good Schools Guide, or Muddy Stilettos.

A Level Subjects

Your Next Step Starts Here

Thinking about your next step? Come and see us as we really are on a normal working day to explore everything Collingham Sixth Form has to offer. Meet our friendly staff, chat with current students, and get a real feel for what our community of independent spirits is all about and what sixth form life here offers - whether that's Year 12, Year 13 or our one year A Level Year 14 classes.

With over 40 subjects on offer and in almost any combination, we're sure you'll find your fit. Don't miss out on a wonderful opportunity to discover your future in a relaxed, welcoming setting. Booking now open.

40+

Subjects offered

Subject groups

Any

Combination

Sciences & Mathematics

BiologyChemistryPhysicsMathematicsFurther MathematicsComputer StudiesICT

Humanities & Social Sciences

Ancient HistoryClassical CivilisationEconomicsGeographyGovernment and PoliticsHistoryLawPhilosophyPsychologyReligious StudiesSociologyBusiness Studies

English & Media

English Language and LiteratureEnglish LiteratureFilm StudiesMedia Studies

Languages

FrenchGermanItalianJapaneseLatinMandarinPortugueseRussianSpanishTurkish

Creative & Performing Arts

ArtGraphicsHistory of ArtLAMDAMusicPhotography

Sport

Physical Education

Over 40 subjects, almost any combination. See the full list of subjects and exam boards →

Our Story

About Us

Swipe or use the arrows to explore →

Independent Minds Since 1975

Collingham is an independent, co-educational GCSE and Sixth Form college in London, built on one idea: students learn best when they are trusted to think for themselves.

For fifty years, that's meant classes of nine students or fewer, two-hour lessons built around discussion, and teachers who go by first names, in a place with no uniform to hide behind. Our community consists of around 150 students aged 13 to 19 who join us from a wide range of schools and backgrounds. Some join us for their GCSE years, most arrive at the start of Year 12, and others come to us for a one-year course in Year 14, either to retake a year or to change course, before moving forward with confidence.

How we teach

Be Yourself. Master Your Subject. Think Independently.

Small classes mean every voice gets heard and nowhere to hide. Discussion-based teaching means students test ideas out loud, defend them, and sometimes change their minds. Mastery comes from working a subject through for yourself, supported at every step by staff who know you well and remain uncompromising on academic standards, personal integrity and responsibility.

Where we teach

Our GCSE department, for Years 9 to 11, is based in what was once William Makepeace Thackeray's house, just off Kensington High Street. He wrote Vanity Fair within these walls, with all three Brontë sisters among his regular guests.

Our Sixth Form sits in Collingham Gardens, a short walk from Gloucester Road and Earls Court, in a historic Arts and Crafts townhouse that has belonged to education for over a century, once home to Gibbs' Preparatory School. Robert Kennedy, Lord Snowdon, Prince Edward, Viscount Linley and Christopher Robin Milne, the inspiration behind Winnie the Pooh, all passed through these doors before us.

Why the rhino on our logo?

To mark our 50th birthday, we adopted a new symbol: a rhinoceros.

In 1515, working only from a sailor's written account, Albrecht Dürer drew a rhinoceros he had never seen, reasoning out its form through judgement and imagination alone. He got some details wrong - an extra horn, armour-plated skin that isn't really there - and his version became one of the most reproduced animal images in art history anyway.

That's the spirit we've carried for fifty years: backing your own judgement, thinking a problem through for yourself, and having the confidence to trust your own conclusions, even when they take you somewhere unexpected.

Independent Minds Since 1975.

Collingham bridges the best of a small country school with the vibrancy of central London. Come and meet us at an Open Event or book a personal tour, and see what fifty years of independent thinking looks like in practice.

How to apply →

Alumni Story

From CBB to Oxford

Class of Collingham

“Collingham didn't just improve my grades - it changed how I thought about learning altogether.”

CBB → A*A*A → Oxford

Maddie always knew CBB wasn't really her ceiling. She just needed teachers who taught her the way she actually learned, not a louder version of what wasn't working. At Collingham she got that, and left with two A*s and an A - and a place at Oxford.

Her story is one of dozens like it: students who needed a different environment, not a harder push, to find where they belonged.

Maddie

Collingham alumna, now at Oxford

Frequently Asked

Before you visit

Do I need to register in advance?

Yes - registering means we can make sure you're properly looked after when you arrive, including introducing you to the right tutors and to our Principal, James Allder. Use the button below to book your place; it takes under a minute.

What happens on the day?

You'll see the college as it runs on any normal day - real lessons, real students, real conversations. There's no staged performance. Expect subject discussions, a tour led by current students, and time with our Principal, James Allder.

What if I wanted to visit the GCSE college?

Our Sixth Form (A Level) site is at 23 Collingham Gardens, SW5, and our GCSE site is at 16 Young Street, W8 - both in Kensington. Let us know when you book, or call Admissions on 020 7244 1860, that you're interested in the GCSE college and we'll arrange your visit there.

How quickly will I hear back after registering or enquiring?

We respond to all enquiries as soon as possible.

Can I book a private visit if I can't make the Open House date?

Yes - bespoke, personal visits are available at any time. Get in touch and we'll arrange a time that works for you.

What if I can't attend in person?

We can arrange a bespoke meeting if our Open House Event isn't appropriate for you, including meeting online. Just get in touch with our admissions team and we'll find a format that works.