Aysgarth School A GSG School

Sports

Equestrian centre or equestrian team - school has own equestrian centre or an equestrian team.

Fencing

Shooting

Sailing

What The Good Schools Guide says

Headmaster

Since April 2023, Jonathon Anderson. Previously head at Clayesmore Prep, Dorset and before that deputy head, director of studies and housemaster at Westbourne House. Early career at Swanbourne House as maths teacher. Educated at Glenalmond College, Perth, then studied economics at Exeter before entering a career in finance, which he left because teaching ‘looked more interesting’.

Exudes a calm, welcoming and thoughtful air, echoed by his study with its roaring fire, soothing pastel greens and a huge bay window, sweeping over Yorkshire countryside. Parents say he’s ‘great’ and is a ‘children’s headteacher’ – rather than the type to simply pander to the parents. One parent told us that, in the best possible way, she was ignored on their first visit because ‘he’s all about the child’. Pupils say he is ‘inclusive’ and ‘empathetic’. He and wife Hester, an experienced teacher and leader, come ‘as a pair’, say parents – and the couple have a son (at the school) and daughter.

Not afraid of a challenge, he oversaw the school welcoming girls in his first six months in post, pragmatically citing finance, along with the opportunity to ‘create more Aysgarthians’, as important incentives. Proud of the 34 girls who have joined years 4 to 7, ‘as if they have always been here’.

Enjoys cricket, rugby and golf, though he says free time is at a premium as ‘school life is full throttle seven days a week’. Working on a MEd, but also squeezes in time with his two labs on the 50 acres site. Spotify set to folk, with a Scottish bias and the Rest is History podcasts, bedtime reading history.

Entrance

Around a third join at nursery, the rest mainly in years 1 and 4, although proximity to Catterick means Forces families arrive at other times. Academically non-selective, so no tests except for a small contingent from overseas (only seven per cent, largely Spanish, who take maths and English). Intake mostly from North Yorkshire, Northumberland, Cumbria and south Scotland. Expect a review of school reports, references, tour and a chat lasting at least two-and-a-half hours with head and wife. Important that all feel it is ‘the right place’ for every child, says head. Parents talk about being ‘sold straightaway’ by the sight of ‘happy children having fun’. SEN parents report good support through the process. Waiting lists currently in pre-prep, and very unusual for school to accept newcomers into year 8.

Exit

Strong tradition of entry to the best senior schools at 13+ (nobody has left at 11+ for several years), impressive given the genuinely mixed ability entry. Harrow, Ampleforth, Uppingham and Shrewsbury most popular. Others to Eton, Sedbergh, Radley, Oundle, Stowe, Rugby, Barnard Castle, Winchester, Gordonstoun, Fettes, Glenalmond, Repton, St Peter’s and Merchiston. Expects around 60 per cent (18 in 2024) to receive scholarships. Several parents told us how well the head, his wife and staff prepared their children for their next steps.

Our view

The emphasis is on hard work and being prepared to throw yourself into the fray. The school day is full, with up to 12-hour days, and pupils need high energy to ‘fully embrace it’, according to parents. But there’s a gentle start, with choir and prayers in the marvellous arts and crafts chapel, where there are Mouseman carvings secreted around the pews.

The school was originally founded in the village of Aysgarth in 1877 by Rev Clement Thomas Hales, moving to the current site, near Newton-le-Willows, in 1890. There was great excitement at the time that the new building included an indoor pool and the newfangled invention, electricity. These days, scooters and rip sticks are lined up in the yards, with bikes allowed for summer – and with 50 acres to explore, they are unsurprisingly popular. Children have access to fruit and milk during breaks, and each form room has its own room to gather in for inclement weather. Corridors are packed with displays, many linked to the wide variety of trips on offer, others showing high quality student work. The scholarship board celebrates achievements, and we spotted a noticeboard on the Big Help Out, highlighting community work.

Given the age of most of the buildings, the decorative order is good, but a few cracks are visible and some areas feel a little congested during breaks and changeovers. Fortunately, the children are impeccably behaved, with some stopping to shake our hand and wish us a ‘good day’. It all feels very civilised.

Lessons we visited were interactive and lively – with sounds of life spilling well beyond the classroom. We heard year 5 music students playing the theme from Top Gun on a full range of instruments with vigour and aplomb, almost drowned out by mathematicians down the corridor belting out Reach for the Stars to bolster efforts in mental maths.

Class sizes are small, averaging around 12 (max 16), and from year 4 all have Chromebooks which years 7 and 8 can take home. Specialist teaching in art, French, drama and DT from pre-prep, then everything in prep. Latin taught from year 4. Setting starts from year 4 in maths, reading and spelling, with science (in the newly refurbed labs) joining in year 5. Parents say teachers ‘empower’ the children in their learning, that standards are ‘high’ and that ‘every lesson is quality.’ One boy told us, ‘They push you as hard as you can go’, but parents insist ‘it’s not a hothouse, they make children happy so they don’t know they are learning’. Prep is twice a day for 30 minutes and children say there is ‘not too much’ – ‘in fact, it exactly fills the time!’

Nursery and pre-prep are based in a separate block, Oak House, although they also make use of the main school facilities, including the pool and the Astro, where we saw pre-prep playing hockey. There is sensory garden, complete with guinea pigs, outdoor play areas and forest school. Lessons we observed were active and children in the oldest class were taking roles in an electric circuit problem-solving session. Lots of laughter as the child ‘bulb’ fell to the floor when the circuit broke.

