ASHVILLE NEWS
ASHVILLE NEWS
Summer Term 1
Farewells and Future Focus –Study Leave Begins
Year 11s and Year 13s prepare for their formal examinations
Conquer Your Exams: Strategies for Stress-Free Revision
Tabitha and Lily from Journalism Club have put together an article with the best tips for the exam season
A Paw-some Afternoon – Teddy Bears’ Picnic to Welcome New Starters in Reception
Miss Hiley and Reception staff welcomed the pupils starting in September to a delightful Teddy Bears’ Picnic
DC & NYC – An Unforgettable American Experience
Pupil Trip Report by Ava and Rose in Year 12
Beyond the Classroom –Ashville Trips Season
School trips are a wonderful way to explore, expand the curriculum, and provide an opportunity to put classroom learning into context
Summer Musical Celebrations
Ashville Musician of the Year 2025 and VE Day 80
Prep School Does Shakespeare Year 5’s performance of The Tempest follows the success of Year 4’s recent production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
An update on practice expeditions and receiving awards
Exciting Developments
A full refurbishment of our Sixth Form Centre, as well as the creation of a Learning Hub for Year 7
House Competitions
Prep School House Chess, Year 10 House MasterChef and Junior and Inter House
Debating
Future Ready and Careers
Judith Grazier updates on what our pupils have done in the first half of the Summer Term to prepare for the world beyond school
National Sporting Success
Outside of School
We are very proud of Luke, Ben and Myla for their successes in Football, Rugby and Waterskiing
Sports Report
The first half of the Summer Term has been an exciting time for our Cricket, Tennis, Equestrian and Athletics teams
Charity, Environment and Sustainability
Latest fundraising news for our chosen charities, workshops about sustainability and the environment
Our next Open Doors event and the Art & DT Summer Show
Farewells and Future Focus
– Study Leave Begins
The first half of the Summer Term is always a busy time preparing Year 11s for their GCSE examinations and Year 13s for their A-Levels.
It is also a time of celebration and farewells as we say our goodbyes. At the beginning of term, the Spring Ball, the flagship event in the Sixth Form social calendar, took place at Harrogate’s Majestic Hotel. The annual event is always a wonderful occasion and this year it did not disappoint. With a delicious three course meal, disco, photobooth, magician and chocolate fountain, the whole of the Sixth Form had the opportunity to come together and have some fun before A-Level examinations start for the Upper Sixth.
At the end of the this half of the term, the Leavers’ Celebration Assembly and Garden Party marked the final day for our Upper Sixth pupils and their families to say their official goodbyes ahead of examination season.
They did it in style with a full week of celebrations. Taking inspiration from their ‘initial’, earlier on in the week they dressed as something that starts with the same letter as their first name. It was quite something to see a rhino alongside Elton John in the Dining Hall! There was also a barbecue and retro sports day followed by the Celebration Assembly, which was filled with memories and positive messages for the future. We are so proud of you all.
Click to see the Sixth Form Spring Ball
A special Year 11 Celebration Assembly was held to wish everyone luck for their GCSE examinations. Head of Year 11, Mrs Davis, gave an uplifting and emotional speech to the cohort she has guided on the journey through Upper School since Year 9. The Head read the thought-provoking poem The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost which explores the themes of uncertainty, opportunity, decision-making and choices, and the impact on our future lives. Representatives from each form told some amusing anecdotes and said some words of thanks to their dedicated form tutors: Mr Russell, Mr Simpson, Miss Chauvet and Miss Jones and presented them with gifts. We look forward to seeing Year 11 become Sixth Formers and experience the newly renovated Sixth Form Centre. Following the examinations, the Year 11 Casino Royale theme Prom will take place on 3 July in the marquee on the lawn.
Silly Sports Day
Leavers’ Garden Party
Sixth Form Spring Ball
CONQUER YOUR EXAMS: Strategies for Stress-Free Revision
Written by Tabitha and Lily
in Year 9 who attend Journalism Club run by Miss Frieze
During the summer exam season, revision is key. Be it GCSEs or internal examinations, revising effectively is an important skill to master, and conquering these techniques will help with further assessments.
A helpful revision technique is the use of mind maps. Mind maps are a diagram where information is shown visually, with a central idea in the middle, and associated ideas around it. Mind maps are useful since they enhance memory and help creativity by visualising complex information. This makes it easy to understand, retain and then recall in future exams. Mind maps help with organisation and can be crucial for learning key points and facts for exams.
A Thank You from Deputy Head (Academic) Owen Hillier
Thank you so much to Tabitha and Lily for this excellent revision advice. Revision is an important skill for life as you will always need to be able to recall important information whatever you do after Sixth Form, and it most certainly helps you while you are at school.
The techniques described above are great examples of active learning rather than passively rereading notes or watching videos online: this is the key to successful revision! There are so many ways to do this, but I’ll take another opportunity to mention Cornell notes as this is my favourite!
