Boarding at Ashville College

2023-2024

WE ARE ASHVILLE

I am a passionate advocate of an English boarding school education. At Ashville College, the whole community benefits from its boarding dimension and our boarders enjoy making the site and facilities their home as well as their place of learning.

Our approach to boarding is modern and holistic, where the happiness and fulfilment of our boarders is placed firmly at the forefront. Strong relationships are at the heart of boarding pastoral care, and our team of specialist staff are there to nurture, guide and support all in their care.

We actively encourage families to consider what boarding options work best for them and their children. For most international pupils, full boarding is the obvious choice. For those who live in the UK but have specific cocurricular or work commitments, our weekly or flexible options enable them to achieve the right balance between home and school. Whatever you choose, we aim to provide all our boarders with a happy, safe and stimulating environment to call their ‘home away from home’.

Mrs Rhiannon Wilkinson MA (Oxon) MEd Head of Ashville College

SUPPORTED WE ARE

MEET THE TEAM

If you are considering boarding, we understand it helps to be able to picture the people who will be looking after your child.

Here’s the senior boarding team, who all live and work in boarding, and some are even teachers in school, too! You will meet other house staff as you get more acquainted with Ashville.

House staff provide great support to boarders, both pastorally and academically, and there is always someone for boarders to talk to, either in the house or at school, if they want to.

There is also a Health and Wellness Centre on-site, staffed by qualified nurses who are very professional, kind and understanding. A general practitioner visits school twice a week.

MISS CAROLINE DARLING

MISS JADE JAFFRY

MRS ESTHER JONES

MRS LORRAINE IRVING Boys’ Boarding

MR RICARDO SILVA Briggs-Mallinson

MR GORAN KELLETT Briggs-Mallinson

FULFILLED WE ARE

AN ENRICHING EXPERIENCE

Boarding at Ashville is about more than four walls and a roof, or the place where you sleep. We offer a full, vibrant and bespoke programme across the whole week which stimulates, inspires and empowers our boarders to achieve their best academically and socially.

Our boarding provision has always been an important part of Ashville school life. The boarding houses and those who reside in them make up a small community within a community. Every boarder and member of house staff comes to feel like they’re part of a big family and share a strong sense of belonging founded in mutual respect, care and support. We ensure our boarders are happy, healthy and able to thrive by providing a relevant and rounded experience within a flexible and familyfriendly system. You can be reassured that your child will make excellent progress academically, as well as developing those crucial life skills that will fully prepare them for their life beyond Ashville. Through the bond of shared exciting experiences in a homely and nurturing environment, our boarders soon begin to make friends for life.

Boarders experience a time for self-discovery and increasing independence as they immerse themselves in their boarding house and day school lives. A wealth of co-curricular opportunities and activities are on offer throughout the week, enabling each boarder to carve out a unique learning path based on their interests and allowing them to become ‘Future Ready’, whatever that may be for them.

Our boarding community is diverse, made up of pupils from the UK and around the world, who board with us full-time, during the week or on a flexible basis based on each family’s needs. Living on the school campus allows all our boarders to make the most of each day, regardless of how many weeknights they spend with us. A range of fun and varied activities are held at weekends to help boarders unwind and give a different dimension to Ashville life.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN ASHVILLE BOARDER

Boarders enjoy busy days based on learning and fun, supported by caring house and teaching staff and a healthy and balanced weekly routine.

To help your child imagine themselves being here, here is a look at a typical day and weekend for a full-time boarder:

WAKE UP

7.15am

WE ARE BUSY

Breakfast in the Dining Hall

8.00am

Tea (evening meal) in the Dining Hall

6.00pm

Evening activity, such as a games evening or use of the Sports Centre after Tea

School day starts 8.35am

Lunchtime, followed by a fun co-curricular activity from 1.00pm

After school co-curricular activity or supervised homework from 4.00pm

School day ends 4.00pm

BEDTIME

Latest return to house times Vary based on year group, from 8.00pm for Year 7 to 9.45pm for Upper Sixth

Find out about our weekends on the next page!

