Ashville College
Catchment Area, Reviews and Key Information

Primary & Secondary
Post 16
PUPILS
790
AGES
2 - 18
GENDER
Mixed
TYPE
Other independent school
SCHOOL GUIDE RATING

How Does The School Perform?

Good
NATIONAL AVG. 2.09
Independent Inspection
Report
(21/09/2023)
Full Report - All Reports
64%
NATIONAL AVG. 38%
5+ GCSEs grade 9-4 (standard pass or above) including English and maths
51%
NATIONAL AVG. 45%
GCSE Grade 5 (strong pass) or above in both English and maths
51%
NATIONAL AVG. 59%
Top grades at GCSE (9-7)
23%
NATIONAL AVG. 11%
3 A levels at AAB or higher inc. two facilitating subjects
55%
NATIONAL AVG. 43.8
Top grades at A level (A*/A)
DATA
GUIDE

Secondary Data
Explained for parents
36.68
A level average point score
NATIONAL AVERAGE 35.48
B
-
Average A level result
NATIONAL AVERAGE B-
Day, Weekly and Full Boarding
Boarding Type
Available
Scholarship Status
£3,562
to
£12,918
Day Fees Per Term

Top Grades Compared With Other Schools

59% Independent Average Ashville College 51% GCSE
43% Independent Average Ashville College 55% A level

Top grades at GCSE (7-9) and top grades at A level (A*/A)


School Results Over Time

2019 2022 2023 58% 63% 64% 2020 Covid-19 2021 Covid-19

% of pupils who achieved 5+ GCSEs grade 9-4
2019 2022 2023 58% 55% 51% 2020 Covid-19 2021 Covid-19

% of pupils who achieved GCSE grade 5 or above in both English and maths
2019 2022 2023 20% 34% 23% 2020 Covid-19 2021 Covid-19

% of pupils who achieved 3 A levels at AAB or higher
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Green Lane
Harrogate
HG2 9JP
+44 (0)1423 566358

See News and Open Days from Ashville College

School Description

School Description: Ashville College is a leading HMC independent co-educational day and boarding school for pupils aged 2-18 (boarding from age 9). GCSE Statistics for 2022: Percentage of grades 6 to 9 - 75%

News, Photos and Open Days from Ashville College
Last update: 15 March 2024
STAFF SPOTLIGHT: EMILY SOROKA

One thing you will notice in our Prep School is the genuine family atmosphere created by our friendly, warm and professional staff. 

They include Mrs Emily Soroka, Year 4 Class Teacher. We popped down to meet her. 

How long have you worked at Ashville, Mrs Soroka? 

This is my fifth year now. I joined in September 2019, before the pandemic. Lockdown felt like being thrown in at the deep end coming so soon in a new job, but adapting to home learning was fine because I had a wonderful class. They were all brilliant, and we just found our groove. My kitchen became my classroom though, so I’m not sure my husband enjoyed having to tiptoe around much! (Laughs). 

Can you tell us about your professional background leading up to you joining Ashville? 

I always saw myself as a teacher and going to university but when I finished sixth form, I didn’t feel ready, so I went into full-time work instead. Working in the banking sector for a few years confirmed that teaching was what I really wanted to do and gave me the confidence I needed to go for it. I did my degree in Early Years Education at Leeds Trinity, before heading to Northumbria University for my PGCE. My first full-time teaching job after qualifying was at Ripon Cathedral School, a lovely primary school which linked to the Cathedral. I spent four years there before coming to Ashville. I have always taught Key Stage 2; I enjoy working with the children and seeing them progress. My favourite year groups are definitely Years 3 and 4!  

Why did you want to be a teacher? 

I’ve always loved working with children. It’s just fun! No two days are ever the same. It’s so rewarding to support children on their journey through education and to witness their individual ‘lightbulb moments’. 

Do you have a personal philosophy when it comes to providing the very best education? 

I believe in kindness and providing a kind, encouraging, and nurturing environment that allows children to flourish. I consider myself to be a kind and caring teacher, and hopefully the children think that too! 

How do you think children benefit from an independent education in a way they perhaps would not from a state education? 

Having worked in state education I can confidently say that there is a huge difference between the two, mainly the smaller class sizes, specialist teaching, and choice of facilities. I was blown away when I first joined Ashville. The children have so much more available to them here that you wouldn’t get from a state education, for example, the variety of sports facilities and weekly swimming lessons on site, and the children seem more confident and independent.  

Teaching smaller classes is lovely because you get to know the children really well and gain a better understanding of their individual learning needs.  