The most important thing to remember is forgetting - I know this sounds like a contradiction in terms. Forgetting is a natural and predictable part of learning for everyone. The best way to overcome forgetting and move information into your long-term memory is through what is known as spaced practice - in other words returning to topics a number of times between being taught them and the test. Avoid the passive revision I’ve
Another useful exam technique is flashcards. Flashcards are helpful for active recall, repetition and immediate feedback. Flashcards strengthen neural connections and improve retention compared to passive studying, such as reading though notes. Flashcards can be physical, or online, both are as effective as each other.
In addition, past papers are one of the most important and effective ways to revise for exams. These help pupils understand the type of questions they will be asked and will help improve exam techniques and therefore build confidence for when they sit the exams. Doing past papers in timed conditions helps pupils to learn how to answer questions effectively and quickly, so they have time to answer all the questions to the best of their ability.
described above; this includes just highlighting notes rather than transforming them into another format. Finally make sure you interleave topics in your revision. This means alternating between different topics and subjects. Interleaving creates what is known as a desirable difficulty. It makes learning a little more challenging which ultimately leads to more information moving into your long-term memory therefore making your tests easier.
A Paw-some Afternoon
Teddy Bears’ Picnic to Welcome New Starters in Reception
Miss Hiley and Reception staff hosted a delightful Teddy Bears’ Picnic in the outdoor classroom. New children, who will be starting Reception in September, brought their teddies and their families along for a delicious bear-themed picnic in the sunshine whilst making new friends. Activities included a teddy bear reading corner, drawing and garden games and the children were thrilled with the teddy bear hats Reception staff had made for them.
Congratulations to Miss Downs, Director of Languages and Form Teacher in Lower School, who got married over half term. Lower School toasted her with a glass of Appletizer!
Miss Downs
Teddy Bears’ Picnic
DC & NYC – An Unforgettable American Experience
We are proud to provide global opportunities for our pupils to broaden their horizons and prepare them for life in this rapidly changing, interconnected world. A group of Sixth Formers enjoyed a History and Politics Trip to New York and Washington DC. Pupil Trip Report by Ava and Rose in Year 12
On Friday 4 April it was an early start with a meet of 2am at the Sports Centre. Once we were all on the coach, we started our journey down to Heathrow, ready for our 9:30am flight.
We arrived in New York City by the afternoon and headed straight to Manhattan! Seeing the famous city skyline from the coach was a thrill. We couldn’t wait to get out there! After checking in, we had free time to explore Times Square and the iconic 5th Avenue. In the evening, we went to the top of the Empire State Building to see the beautiful views of the city twinkling below whilst enjoying some live jazz! Everyone was very tired by Friday evening and slept well once back at the hotel, after being awake for over 24 hours and having walked 25,000 steps!
On Saturday, the day started with a morning boat cruise to the Statue of Liberty, an iconic and renowned landmark. We made sure to take some photos with Mrs Norton’s American flag, as well as purchasing Statue of Liberty tourist headbands. Afterwards, we visited the deeply moving 9/11 Memorial Museum. Learning about this atrocious event in history was extremely interesting, however very upsetting. We spent the afternoon wandering around the West Village and getting a classic New York deli lunch in our free time – pastrami bagel anyone? In the evening, we then headed to Broadway for a show - The Great Gatsby. It was a wonderful and entertaining experience to see the talent of the performers and experience a lively Broadway audience. Some of the A-Level Drama and Music pupils also got the opportunity to meet some of the actors after the show, making sure to get photos and autographs.
On Sunday, we began the day with a walking tour of Harlem, learning about its interesting history and the Harlem Renaissance. We also visited poet, Langston Hughes’ house and learnt more about the culture of Harlem. Then we were off to Penn Station to catch the Amtrak to Washington DC. Once we arrived, we got settled into our hotel. We had delicious tacos for dinner, before going to bed and getting a good night’s sleep, ready for the next full day of DC.
Monday was a packed day, full of monuments, memorials and sights, as well as major political buildings on our famous Norton and Russell tour. We started our day visiting the US Supreme Court and made the most of the gift shop before visiting the US Capitol building. Whilst we were there, we had the opportunity to visit the House of Representatives. However, much to Harry’s disappointment and willingness to give up lunch to wait, the members of Congress were out on a break so unfortunately no debate took place. Despite this, it was an amazing experience to sit inside the House and see where major acts in politics and history have taken place. Later that day, we visited Georgetown for some shopping.
The Brandy Melville staff welcomed a crowd of Ashville girls and teachers wanting to know what all the fuss was about. The evening ended with pizza and bowling, which saw some impressive strikes as well as some gutter balls.
