Ashville College
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Lord Sugar may have chosen his new business partner for 2024 on the BBC’s The Apprentice this week but Ashville could well boast a few budding entrepreneurs who could give Harrogate gym owner Rachel Woolford a run for her money.

A total of 15 Lower Sixth Formers formed two teams to participate in this year’s LEAP challenge.

The programme run by the registered charity encourages pupils to set up their own firms, raise their own share capital, make or choose a product, formulate a business plan and then market their wares so they sell as much as they can.

But it’s not just about a quick profit – along the way, young participants learn skills preparing them for later life and perhaps a slot of their own on The Apprentice in years to come.

Back in September, Ashville’s entrants founded Zeda Accessories, a jewellery business, and Luminate, who purchased and sold neon lights. Since then, they’ve encountered and worked around many of the issues any new business may face.

Zeda chose to pitch their first stall at the Bonfire Night, which offered team members opportunities to learn more about time management, staff and product resources.

However, both teams were also represented at the LEAP Christmas and Valentine Trade Fairs held at the Merrion Centre in Leeds, taking early starts, cold conditions, poor footfall and reluctant purchasers in their stride.

Luminate won second prize for their performance at the Christmas fair, although both groups upped their game considerably for the second in February.

But it was Luminate’s sales in school which boosted revenue to over £1,000 and solid presentations at the LEAP Awards Evening at Allerton High School netted them a total of four prizes – best logo, best 30-second video advert, best marketing and best company report – as well as the accolade of the 2024 overall winners.

Judith Grazier, Ashville’s Future Ready Co-ordinator, said all 15 pupils who took part in the 2024 LEAP challenge should be proud of what they achieved:

“From a cohort of 24 companies and 230 students, Luminate deserve to be delighted with their success – but it’s not all about winning,” she said.

“All of the participants took part with energy, commitment and resilience and they have all learned something about themselves, whether it be their tenacity, their ability to encourage others, to set priorities, or overcome problems and challenges.

“Each one of them can be very proud of their performance this year. Their experiences will provide practical examples of their strengths and the manner in which they can add value to any future environment. It has been an absolute pleasure to work with both companies this year; they have truly been an excellent cohort!”

Rhiannon Wilkinson, Head of Ashville College added:

“We’re delighted all of our students have not only had the opportunity to learn that skill through the LEAP programme, but have also enjoyed the rewards which come hard work and commitment.

“Academic success is important, but it doesn’t necessarily define us for the rest of our lives. It’s programmes like LEAP which help to ensure pupils leave Ashville with experience in listening and speaking, problem-solving and creativity, aiming high and staying positive, leadership and teamwork – all fundamental to our own Future Ready programme.”

We are delighted to introduce our new Year 6 Class Teacher.

Mr Andy Hart is a former veterinary surgeon and has spent more than a decade living and working in Tanzania. We met him in his first week to find out more.

How are you settling in, Mr Hart?

It has been lovely. I’ve had such a great welcome from the children, staff and parents.

I hear you have also recently been on-site in another capacity?

That’s right. At the end of last term, I came in to Prep School to give a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths) talk about what I got up to working in rural development over ten years in Tanzania, from 2001 to 2011. The pupils were fascinated by the edible insects that we were reintroducing to malnourished children’s diets to try and give them extra protein sources because they were too poor to be able to adapt their diets with more conventional foods.

Can you tell us a bit about your professional background prior to Ashville?

I graduated from Cambridge with a degree in Veterinary Medicine and a masters in Zoology. I then worked in mixed practice in Harrogate, Wharfedale and Nidderdale for three years before taking a masters in Tropical Veterinary Medicine at Edinburgh University. I then trained with CMS and moved to East Africa at the request of the Archbishop of Tanzania to work as a veterinary surgeon in rural development in the Iringa region of Tanzania. Several successful development projects I set up and ran in both rural and urban areas continue to operate today, such as a safe water programme, renovated cattle dip tanks and micro solar. In 2003, my wife Susie founded Neema Crafts, which provides training and employment opportunities for over 100 people with disabilities in Iringa, and I co-directed the charity with her during our time living in Tanzania.

Our return to the UK from Tanzania was always on the cards but we had to come back a bit more suddenly because our house sadly burned down. I decided to move into education, so I did my PGCE at York St John University and got my first job at Highfield Prep School. Mrs Wilkinson even interviewed me as she was Head there at the time! I taught at Highfield for ten years, and alongside this assisted in setting up the charity Artizan International with Susie to establish new social enterprises for adults with disability overseas, in Peru and Ecuador.

I really enjoyed my time at Highfield, but I contracted Covid during the pandemic. Due to long Covid I was off work for a while. I attempted a phased return, but it was too soon, so I made the decision to leave to let myself fully recover. When I knew I was well enough to be able to work again, the job of Year 6 Class Teacher was advertised at Ashville. It was definitely a case of ‘right time, right place’. I knew Ashville well already, having worked just down the road, come here for school cricket fixtures, and given various talks here about my work in Tanzania. I was also good friends with Tim Cundy, a former Head of Sixth Form who sadly died from cancer in December 2022.

Why did you choose to retrain as a teacher?