The Co-Curricular Programme is fantastic too, because there’s something for everyone. The children thoroughly enjoy their activities. Some have something on every day after school, and most lunchtimes too. Such busy schedules need good communication between home and school, to ensure that children are getting enough sleep and can cover all their commitments comfortably. 

What positive changes or developments have you seen since our new Head of Prep, Mr Soutar, joined in September? 

Along with many exciting opportunities for the children. Mr Soutar has been keen to support the personal development opportunities for staff, which is a positive step in the right direction. At the start of the year, Mr Soutar sat down with each of us individually to get to know us all and ask where we see ourselves moving forward. He’s really taken our feedback onboard and provided opportunities for us to grow in our careers. He’s also got to know the children very quickly, which is particularly important in our close-knit community. 

What is your favourite thing about working at Ashville? 

The children and the staff. We really are like one big family. We always support each other in any way we can. The children are just brilliant, and I have loved working with every class I’ve had here. They really do make my day. 

What are you most looking forward to for the rest of this academic year? 

I do love the Summer term. The weather makes such a difference as the children can get out onto the field at break-times, after having spent so much time stuck inside because of the bad weather. The summer term is extremely busy with exciting activities such as Sports day and residentials. I enjoy taking my lessons outside too, whether it’s to simply put our Maths books on clipboards and sit on the grass, do our daily reading outside, or work with Mr Oldham in the Outdoor Learning facility, bringing what we’ve learnt in classroom to life or engaging in team-building activities. 

How do you like to spend your time when you’re not working? 

I enjoy lots of long walks at the weekend with my husband and Enzo, our Italian pointer, and spending time with family. During the holidays I love to get away and travel, this year I am returning to Italy, my favourite place to visit. 

Can you share something about yourself that people might not know? 

When I first qualified as a teacher, I knew that Ashville was the school I wanted to work for. I came for an interview as an NQT. Sadly I didn’t get it, but they gave me lots of helpful pointers. I then waited to get more experience under my belt. I really enjoyed working in Ripon but as soon as the Class Teacher role came up here, I knew I had to apply. And I’m glad to say, I got it! 

Visit us at our next Open Doors event and discover why there's never been a better time to join Ashville Prep School
NO PASSING TREND – THE AIR FRYER REVOLUTIONISES A LEVEL PE LESSONS AT ASHVILLE

Air fryershave helped to bring A Level PE lessons to life for our Sixth Formers learning how to prepare the nutritious food elite athletes need to perform at their best.

Lower Sixth pupils at Ashville, all of whom are accomplished young sportspeople, have participated in a ‘Diet and Nutrition MasterChef’ session, equipped only with an air fryer, a kettle, hand utensils, and their ingredients to create a range of delicious meals.

The idea sprang from a passing conversation in the staff room between Mr Mathieu Medway, Head of Academic PE, and his colleagues about air fryers and the nutritional, energy-saving and cost-saving benefits of their use.

Each group of two to three pupils was tasked with creating a meal for a specific type of sportsperson and scenario, taking into account the timing of the meal relative to their sporting activity, the player’s gender, height, weight and age, their weekly workload, and allergies.

The prerace evening meal for a female 400m athlete was crispy shredded chicken, egg fried rice, peas and a smoothie; the during-match cricket tea for a batsman consisted of chicken breast with rice accompanied by a hydration electrolyte drink, a glass of milk, and a bowl of fruit, yoghurt and honey; and the post-match meal for an international level Rugby player was a sirloin steak, fries, salad and homemade ketchup.

The exercise combined academic theory, sports science and the development of important life skills and each group gained valuable preparation for their A Level examinations in the Summer by preparing the full meal and submitting a report.

Mr Paul Stansfield, Director of Sport, said:

“It has been really inspiring to see how Mr Medway and the team have helped to enthuse the pupils about the course module theory, and encouraged them to develop skills that will be valuable to them in the future. Like all subject specialists at Ashville, we are constantly looking for new ways to engage pupils with their learning and bring curriculum content to life, and this has been a brilliant example of that.”

Mr Medway said:

“From a passing chat, I was inspired to introduce air fryer cooking into our A Level Diet and Nutrition lessons, and it has been fantastic to see this evolve. The group really embraced the project and it smelt wonderful in the classroom as they cooked up a storm!”

Keira, a Lower Sixth pupil, said:

“I was looking forward to this lesson for ages. Learning about diet and nutrition has been very interesting and I enjoyed the cooking aspect of this section, as I was able to prove to myself and my class that I can actually cook something decent and edible! My partner and I worked well as a team to be able to provide a suitable meal for a pre competition performer which would benefit and provide the athlete with plenty of energy.”