Our last morning included a visit to the White House and the Washington monuments. Not only did we experience these amazing places, but we were also lucky enough to visit Washington during their blossom season. We then continued our tour to the Lincoln Memorial, more commonly known by everyone on the trip as the ‘Forrest Gump place’, before heading to the solemn and moving Korean and Vietnam War memorials. The Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial highlighted the epic journey through his highly significant presidency, and we all enjoyed rubbing Fala’s ears for good luck! Before leaving, we made sure to get a photo outside the iconic White House. Then came the long journey home, departing in the evening from Washington Dulles airport. We landed back at Heathrow early Wednesday morning.
This trip was an amazing experience, packed with history, culture and memorable moments. A great thanks should go to Mrs Norton, Mr Rodgers, and Mrs Wales-Smith for joining us on the trip and an even bigger thanks to Mr Russell for organising this amazing experience.
The White House
BEYOND THE CLASSROOM –Ashville Trips Season
The Summer Term is traditionally trips season with pupils in all years of Prep and Senior School heading out for new experiences. It is a wonderful opportunity to look beyond the classroom to explore, expand on the curriculum and provide an opportunity to put classroom learning into context. The first half of term has seen Year 3 go on their first residential to Bewerley Park. They scrambled up and down rocks at Brimham Rocks, motivating and cheering each other on when they faced challenges – they were all very proud of themselves. A highlight of the trip was spending time with friends dancing and playing games in the common room, where the children were very excited to visit the tuck shop. Before going to bed, they played a fun game of rounders before getting into their pyjamas ready for their hot chocolate. The highlight of the following day was an exciting adventure paddling across a lake in their canoes. Everyone had a wonderful time with the children growing in confidence and resilience.
Year 2 had a fabulous trip to Skipton Castle. With the help of their guide, they learnt all about the features of the castle and what life was like for those living inside. They used their eyes to look up and around as they moved through the castle to help them spot some unique features including the stonemason’s marks on the walls which they added to show which stones they had carved. The tour included a trip to the dark dungeon, the kitchen to see where the men and boys would prepare the food, and the banqueting hall which not only provided a place to eat and entertain but was also used to sleep in. They also had the opportunity to see what it was like for an archer to stand behind the arrow loops when they were defending the castle from attackers. In the afternoon, the children had the opportunity to carefully sketch some of the unique features of the castle and its grounds.
Year 4 had an amazing time away at PGL Newby Wiske. The children threw themselves into every activity - from climbing and archery to the enormous zip wire - showing real courage, teamwork and lots of laughter along the way. It was lovely to see friendships grow and confidence blossom during such a memorable few days.
Year 5 had a wonderful day out to Beamish to experience true immersion in a working-class Victorian/Edwardian town. The children looked fantastic in their Victorian outfits and had a wonderful day exploring what working in the mines and living in the cottages and town would have been like. They also had the opportunity to experience a Victorian lesson in the village school and to travel in style on Victorian trams and buses. A really great experience was had by all.
Holocaust Museum
Year 6 have spent half term in Barcelona, and we can’t wait to hear all about it!
Year 8 have been investigating diversification of rural economies and visited three sites that gave a broad view of the range of economic opportunities in rural areas: How Stean Gorge and its distinctive gorge and its expansion into outdoor activities; Studfold Farm and its range of camping, caravan sites and trails and Scar House Reservoir. This will all culminate in pupils devising their own schemes to present in an ‘Ashville Apprentice/Dragons Den’ to create further diversification ideas for Studfold Farm and we are looking forward to inviting Mr Walker (former member of staff) to evaluate their ideas.
Year 9 RS pupils visited the National Holocaust Centre and Museum. Through a series of workshops, time in the exhibition and the memorial gardens, pupils were prompted to reflect on the events of the Holocaust whist thinking critically about individual and societal responsibilities in the modern world. During the course of the day, pupils heard a selection of stories from different Holocaust survivors who shared their experiences as well as discussing whether belief in God is possible after the Holocaust. It was a challenging and thought-provoking day for all pupils and staff.
The Year 10 GCSE Business trip to Flamingo Land was a fun and informative trip that enabled pupils to link their classroom learning to a real-life business. Pupils took part in a talk delivered by the park’s education team, which provided valuable insights into the realworld operations of a large-scale leisure attraction.
Topics covered included marketing strategies, customer service, revenue generation, and seasonal planning, all directly linked to key elements of the GCSE Business curriculum. The talk was informative and interesting, allowing pupils to ask questions and make meaningful connections between theory and practice. The pupils were then able to have some free time in the park and enjoy the sunshine and the many rides on offer.
Skipton Castle
Bewerley Park
How Stean Gorge
SUMMER MUSICAL CELEBRATIONS
Ashville Young Musician of the Year 2025
Parents, pupils and staff were treated to a wonderful evening of music as we celebrated Ashville Young Musician of the Year 2025. The annual contest sees the best musicians across the school playing Grade 7 and 8 standard pieces with the prestigious BergerClarke Cup presented to the pupil judged the best overall. This trophy is dedicated to two long serving peripatetic music teachers who retired in 2019: Paula Berger, who taught singing, and Nick Clarke, who taught guitar. Paula and Nick between them gave over 65 years of service to Ashville. This year’s competition was adjudicated by Kevin Box who has enjoyed a long and rewarding career as a musician, music teacher and musical director.
