Lifting the Curtain on Ashville College Prep School

Last week I was invited to visit Ashville Prep School in Harrogate to see the school in action for myself. If, like me, you’d been wondering what goes on at an Independent School read on to find out what I discovered on my visit…

Alice, William, Phil Soutar with Harrogate Mama at Ashville College

There was a friendly and welcoming feel

Everyone I met at the school said a cheery ‘hello’ to me, in a way that made me think that this was an everyday feeling at the school, and not one laid on for ‘visitors’.

The school felt calm

There was a usual hustle and bustle in corridors as the children came in from break which was refreshing to hear. For the duration of the rest of my visit the classrooms felt calm and relaxed.

The child to teacher ratio stood out

When visiting the sport hall for a reception/Year 1 PE lesson I counted a ratio of one adult to eight children, which meant all the children were getting the benefit of attention to learn their skills.

The food looked amazing!

Whilst visiting over lunchtime I was astonished to see the quality and variety of food, the salad bar felt like a high-end hotel buffet!

The school welcomes everyone

Ashville is a co-educational school at all ages, and I saw that boys and girls were getting on well with each other. There looked to be an exciting range of activities and clubs available for everyone, with something for every child! Clubs on offer ranged from sports, art, musical, nature, charity, board games enthusiast, and lots more…!

The artwork and classroom displays were gorgeous

It was lovely to see so many colourful displays around the school and how art and creativity seemed to be embraced.

The site is very green

Ashville College is spread over 70 acres, which gives it its feeling of space and calm. A lot of the site is open greenery which also makes it look inviting!

The sports facilities are great

Not many primary schools are lucky enough to have access to their own swimming pool (the pupils swim weekly) and the AstroTurf pitch, tennis/netball courts, sports hall and playing fields were all remarkable.

The outdoor learning looked fun

Whilst there wasn’t outdoor learning taking place on the day I visited, the children who proficiently showed me around the school were really passionate about their outdoor learning. The pupils said they loved getting outside of the classroom and making and doing things in the tee-pee and wooded areas.

Interviewing Phil Soutar about Ashville Prep School

The pupils and staff seemed proud of their school

The children who took me on my tour wore their blazers proudly and wanted to show me everything about the school, their passion really shone through! Mr Phil Soutar, the Head of Prep Ashville School talked animatedly about the sense of community at the school.

Discover more about Ashville Prep School

In summary Ashville Prep School appears to have a very welcoming and friendly environment that takes pride in its facilities and opportunities for pupils. From my morning visiting, I really couldn’t fault it!

You’re Invited to the Ashville Open Doors Event

If you want to experience Ashville Early Years or Prep School for yourself, you can register for their upcoming Open Doors event on Wednesday 22 May from 9.00am – 12.00pm.

Your visit will include a warm welcome from Mr Phil Soutar followed by a pupil led tour like the one I had – it really is worth the visit! There will also be plenty of time for questions afterwards – You can register for your place on the Ashville website.