Varies based on year group, from 8.30pm for Year 7 to 10.15pm for Upper Sixth (sleep is vital for a successful education!)

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN ASHVILLE BOARDER (CONTINUED)

Weekends

Routines on Saturdays and Sundays are slightly different and based on our weekend programme of activities, sport and theme nights, which we heartily encourage boarders to get involved in. On Saturday, boarders have lunch in the boarding houses, and on Sunday our famous Brunch is served in school. There are later wake-up times and bedtimes are extended on Friday and Saturday nights.

Our weekend programme (example)

SATURDAY SUNDAY

WEEK 1

Shopping in town by day

Prefects’ welcome theme night Walk at Bolton Abbey, a stunning Yorkshire estate

WEEK 2

Boarding mini glossary

Here are some words boarders become very familiar with during their time at Ashville:

ABSITS – term used for permitted time out of boarding on a weekend or evening

HARRIS WEEKEND – a weekend each term where boarders can take an opportunity for a lie-in and to relax without the usual pressures of school life

Shopping in town

Bowling in Leeds in the evening Day visit to Chester Zoo

WEEK 3

HARROGATE – our local town

HOUSEMASTER/HOUSEMISTRESS - the person responsible for running each boarding house and helping to ensure your wellbeing

Shopping in town

Cinema night

Shopping in town

Dance workshop (on-site activity) Pizza supper in the house

WEEK 4

Boarders’ ‘Fright Night’ theme night Ice-skating

PREP – a piece of homework is also known as a ‘prep’, and you may hear the word used in reference to our on-site Prep School for children aged 5 to 11

SOOTHILL - located within the Senior School, the Soothill Foyer is a large walkway and events space adjacent to the Soothill Hall, our assembly and performance venue

This list is not exhaustive, and we look forward to introducing you to many more should you wish to know more about boarding at Ashville!

A CHANCE TO HAVE FUN

There is more to boarding than schoolwork. There are always activities taking place in the boarding houses or trips out to interesting places, in addition to those offered by the school to all day and boarding pupils throughout the year.

WE ARE

SETTLED

AN ENVIRONMENT OF CARE

Ashville is a caring family school. We want every child to feel cared for, encouraged and valued within a happy and purposeful environment, with all staff and pupils encouraged to look out for each other.

A boarding house is more than just a physical building; it is a home. The nature of our boarding community allows close bonds to develop between staff and pupils. The boarding team understands the uncertainty and nervousness that both pupils and their parents may feel prior to starting school, so we provide pupils and parents alike with extensive support and communication throughout the pupils’ stay.

Everyone helps each other through the challenges of school life, daily social events bring different groups together, and house teams enjoy friendly competition with each other, whether it’s in sport or other activities.

Our house structure is designed to help new boarders settle in quickly and make friends, offering a welcome home-awayfrom-home experience, whatever the age that they join us. The Housemistress is the main point of contact for parents and, supported by a dedicated pastoral team, they are responsible for helping every boarder flourish.

Friendships with both boarders and day pupils are encouraged. Boarders learn to live and share with others and be selfreliant without weakening family ties. We encourage regular contact with friends and family back at home, in balance with spending time with new friends at Ashville.

Specialist support for Forces families

Ashville understands the importance of stability in the lives of children whose parents may be called away, or frequently travel around the world. We are highly experienced in educating and supporting the children of Armed Forces personnel, including those in the Army and RAF. The school is centrally located for easy access from multiple forces bases.

Boarders can always expect a full biscuit tin and fruit bowl, a staff team who will engage them in fun activities, a boarding house they can call home for the next academic year with clear expectations, and the company of Skye, the dog, who just loves boarding!