The programme had the full range of performances from rock to baroque; musical theatre to jazz, leaving Kevin in the unenviable position of choosing the winners. After much deliberation, Giles won in the instrumental category with his organ performance of Imperial March by Elgar and Gabby’s performance of They Just Keep Moving
the Line from the musical SMASH was the winner in the vocal category. Gabby, who has been offered a place at Leeds Conservatoire to study Musical Theatre in September, was crowned the overall winner.
We are very proud of Gabby’s achievements in Performing Arts during her time here - in 2023 she also won the coveted title of Ashville Young Actor of the Year, and we wish her every success for the future.
VE Day 80
Six pupils from Years 10, 11 and 13 joined Mr Simpson, Mr Rodgers and Mr Blackmore to perform a special outdoor VE day concert at Hampsthwaite Village Church. Songs from the shows, a piano solo, a euphonium and trumpet duet, along with a short set of 1940s songs with the audience singing along was a lot of fun. Each pupil performed superbly. The Last Post and Rouse were sounded too with two minutes of silence for commemoration and reflection. Coffee and tea washed down some fabulous cakes made in the village. Beth, Ruby, Finlay, Lincoln, Eliza and Gabby did us proud!
VE Day at Hampsthwaite Church
4 took to the stage to perform A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a comedy full of fun, forests and fairies.
The pupils’ hard work, creativity and teamwork came to the fore in both performances, played out in a magical-looking Prep School Hall in front of family members. Congratulations!
Special thanks are due to Prep Performing Arts Coordinator Miss Carole Carpenter for creating such wonderful productions and to all the other staff who lent their support - with a shout-out to our extremely talented scenic artist Mrs Jane Harris who transformed the Prep School Hall into an inspiring and engaging acting space.
The performances took place as new research shows that bringing Shakespeare to life through acting does benefit young children’s literacy and emotional development, as well as broadening their vocabulary. The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) commissioned the study, which involved hundreds of nine and ten-
Shakespeare’s use of 20,000 words, compared with the everyday 2,000 words, brings a massive expansion of language into pupils’ lives. The RSC study said that while Shakespeare is great at asking the questions it does not give you the answers - and that’s why it’s such an interesting and creative body of work to explore.
What children told them is that they love the fact that their opinions count – a remark echoed by everyone who took part in these productions.
THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD
This year we have been blessed with fantastic weather for the DofE practice expeditions.
GOLD
Over the Easter holidays, two of our Lower Sixth Gold DofE groups started their practice expedition near Ribblehead viaduct. Day one saw them walking part of the Pennine Way, north towards Hawes, carrying full rucksacks with all their equipment and food for three days. After a gruelling walk of over 20km with around 500 metres of ascent, the pupils were glad to arrive at the campsite in Hardraw, where they put their campcraft skills to the test with tent pitching and using stoves to cook their dinner.
The second day involved a loop around the western part of Wensleydale, covering a similar distance but more ascent than day one. A slow start in the morning made for a late arrival in camp that night, with cooking dinner taking place in the dark - teamwork and resilience were certainly seen here! Lessons were learnt and both groups had a more prompt start on their final day, despite the overnight frost, helped perhaps by the promise of their own beds later that day! A slightly shorter day for both groups to finish, but certainly not easier as they had to head uphill from Hawes before a descent into Raydale towards Semer Water.
The final destination of Bainbridge was a welcome sight for the pupils as they successfully completed their practice expedition on Sunday 6 April before travelling back home for a well-earned rest. Sunshine throughout the expedition certainly helped keep up morale, although the wind was less welcome. The spring lambs were also popular along the way! Route planning will soon take place ready for the qualifying expedition in the Lake District in June – one of the highlights of the DofE calendar.
BRONZE
Just a few weeks later, 46 of our brilliant Year 10 pupils took on their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award practice expedition in the glorious Nidderdale sunshine. After kit checks, safety briefings, and generous layers of suncream (with temperatures reaching 24°C!), they set off from Thruscross on a variety of routes towards Thornthwaite Scout Camp.
While the sunshine brought a welcome change from the usual horizontal rain of British springtime expeditions, the heat brought its own challenges: hydration, sun protection, and the sheer energy drain of heavy packs in the breezeless air. Regular water top-ups were essential.
As instructors gradually stepped back, pupils took charge of navigation and rose to the challenge with confidence and determination. On arrival at camp, they worked together to pitch tents and cook vast quantities of pasta on trangias, before enjoying some downtime with games of Uno. Night temperatures dropped to a chilly 4°C, but many still had enough energy left for some lively bedtime chatter.
