First female head for Harrogate’s Ashville College

The Harrogate based co-educational independent day and boarding school for two to 18-year-olds is starting the academic year under the leadership of new head, Mrs Rhiannon Wilkinson.

Mrs Wilkinson, a former Headmistress of Wycombe Abbey – the girls’ equivalent of Eton – has become Ashville’s eleventh and first female head.

She says: “The last couple of years have been a difficult time and have impressed upon us the importance of ensuring that our pupils appreciate the need to develop skills for our fast-changing and increasingly demanding world. The citizens of the future will need to be adaptable, flexible in outlook, and, above all, resilient. Ashville is dedicated to bringing out the best in each and every one of our pupils.”

Set in 64-acres of grounds on the edge of the spa town, Ashville has also just launched a dedicated new early years provision for two to five-year-olds, where the very young can play, learn and thrive.

Engaging and challenging

Whilst its campus boasts three separate centres of learning – Ashville Pre-Prep, Ashville Prep School and Ashville Senior School & Sixth Form – they all support young people to become the ‘best version of themselves’, through an engaging and challenging curriculum which, combined with a wide variety of co-curricular opportunities, develops confidence, resilience and creativity.

Mrs Wilkinson and her team are committed to academic excellence, preparing pupils for their future in a supportive and inclusive learning environment where each individual child is valued.

Ashville also has a truly international outlook. Its boarding community hail from more than 13 different countries, and it has a flourishing nursery on Lantau Island, Hong Kong.

Find out more

The College is hosting an open day on Saturday 2 October, 1.30pm-4pm, which is an opportunity for prospective parents and pupils to learn more about the Ashville experience, and just why so many choose an Ashville education for the children.

The open day will feature tours of the college facilities, including Ashville Sports Centre which recently played host to Olympic gold medallist swimmer Adam Peaty and his swim clinic, classrooms and performance halls.

There will be a presentation from Mrs Wilkinson and members of the College’s teaching staff, and a chance to meet and speak with current pupils, who will talk about their own individual Ashville experiences.

Book your place here for Ashville Open Day.