PUPIL SPOTLIGHT: MEET THE CAST OF LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS

It’s nearly time. The 2024 Senior School Production is just two weeks away and audiences are in for an absolute treat.

The Little Shop of Horrors cast and crew have been working hard since September to bring the show to life. We caught up with four cast representatives, Nick and Lucy in Upper Sixth, and Freddie and Gabby in Lower Sixth, to find out more.

What character do you play and what do you enjoy most about playing that character?

Freddie: I play Seymour Krelborn, a florist who finds a magical plant. He’s a great character to play and very comedic because he is so awkward and not the brightest! He’s madly in love with his coworker Audrey and puts all his energy into winning her affection. It has been fun to push the boundaries in playing him, and to ‘weird out’ my fellow cast members in the process.

Nick : I play the sadistic dentist, Orin, who is Audrey’s boyfriend. He has this kind of loud presence, and you have to almost ignore the other characters and audience and just focus on being as self-centred and nasty as possible. It’s not natural for me to behave that way, which makes it kind of fun!

Gabby : I enjoy playing the character of Audrey as she is so different to me. She’s melodramatic and has a silly, high voice, which means I get to be really over the top. My friends aren’t used to seeing me like that at all!

Lucy: I play one of the Skid Row girls, who act as storytellers for the show. The one I play is quite money-obsessed and not very nice to the rest of the characters, which similarly, is not like me at all, which makes it quite fun to do. As Drama Captain, I have also organised choreography for the show.

Can one of you please describe Little Shop of Horrors in a nutshell?

Freddie: It’s about a guy, Seymour, who finds a plant at an old Chinese man’s shop and brings it back to the flower shop where he works. Instantly the plant starts bringing in more business and attention, but then it starts to grow and develop and even to speak, leading to a complex story that gets very out of hand! Without giving too much away, the more the plant thrives, the worse the situation Seymour finds himself in. Our production is closely based on the 1986 film with most of the original songs.

Why should people come to see Little Shop of Horrors?

Nick: It is a spectacle and a ridiculously hilarious story. The cast are fantastic. Everyone has taken their characters on board so well. I’ve been looking around at everybody in rehearsals and just thinking ‘wow’! The choreography is also amazing, and Lucy has done a fantastic job bringing all the elements together. It is a privilege to represent the cast for this interview and everybody involved should be congratulated for what they have achieved so far.

What is it about Drama that appeals to you?

Nick: I am a bit of an anomaly here as I’m the only one of the four of us who hasn’t studied Drama or Performing Arts; my involvement is purely out of passion. My first time performing was in last year’s show Romeo and Juliet, and I absolutely loved it. I’ve made some fantastic new friends I wouldn’t otherwise have crossed paths with, and everyone is so supportive. On opening night last year, I remember being terrified all day long but as soon as the curtain went up that feeling stopped, and I just got into it. A lot of hard work goes into the Production, but it doesn’t feel like hard work because you’re enjoying yourself so much.

Freddie: I’ve been doing Drama from an early age, starting with Speech and Drama in Year 2. I had a little break when I first started Senior School but then thought I would give it a go again. My first big role was as Dracula in the 2020 Senior School Production of Eternal Flame, and I haven’t looked back. I love to see everything take shape in a show, from costume design to choreography. I enjoy doing accents and playing around with my character to make them different and unique.

Gabby: Like Freddie, I have done Drama for a long time, and I’ve always loved it. I now see it as a career. Shows stress me out a lot, but I like to stress myself out, if that makes sense? So much comes from stepping out of your comfort zone.

Lucy: I have also been involved in Drama from a very young age. I love to be someone else, craft a character from scratch and get into their psyche. Drama brings a lot of people and skillsets together, from the cast to the crew and the chorus.

For pupils undecided about being in next year’s Production, why should they get involved?

Lucy: As Nick demonstrates, you can join at any age, and you don’t need previous experience, just enthusiasm! And there are so many aspects of the production you can get involved in, from costume design to management. The production is what you make of it; you can choose to use existing skills, or you can challenge yourself by doing something different. You get to meet so many people and try things you never would have imagined possible, like sword fighting!

What is next for you in terms of performance?

Lucy: I am a dancer, so I have a show coming up with my own dance school. We then have the Performing Arts Summer Show in June, which for Upper Sixth acts as the final performance assessment for the Cambridge Technical qualification. I hope to join dance and drama clubs when I go to university in September. It’s a bit emotional to think that my drama days at Ashville are nearly over.