A 6am wake-up saw a few bleary eyes, but spirits lifted as they set off for Day 2, shadowed from a distance by staff. With only a couple of wrong turns, pupils demonstrated excellent navigation skills, arriving at the finish point in Pateley Bridge ahead of schedule, just in time for a well-earned ice cream in the sun.
A fantastic effort all round. Bring on the qualifier in June!
A Day at the Palace
Receiving The Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award at Buckingham Palace is a truly special and memorable event! It is the highest level of this challenging and rewarding programme and requires significant commitment. We were very pleased to hear that Callum, who graduated from Ashville in 2024 and is now studying at the University of Exeter, recently made the trip to London with his family to attend the celebration event at Buckingham Palace gardens hosted by Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh.
Junior Duke
We are also very proud of Gemma in Year 6 who, after many hours of completing tasks has been awarded the Platinum Junior Duke certificate. The Junior Duke is a ten-level Award aimed at increasing children’s independence, confidence and resilience by giving them a non-academic platform on which to feel success and achievement. Well done Gemma!
More information about the Junior Duke can be found here
Exciting Developments
This summer, Phase Two of the campus masterplan will see a full refurbishment of our Sixth Form Centre as well as the creation of a Learning Hub for Year 7.
The Prep School playground will be refreshed, and we will be developing an outdoor seating area, under canvas ‘sails’ in the heart of the school grounds. We are also looking to create a number of break-out spaces. These improvements will be paid for through reinvestment of our assets and not through fee income.
Prep School Playground
Year 7 Hub
Year 7 Hub
Sixth Form Centre
Sixth Form Centre
HOUSE COMPETITIONS
Prep School House Chess
Chess is a sport not often associated with sunshine, however the 24 keen players that took to the Ashville Chess Amphitheatre (also referred to as the Prep Playground) came armed with full water bottles and factor 50 sun cream to represent their allegiances in this year’s House Chess Competition. With the ever-growing popularity of chess at Ashville continuing, this year’s tournament was extended to include three players for each House in both the Year 3/4 and Year 5/6 age group. The tournament comprised of a round robin league, each player playing three games in a mini-group, and all scores contributing equally to the final result, allowing the Houses to not just showcase their best players, but also their strength in depth.
In Years 3 and 4, the standard of chess on display was a real treat to behold with some truly excellent moves made, only matched by the plucky resilience and determination of those holding out for a draw to gain their respective House an important point. Special mentions to Tom and George for one of the most closely contested matches I witnessed, and to Lucas, Logan and Thaddy for some well calculated attacks from seemingly difficult positions, which swung games in their favour.
In Years 5 and 6, chess captains Marcus and Nathan took their opportunities on the top boards to play some shrewd and well-judged moves in some crunch games amongst Year 6. Nathan’s last gasp victory against Mathis, prompted genuine celebratory air-punches, as the Amphitheatre lapped up the drama. Year 5 also played out some very good games, with a dramatic draw between Matthias and Edward, seemingly important to decide where the cup was heading.
In the end, the points were totalled carefully, judges conferred, and the results were as follows:
Congratulations to Riverdale, and everyone who took part; a wonderful tournament this year, enjoyed by all.
House Chess
Junior and Inter House Debating
The final motion for Junior and Inter House Debating competition was, ‘This house would replace school detentions with community service.’ The debates were well attended, with plenty of support being shown for each house. Judges commented on how much progress the teams had made across the three weeks of debating, with several pupils trying out debating for the first time. Windermere were crowned overall winners, having won all three of their debates.
Year 10 House MasterChef
On the last day of the first half of term, judges were taken on a gastronomic journey around the globe for the Year 10 House MasterChef competition. The mouthwatering delights on offer included Mexican tacos, Italian arancini, Vietnamese noodles and Chinese bao buns. Judges were impressed by the symphony of sophisticated flavours and the advanced culinary techniques. Overall, Windermere came out top with their impressive arancini.
Junior House Debating
House MasterChef
FUTURE READY AND CAREERS
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) presented their latest report recently, ‘The State of Global Teenage Career Preparation’. Their findings resonate with the aims of our Future Ready programme and particularly our engagement with employers.
The world of work is changing rapidly due to the impact of technology, however, the report states that ‘The job expectations of students have changed little since the start of the century and now bear little relation to actual patterns of labour market demand.’
The OECD report states that, ‘Employer engagement becomes more important in providing the very latest insights into the reality of jobs.’
‘The last 20 years has seen the creation of a plethora of new jobs and roles, with job titles that are often near impossible to decode and understand. At the same time the amount of information about careers and jobs has dramatically increased. This, in theory, should lead to young people seeking a wider range of jobs but the opposite is true - with them focusing on a limited number of traditional roles. Perhaps the amount of choice is so overwhelming that they stick to the familiar and what they see around them - their family, neighbours and in the local area.’
‘Bringing the workplace directly into classrooms helps decode the complexity of modern jobs and expands students’ awareness of opportunities in high-demand sectors like technology and gain into careers they might never have considered.’