Mrs Lorraine Irving, Housemistress

COMFORTABLE WE ARE

A HOME AWAY FROM HOME ACCOMMODATION

The Ashville campus is green and spacious with a mix of modern and traditional buildings, set within 70 acres, enabling an inspirational learning and living environment.

Our two well-appointed boarding houses for pupils aged 11 to 18 (Norfolk for girls and Briggs-Mallinson for boys) are located within the school grounds and a short walk from the main school building. Each house has plenty of shared space in which to study, socialise or relax including a lounge/games room with satellite TV and games consoles, study areas and outdoor spaces.

Bedrooms are well-appointed, comfortable, and bright. Boarders usually share a bedroom with others of a similar age. Communal bathrooms are cleaned regularly to a high standard. Sleeping areas contain a single bed, lockable cupboard for storing valuables, wall space for hanging personal items such as photos of friends and family and posters, and for older pupils, a desk and chair for private study.

OTHER FACILITIES

Boarders have access to the College’s wide range of other high-quality on-site facilities to use for their individual academic and co-curricular pursuits.

OUTDOOR SPACES

Norfolk has a lovely lawned garden with seating areas. To the front of Briggs-Mallinson, there is a lawned area with some seating and small basketball court, and to the back, playing fields which are perfect for an evening game of football.

CATERING

Boarders eat breakfast, lunch and ‘tea’ (their evening meal) in the Senior School Dining Hall, a spacious, bright and friendly place where day pupils from Prep School to Sixth Form also eat their lunch on school days. Food served is balanced, nutritious, and tasty, and takes dietary requirements or allergies into account. Pupils enjoy a varied range of dishes from around the world, so there are many opportunities to try something new.

OUR LOCATION

Ashville is situated in Harrogate, a historic spa town full of cafés, independent shops, art galleries, and other attractions. Mixing the best of both town and country, the Yorkshire Dales, an area of outstanding natural beauty, is less than half an hour’s drive away. The closest cities to us are York and Leeds, which offer excellent restaurants, museums and other places of interest. We have fantastic transport connections; Leeds Bradford and Manchester are our closest international airports, there are daily direct trains between Harrogate and London King’s Cross, and we are situated within a 30-minute drive of major road links.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

The details make the difference when you’re choosing a school for your child.

Enquire now

We welcome applications directly from international families and via educational agents. The best way to experience Ashville is in person, either at one of our Open Events or by individual appointment. If this isn’t possible, for example if you live abroad, give us a call and we will arrange a virtual meeting. Please contact our friendly Admissions team on +44 (0)1423 724863 or admissions@ashville.co.uk.

Flexible options

We offer a range of different boarding options to suit the needs of your family.

1. A full-time boarder spends seven nights a week with us during term-time.

2. A weekly boarder spends from Sunday evening or Monday evening with us until Friday after school. Pupils may choose to weekly board because they have a long commute to school, their parents may have weekly work commitments, or they may prefer the stability of supervised homework.

3. Flexible boarding has become increasingly popular across the UK, offering pupils the opportunity to experience boarding life on a short-term basis. Flexible boarding provides pupils the opportunity to board for one, two or three nights each week.

All boarders are very much part of the boarding community and are invited to attend all trips, activities and special occasions.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Forces families

In recognition of our commitment to Forces families, Ashville offers a Forces discount on all boarding and tuition fees, as well as a discounted deposit. For full details, please contact Admissions.

Dates for your diary (2023-24)

• Sixth Form Options Fair – Thursday 11 November 2023

• Entrance exam – Tuesday 23 January 2024

• Year 7 Scholarship Applicants’ Day – Friday 26 January 2024

• Senior School and Sixth Form Open Morning – Saturday 9 March 2024

Find out more

More information, including on fees and the application process for boarders, can be found on our website. We are now inviting applications for September 2024 and our experienced Admissions department is committed to supporting you and your child throughout our application process.

Scan the QR code or visit www.ashville.co.uk/admissions