Gabby: After the Production I will be focusing on the Summer Show. I also do a few drama-related things outside of school, so I will be appearing in a performance of Les Misérables at Yeadon Town Hall in the Autumn. And then of course there will be next year’s Production.

Freddie: I’m really looking forward to presenting the piece we’re preparing for the Summer Show, and then other than next year’s Senior School Production I will be thinking about what I want to study at university. I like both English and Drama; I would like to study something that covers both of those but I’m not sure yet.

Nick: I very much hope to continue performing, maybe in theatre groups or clubs at university. I thoroughly enjoy performing, and being around other people who love to perform.

What’s your favourite thing about Ashville?

Nick: The community, of pupils and teachers alike. The teachers make a real effort to inspire you, which makes you want to put in a real effort in return.

Freddie: I’ve been at Ashville since I was 4, so it’s all I’ve known and where I’ve always wanted to be. I was certain I wanted to come here for Sixth Form. Ashville is a really good school to facilitate the pupil that wants to do everything, because everything here is amazing, from the arts to sport and the academics. If you want to do something, Ashville will support you. I have loved every minute of being here.

Gabby: The best thing about Ashville is the opportunities you get. I’ve been here since I was 8, When I was younger, I got involved in everything, but since then I have been able to hone my interests over time to focus mostly on Drama.

Lucy: I really like how everyone is pushed outside of their comfort zone. You’re encouraged to do more than just learn in a classroom, they want you to go off and try new things. Without having that ability to explore my interests, I would not have been Drama Captain or got the chance to do all the amazing things I’ve been able to do.

BRINGING THE OUTSIDE ‘IN’! WE LAUNCHED A VIDEO BLOG TO CHAMPION THE GREAT BENEFITS OF OUTDOOR LESSONS

We are stepping up our drive to bring the outdoors in by launching a new video blog to underpin the importance of learning outside the traditional classroom environment.

Paul Oldham arrived at Ashville College in September 2022 with a brief to make lessons taught in the school’s dedicated outdoor learning area less of a “bolt-on thing” and more an integral part of the curriculum.

He hopes a new ‘vlog’ – posted every fortnight – will further inspire and excite young minds, as well as encourage Ashville pupils to embrace learning, not just through books and white boards but also through outdoor experience and sensory stimulation.

The short films highlight just how teaching outdoors can be made relevant, even to more academic subjects such as maths, history or English.

“So much is said about today’s children being the ones to change the world, but it’s not that easy,” said Mr Oldham.

“It will take meaningful educational experiences to help children understand what’s happening in their world and help them make informed choices about how they want to live their lives.

“It can be daunting, doing something radically different when you’re so accustomed to being in a classroom, but, often, all it takes is a small tweak. There’s so much research proving the benefits of learning outside, no matter your age.”

Although city-born himself, Paul Oldham discovered his own love for nature and the environment during his years training to be a teacher in Yorkshire over 30 years ago.

He’s since worked as a department head, deputy head teacher and as an inspector for the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) – experiences which he feels have given him insight into best practice and how outdoor learning can be woven into everyday teaching.

He said:

“The techniques used in outdoor learning open up how we think. I’m keen to show children that, when something isn’t working the way it should, not to see it as ‘wrong’, but as an opportunity to solve problems, use their powers of reasoning and become more resilient.”

Our drive to integrate outdoor teaching also coincides with a steady recovery from the restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, which underlined the importance of the outside world and the positive impact it can have on mental health and wellbeing.

Pupils are also encouraged to participate in a range of co-curricular activities designed to enhance life skills and therefore their ability to adapt, either in further education or the world of work.

Head of Ashville College, Rhiannon Wilkinson, said:

“One of our core objectives is a commitment to ensuring our pupils are future-ready when they leave us.

“Our Co-Curricular Programme opens doors to enjoyable experiences such as drama, sports and games, and the Skills Builder programme helps with confidence, eloquence, leadership and teamwork.

“However, Paul Oldham’s work integrating the fantastic outdoor learning facility into our teaching, further enhances what we can offer as a school.

“Some pupils shine in the classroom but our experience shows a significant number may come into their own in an outdoor setting, which can open up other opportunities or more hands-on methods of learning.

“His enthusiasm and expertise have already proved invaluable and we certainly hope the new vlog will help to promote the advantages of our outdoor learning centre both on and off our Harrogate campus.”

The first episode of the video series is available to watch here.

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Ashville College Catchment Area Map

This school is independently managed and its admission criteria may be selective. There is no set catchment area as pupils are admitted from a wide variety of postcodes and, in the case of boarding schools, from outside the UK. Contact the school directly or visit their website for more information on Admissions Policy and Procedures.