[OECD (2025), The State of Global Teenage Career Preparation, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/d5f8e3f2-en.]
Within our Future Ready programme, the number of opportunities for pupils to connect ‘with people in work and workplaces who are best placed to broaden and deepen their understanding of jobs
and careers, and their future prospects’ will remain a priority. We also encourage parents to develop their child’s career curiosity and support them to take every opportunity to undertake work experience (voluntary or paid) or offer them a ‘take your child to work’ day.
We are continually grateful for the support offered by Old Ashvillians, parents and local employers for the Career Spotlight sessions, Career Carousel, lunchtime talks, workshops, Future Ready Careers Fair and the Lower Sixth Work Experience programme.
The Summer Term started with a whole school assembly which focused on Aiming High and Staying Positive, an appropriate start for the examination term. Pupils were reminded of the benefits of having a ‘Growth Mindset’, the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed over time. By fostering a Growth Mindset, pupils can see failure as an opportunity for growth, not as a negative reflection of their abilities. When a test does not go well, someone with a ‘Growth Mindset’ will look at the reasons why, make changes, adapt, practise, revise differently, perhaps seek help and above all, try again.
Ashville staff encourage a ‘Growth Mindset’, a can-do attitude; an attitude that says I cannot do it … yet! An attitude that says I can learn; I am able to improve. If I work out what I cannot do or what I find challenging, then I can work at this and get better.
The final slide encouraged the pupils to approach the Summer Term in a manner that ensured they would finish the term proud of themselves.
At the LEAP (Lower Sixth Enterprise Option) Award Night, Relight, one of Ashville’s teams, were awarded second place for ‘Best Marketing’ which was fabulous recognition for their brilliant display boards, logo, social media activity and 30-second advert. Relight were invited to make their final company report presentation again, this time to a large pupil and parent audience, rather than four judges. They were all confident, knowledgeable and engaging speakers and represented the very best of Ashville.
John Rigg, the UK Regional Manager for Asia & Africa Venture visited school in May and gave a very informative talk to Sixth Form pupils who are interested in taking a gap year (www.aventure.co.uk). Whilst he spoke about some of the opportunities offered by his organisation, he was keen that everyone understood that a gap year experience is about taking time out, not time off. John discussed the benefits of a gap year, including the development of personal skills, confidence, teamwork, time management, independence, communication and social skills. He demonstrated how a good, worthwhile year out can make someone ‘stand out from the pack’, but stressed the importance of ensuring the experience was meaningful. He provided useful advice on identifying the reason for doing a gap year and selecting a gap year company.
The Upper School Career Spotlight sessions have been used to introduce another two careers this half term. We have had the support of two parents who have been very happy to share details of their role and personal career journey.
If any parent would like to share details of their industry, organisation or role in a 20-minute form time session, on TEAMS, we would love to hear from you.
The Future Ready programme ensures that communication, creativity and problem solving, aiming high and staying positive, teamwork and leadership skills are introduced and practised in a practical manner. The annual STEM events for Years 7, 8 and 9 provide the opportunity to discuss the skills used, whilst addressing the inherent challenge of the day. This half term’s Year 8 STEM event, ‘Engineers Making a Difference’, provided an insight into how engineers are using their problem solving and creative skills to address some of the current problems identified in the world e.g. biodegradable food packaging.
Lead Planner, Ocean Winds
Pupils were introduced to the process of building an offshore wind farm and the roles, expertise and skills involved.
operating room and about the incredible technology available to support brain tumour surgery.
Mr James Livermore
This year’s Year 8 and Year 9 Financial Awareness and Wellbeing workshops were concluded this half term. The Year 8s looked at ‘Borrowing’ and considered the necessity for borrowing, the types of borrowing available, the cost of borrowing and tried to differentiate good debt from bad debt. The Year 9s considered ‘Money Safety’ and investigated the identification of possible scams and frauds. The topic of risk provided some good material for further discussion.
In recent weeks, the pupils in two Year 10 forms have completed their ‘One-to-One’ Future Ready and Career Conversations. This is an opportunity for pupils to identify any next step topic they would like to discuss from revision techniques for Year 10 exams, options for after GCSEs, A-Level choices, apprenticeships, university and possible careers. From a school perspective, it also enables the identification of pupils that may wish to follow a specific pathway e.g. Oxford or Cambridge, Medicine, Dentistry, Law, which may require early interventions or advice, e.g. the selection of specific ‘required’ A-Levels. The pupils have been engaging and open in their discussions, which has enabled the support to be individually tailored to suit their requirements.
Any pupil interested in applying for an apprenticeship after the Sixth Form, can register to attend the Apprenticeship Academy’s June course, starting on 17 June. The series of six weekly webinars is most appropriate for the Lower Sixth and is highly recommended, but pupils in Year 11 may also register to attend. The webinars take place after school, however, recordings are available after each event, and pupils are able to watch them in their own time.