SEN provision is ‘brilliant’, said a parent of a dyslexic child. A quarter of pupils are on the SEN register altogether, including two EHCPs when we visited – mainly for cognition and learning needs, and the school has also had significant success with visually impaired students who have fully boarded. SENDCo teaches part-time, and is supported by one full-time TA, one part-time TA and one part-time dyslexic specialist teacher – they are based in two attractive and comfortable, centrally located classrooms where one-to-ones (not included in fees) are provided, along with some group sessions, although the priority is to keep support in the classroom with TA support. Staff notice issues, often before parents are aware, we heard. In one parent’s words, ‘Big up the SEND team!’

The relatively new art room is bright and airy, adorned with colourful samples of students’ work, including copper enamelling and ceramics. Lucy, the Jack Russell welcomes visitors to this department, one of the 17 dogs on-site. DT is popular, with facilities including a laser cutter and vacuum former to supplement the traditional drills.

An impressive 80 per cent of pupils learn an instrument, including bagpipes, with the seven practice rooms and two larger communal areas packed with instruments. With two reading/music practice sessions built into every day, they are well used. The senior choir (one of five choirs altogether!) is the jewel in the crown, having sung at the Menin Gate and cathedral in Ypres – and there are groups for guitar, strings, jazz and swing, junior and senior bands, Butterworth group and an orchestra. Musical theatre taps into the rich vein of talent with every prep form putting on a play, with all students involved either up front or backstage. Recent senior productions, in the good-sized Reynolds Hall Theatre include The Lion King Jr and Matilda. LAMDA classes available and, judging by the two boys we watched rehearse, standards are very high, confirmed by annual outcomes.

Impressive sports facilities for a prep school, including six cricket pitches, eight football and seven rugby pitches – and there’s more, including indoor an indoor pool and sports hall, the latter opened by alumnus Matthew Pinsent, complete with climbing wall. Plus three floodlit Astro tennis courts and a hockey pitch. Throw in a shooting range, Thornton Steward reservoir for sailing and the three-hole golf course and you can understand the ‘sport for all’ tag is not just lip service. Everyone plays and there are sometimes three teams per form. Going co-ed has been a smooth transition, say parents, with cricket fully integrated and others sports such as rugby on offer for girls.

Evening and Sunday activities are plentiful. Fencing, horse riding, golf, advanced bagpipes and ballet rub along with entrance exam prep, French revision and scholars’ clubs: the holistic approach again. Children expected to attend at least three clubs. Parents cited children immersing themselves in the offer, with one playing rugby, appearing as a girl in a production and touring with the choir. Children said they are so busy they don’t have time to get bored or homesick. Some clubs, such as fencing and horse riding carry a cost, but the majority are staff run and free. One club – junior board games and chess – struggled for numbers so they added darts and children stepped up to the oche.

In addition to the senior choir tour, skiing in Italy, camping trips and even a visit to a bagpipe factory in Scotland add to the excursions. Sporting tours also feature, largely cricket and rugby.

Pastoral support includes a counsellor on-site to back up the work on mindfulness and wellbeing from staff and the house teams. Parents said staff are ‘nurturing’ but also that they ‘don’t take any nonsense’. When one child recently experienced homesickness, they ‘worked it through really well’, said a parent. Children said behaviour is ‘not too bad’ and ‘most people get’ the system. Parents say they ‘rewards the positives’. Communication is ‘very good’, they also told us.

Parent demographic is largely ‘northern’ and ‘everybody talks to everybody’. It’s very much a wellies and labs set, with good turn outs for matches, social events and tours. One parent described the choir’s Ypres trip as ‘a whale of a time’, and that was for the attending parents. The children also enjoyed it, they added.

Mealtimes in the recently extended dining hall are calm and orderly. Food is judged as ‘great’, the enthusiasm of those taking seconds of the chicken curry testifying this. We have to agree it was worth the queue.

Boarders

The head places a lot of store on boarding, although being a day pupil (currently 15 per cent of the school) ‘is not a problem’, he adds. The majority of boarders (60 per cent) are full-time (and this is expected in years 4 and 5 unless they are day pupils); no flexi boarding. This means that around 100 children stay at weekends, ensuring the Nerf wars are full on.

Comfortable and attractive facilities are based in the main building. Currently the boys’ house is spread over three floors with an additional one for the girls, all with dorms taking between three and eight children. Rooms are bright and airy with large windows, great views and space for that personal touch. Facilities are clean and plentiful. All houses have a common room, X-boxes and areas for relaxation. Each has a housemaster and staff on-site, with a matron and nurse over-night. Children say the boarding is ‘fun’ and say it ‘prepares you for senior school’. Mobiles not allowed below years 4 and 5, which only have access on Sundays, without SIM cards – well ahead of the curve on this topic.

Parents agree with the head that the boarding is integral to the ethos of the school. ‘It’s a proper prep boarding school with standards,’ summed up one, before adding that ‘it’s not for everyone.’

Money matters

Means tested bursaries available up to 100 per cent.

The last word

A school that blends academia and wellbeing to produce mature, articulate and capable individuals. A truly holistic approach.

Special Education Needs

Aysgarth School has a Learning Support Department. This comprises a team of teachers with extra qualifications and experience concerned with a variety of special educational needs. They work in support of the whole teaching staff from the Pre-Prep upwards to provide a comprehensive package of support in line with the 'Code of Practice in the Identification and Assessment of Special Needs' published by the DES in 1994 and the revised Code of Practice 2001. Aysgarth School follows a graduated approach to Learning Support. Literacy and numeracy assessments are undertaken by pupils. Those pupils with concerns are offered dyslexia screening tests and more detailed assessments. Discussion between parents, child and teachers takes place. Support is offered with targets based on an Individual Education Plan. The Learning Support Department also offers support in handwriting, reading, balance and co-ordination through Brain Gym and Study Skills.

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