This year we celebrate fifty years of Collingham, and as we reflect on our history, we are grateful to everyone who has shaped the college we are today. Our story began in 1975 when Collingham was founded as an independent, co-educational college offering a path from Year 9 through to Sixth Form. The vision that guided those early days – helping students recognise their strengths and set ambitious academic goals – continues to define our approach today.
A foundation rooted in character
Our founders, Nicholas Browne and the late Dr John Marsden, created a college built on tailored teaching and personal guidance. Since then, we have remained true to the principles they established: supporting each student’s unique journey, building confidence, and fostering the academic growth necessary for success beyond Collingham.
Buildings with stories to tell
The buildings that house Collingham contribute to the college’s distinctive character. Our A Level department sits at 23 Collingham Gardens, an Arts and Crafts townhouse that once held Gibbs’ Preparatory School and has provided education for more than a century. Many visitors comment on the calm sense of heritage they experience upon entering – surroundings that create an ideal environment for focused study.
Our GCSE and Year 9 campus on Young Street carries its own distinguished history. The site was once home to William Makepeace Thackeray and welcomed literary figures including the Brontë sisters. This literary connection gives the space a character that students notice and appreciate, contributing to the distinct atmosphere of the junior years.
Our location in the heart of Kensington has always been central to Collingham’s identity. We sit among cultural institutions including the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Natural History Museum, and Imperial College London. These surroundings provide daily inspiration that extends well beyond the classroom. We have long described the city as our campus, enriched by our position in this remarkable part of London.
A heritage of wellbeing and academic excellence
For five decades, Collingham has balanced a nurturing environment with academic ambition. Students flourish when they are understood as individuals and supported with teaching tailored to their needs. Principal James Allder reflects on what makes Collingham distinctive:
“Visitors comment on the unique combination of friendliness and ambition they sense the moment they step through our doors. It is exactly what we strive for.”
His words capture the spirit that shapes our work each day. Over the years, we have seen pupils progress to a wide range of leading universities, and each success reflects the steady guidance and encouragement our teachers offer. These outcomes remind us why our founding principles – personalised attention, pastoral care, and academic excellence – remain as relevant today as they were in 1975.
An evening of celebration
Our fiftieth anniversary celebration brought together alumni, current pupils, staff, and long-standing friends of the college. The evening was filled with warmth and pride as former students reconnected with friends and teachers, while current students performed music and heard stories of what Collingham was like for those who came before them.
Staff were delighted to reunite with pupils whose progress they had once supported, and the evening created a profound sense of shared history reaching across generations. We were reminded that our community -past and present – has always been the heart of Collingham.
Looking towards the future
As we enter our next chapter, we remain committed to the principles that have guided Collingham for half a century. To everyone who has contributed to our college – teachers, students, families, and alumni – we offer our heartfelt thanks. Your support has helped create an institution with a distinctive spirit and meaningful history.
James Allder captures our commitment going forward:
“Our commitment is to continue fostering academic focus, personal purpose, and first-class pastoral care so that every student can thrive in a nurturing environment and be ready for future opportunities. Thank you for being part of our story.”
As Collingham moves forward, we do so with confidence in our foundations and excitement for what the next fifty years will bring. Our location in Kensington, our heritage of educational excellence, and our unwavering focus on each individual student will continue to guide us as we help the next generation of young people discover their potential.