The course is delivered by The Career People and ensures an up-to-date approach in what is a very competitive market. The titles for each of the six webinars are:
Week 1: What apprenticeships am I looking for?
Week 2: Where can I find apprenticeships?
Week 3: How can I write successful applications?
Week 4: What will the application process be?
Week 5: What to expect at interviews and assessments
Week 6: How to manage my applications
To register for the June course, pupils should complete the form in the following link at the earliest opportunity, Apprenticeship Academy. The courses are offered three times a year; June, September and February. Pupils wishing to follow this pathway are also supported in school with the provision of information, group guidance and personal support.
Next half term, pupils will take part in more Future Ready events:
• Year 7 STEM - Maths Treasure Hunt & Stock Market Challenge
• Year 9 STEM - CSI Forensic
• Apprenticeship Academy
The pupils have managed to secure some amazing work experience placements covering a wide range of interests from football and coaching to high tech, law, architecture, healthcare and the charity sector. We appreciate the support of employers from many organisations including KPMG, GWP Architects, Daisybeck Studios, Chameleon Technology, Canadian Men’s National Football Team, Harrogate BID, IDR Law, Air TV, Tate Oil, Savills and the Royal Airforce at Benson.
We look forward to hearing the pupils’ stories and reflections in the final week of the Summer Term, when we host a Work Experience Breakfast Meet for our placement employers. If any Lower Sixth parent would like to attend the event, which is on Monday 7 July, 08:30 to 09:30, in the Memorial Hall, please email Mrs Grazier by Monday 30 June.
MAIN CAREER CONTACT:
Mrs Judith Grazier, Future Ready Coordinator j.grazier@ashville.co.uk
Pupils can request a Future Ready or Career chat with Mrs Grazier using the link here.
Work Experience Week:
Monday 30 June to Friday 4 July
We are in the process of finalising the Lower Sixth placements; risk assessment, employer liability insurance and safeguarding details are being gathered.
National Sporting Success Outside of School
We have a number of pupils who have excelled individually in a variety of sports outside of Ashville.
Luke, in Year 8, is set to compete against the best young footballing talent in the UK after being picked to play at national level. He has been selected for the Independent Schools Football Association’s (ISFA) U14 National Squad. The team plays international fixtures against the likes of Wales Schools and Scotland Schools, as well as matches including the Academy sides of major Premiership clubs at prestigious stadiums across the country. He was promoted to the national squad after successfully competing at a Regional Representative Festival over Easter. As well as captaining Ashville’s U13 football team, Luke plays for Pannal Sports Juniors and Harrogate & Craven District Schoolboys football teams. ISFA is affiliated to The Football Association (FA) and is recognised as the body responsible for the development of the game in the independent sector.
Ben, in Lower 6, was picked to represent his county for the first time in an Under-17s “War of the Roses” clash against Lancashire at Leigh Rugby Union Football Club where his try helped to give his team a late lead in a high scoring match only for Lancashire to snatch a 30-27 victory with one of the final moves of the game. Ben, who plays scrum half, followed his debut by being selected for the next game away against Northumberland, where his team triumphed 43-10.
Luke
Ben
Leigh Rugby Union Football Club
Year 9 pupil, Myla began waterskiing for fun at the age of seven, and over the last year, she has been training in Lincoln at Hazlewood Ski World— arguably the best lake in Great Britain. There, she is coached by multiple world champions, and the environment has truly nurtured her talent and passion for the sport. Last September, Myla’s hard work and dedication paid off when she won four silver medals at the British Nationals. She competes in all three disciplines—trick, jump, and slalom— and is gearing up for several competitions in the coming months. The next significant events are the British Youth Trials in June, followed by the British Nationals in August. Currently, she is ranked in the top 20 in Europe for her age group (under 17), and this year her focus is on climbing even higher in the overall rankings. Even during the winter months, Myla has been relentless on the water, taking to the lake even when conditions are challenging enough to break the ice. Her dedication to waterskiing is commendable, and being selected for the GB squad in April was a tremendous achievement.
Myla
Sports Report
The Summer Term’s sporting offering in Senior School has been vast, entertaining and productive for all. With the weather helping play its part, the cricket pitches, tennis courts and other school facilities have been busy from 9am right through until early evening.
The Cricket season for both boys and girls has been busy and it has been great to see the Clocktower and Colts Square in full use during the school day, allowing pupils the chance to represent Ashville in front of their peers. The boys have seen success across varying ages with the First XI making it through to the second round of the National T20 competition having beaten local rivals Harrogate Grammar School in convincing style. The younger sides have found the cup competitions difficult but have had more success in their Saturday block matches against the likes of Bradford Grammar School, Read School and Giggleswick. Congratulations to Joe, Magnus, Isaac, Luke, Thomas and Charlie who have all made 50s. The girls’ sides have also had an increase in their fixture card this season and with more on the horizon - the provision for Girls’ Cricket is really taking shape with interest from every age group including more from Prep School than ever before.
The Tennis season started with a difficult age group block fixture against Pocklington School but since then results have certainly been more fruitful and rewarding with pupils playing competitive games including wins against both Woodhouse Grove and Harrogate Ladies’ College. The Seniors have had more tough matches against Ampleforth and St Peter’s suffering defeats but a convincing win against GSAL certainly improved the mood and spirits in the run up to half term.
Our Equestrian team have been enjoying more tuition and sessions from Old Ashvillian, James Rushbrooke and are looking forward to accompanying him at the Bramham International Horse Trials event in the coming weeks. A superb opportunity to walk the course and immerse themselves in an international
environment will only aid and enthuse our riders and help provide vital learning along the way.
Finally, to our Athletics squads. In the ESAA competition the four Senior School age groups all finished in the top half of the placings with specific praise going to all competitors especially those who had to fill in at the last minute doing events that were not their number one choice. The U14 girls’ team, however, went one step better and have qualified for the Northeast regional A finals due to be held at Middlesborough Sports Village in the coming weeks. A fantastic achievement from the ladies across Years 9 and 10. When we return to school the North Yorkshire Schools events start, and we hope to see more success against our local rivals here.
As we come to the second half of the Summer Term and with examinations in full flow, the PE department thank all pupils for their ongoing commitment to sport at Ashville. The fixtures will keep coming and the practices and co-curricular clubs are, as always, on offer for extra practice when the pupils need it. We all look forward to the two largest sporting events in the calendar, the First XI v The MCC Cricket match on 26 June and most importantly Sports Day at the end of term.
Girls’ Cricket
Senior Sports Dinner
The historic Crown Hotel was the setting for the annual Senior Sports Dinner.
The event is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate all the sporting achievements of pupils in Years 11, 12 and 13. Sport is a fantastic way to bring people together, so parents were also invited to share in the successes. Team captains delivered sports reports for Netball, Girls’ and Boys’ Football, Girls’ and Boys’ Hockey, Basketball, Rugby and the Equestrian team. We are very proud of the team spirit and dedication our pupils show to sport, and we were pleased to present players in each of the teams with manager’s player and most improved awards.
Thank you to Mr Atkinson for organising such a fun night!
Charity, Environment and Sustainability
Year 6 visited the residents at Larchfield Residential Care Home. They performed a selection of songs from their upcoming production of Robin and the Sherwood Hoodies and stunned the audience with the high standard of singing. They also sang several Abba favourites, and the residents were tapping their feet and singing along merrily. There were also tears of joy when Sophia, Ruby, Verity and Jessica treated us to a rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow.
Also in Prep School, the Harrogate Parkinson’s Chess Group visited us to enjoy tea, biscuits and some friendly rivalry in a very social chess affair. Having visited Harrogate Parkinson’s at the library on several occasions over the last year, it was wonderful to continue this local community link. We witnessed how chess can be more than just a competitive benchmark, instead providing a crossgenerational way to socialise and relax through a shared interest. The children engaged brilliantly with the chess games they played, and the guests involved. A much-enjoyed afternoon was had by everyone.
Reception pupils had a Bee Brilliant Day tying into their topic of looking after our planet. Sarah Haynes, a local beekeeper came to talk to the children about the importance of bees and what we can do. The children dressed up in black and yellow and got involved in lots of activities including making candles from wax, tasting a range of different flavoured honey, creating bee art and printing, and baking honey cakes!
Beans is How is a global initiative, launched at COP 27 to encourage us all to eat less meat and more beans, pulses and lentils by 2028. Our catering team from Holroyd Howe turned the spotlight on this campaign by bringing a variety of beans and pulses into our daily lunch choices. Who knew that a butterbean blondie would be so fudgy and moreish while being good for us! There were colouring sheets and posters for Prep children, recipe packs for adults and seniors, and lots to taste!
DOUBLE GLOBAL BEAN CONSUMPTION
Year 7 have been investigating Sustainability and as part of this unit we have been identifying the different ways in which we deal with waste. Pupils already have a good understanding about the ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ approach but what about what is left? On their recent trip to Allerton Waste Recovery Park, pupils were taken on a tour of the waste recovery centre and saw (and smelt!) for themselves how the waste is sorted and processed. The black bin waste turned into electricity via anaerobic digestion of food waste into gas and any other waste that can’t be recycled is burned at 1000 °C. An experience for all the senses!
Allerton Waste
Larchfield Care Home
ART AND DT SUMMER SHOW
THURSDAY 26 JUNE 2025, 6.00PM – 8.00PM
Join us at the Art and DT Summer Show and see a showcase of work from Senior School, GCSE, and A Level artists and designers as well as Old Ashvillians.
Art and DT Block, Ashville College, Green Lane, Harrogate, HG2 9JP