During my time in Tanzania, I was increasingly drawn into the world of education. A significant part of my role in development was adult education in the villages, delivering workshops and seminars on development projects, for example. I also became a governor and treasurer of an international school in Iringa, and because of my education credentials, became involved in all manner of things, including the development of its International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum and moving to the Cambridge exam board for GCSEs. We were a fairly small expat community, so I ended up being ‘the expert’ drawn into everything from primary education to A Level. I absolutely loved it. I was also invited to be a guest lecturer for the University of California on their International Veterinary Medicine and Conservation masters course, taking groups of students out on field trips in the villages.

On my return to the UK, I was initially thinking about going back to veterinary practice, but so much had changed in ten years. When I left veterinary practices were very much of the ‘James Herriot’ style – they were owned and run by vets, and you were part of the community. If someone couldn’t afford treatment, you could decide to waive some fees or find cheaper options. Now, nearly every practice is owned by big companies, so vets now work for a corporate body, profit margins are more important, and fees can be extortionate. Having worked for so long among some of the poorest in society, I couldn’t face returning to a profession that had become more focused on making money than the community it serves.

I looked at a few different career options, including university lecturer and secondary school biology teacher. Both would have been great, but I had loved the breadth of working in Africa. Primary education offers that breadth and the opportunity to spend much more time with the children.

What subjects are you particularly passionate about and how would you describe your teaching style?

I am specialised in Science and Maths because of my background, but I love all the subjects, from English to Geography and everything in between. I enjoy storytelling, and how you can capture someone’s attention and interest by sharing a story with them on a particular topic. You can also throw in lots of interesting and random facts. We’ve been looking at metric measurements in Maths this week, which has led to discussions about: how the metric system took over from the imperial, the battle for the Prime Meridian between the Paris Meridian and the Greenwich Meridian, how the French only agreed to Greenwich if Britain agree to move across to the metric system, and how the original metre is held in a vault in Paris! All those things add such depth and detail and I love how you can do that across all the subjects.

Have the children asked about your background as a vet?

Oh yes! They are also excited about Veterinary Club, which starts next Thursday. In the first session, we will be doing heart dissections, and in the future, we will cover the features of animal skulls, X-rays, how to suture, and all sorts of other things!

What will be your priorities in your first term at Ashville?

Working with the children will be my main priority and supporting them to do their very best. I was the Maths lead in my previous school, so I will be working with children of all abilities to get them really confident and enjoying Maths. Hopefully by the end of the year those who aren’t confident now will think, “Yes, I can actually do this!” and the top performers will have had plenty of opportunities to push themselves forward.

And longer term?

I have many years of experience working with poor communities and charities, as well as in school fundraising, so I am looking to get involved in the Prep School’s charitable activities. I think of charity work as a network that grows and grows as more people get involved, to a point where everyone wants to do something to help. I have seen first-hand the difference in mindset between throwing a coin in for a non-uniform day and charity giving becoming part of a school community’s DNA. I have seen children forego presents for their birthday and raise £5,000 for charity instead. I have witnessed the most materialistic, designer brand-obsessed kid in class taking the shirt off his own back for a child wearing rags in Uganda, before requesting to sponsor that child with his family’s support. Those pupils I refer to are much older now, nearly adults, and they’re still living for other people in a way that they might not have done if they hadn’t got involved in charity at such a young age. Charity work really does transform both the giver and the receiver.

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

Mainly with my family. My youngest daughter is 19 and has Down’s syndrome and learning difficulties so we spend a lot of time supporting her. My eldest is a scholar at Oxford in her final year, so it has been an interesting dynamic for our family to have children at both ends of the academic scale and ensure they both get the best opportunities life can offer.

I am still involved with the charity we run, Artizan International, and I am also writing a book! I used to tell a lot of stories about my experiences in my old school and some of the Year 6s came up to me in the playground before they were about to leave and said: “Mr Hart, can you write all the stories you told us down in a book? Because when we’re older, we want to read them to our children!” It’s going to take a while – I’ve done about eight chapters and I’ve got about 50 other stories to put into it – but I am trying my best to honour their request!

For the first College newsletter of the Summer term, we caught up with three Year 11s about the process of ‘Sanhedrin’. This is an opportunity for Ashville pupils to reflect on their progress, plan for their GCSE examinations and prepare for their future beyond exams.

Hear from Connie, Tom and Rose.

How long have each of you been at Ashville?

Connie: I joined at the start of Year 10.

Tom: I’ve been here since Year 7.

Rose: I also started in Year 7.

Before you went through Sanhedrin, did you know what it was?

Connie: I was aware that there were going to be conversations about GCSEs before I heard the term ‘Sanhedrin’. I asked some older pupils about it and what I should do to prepare, and they helped put me at my ease. They said it would be a relaxed chat and an opportunity to be honest about your grades and where you’re heading. Some people were a bit nervous, but having gone through the process now I can tell you it’s absolutely nothing to worry about. Quite the opposite, in fact!

How would you explain Sanhedrin to a Year 10 pupil or younger?

Tom: It’s a meeting with the Head to look back on how you’ve done in your mocks and talk about what you might be able to achieve in the Summer. It really is quite relaxed as Connie said. I’m sure some people might think, “Oh, gosh, it’s a meeting with the Head!”, and be daunted by that but think of it more as a chat about how you feel things have gone so far and how you can do your best in your exams.

What was speaking to the Head like?

Connie: It was really positive. It reminds you how much people care and that everyone at Ashville wants you to do well. When the Head knows your name and what you’re studying and asks what you want to do beyond Ashville, it’s incredibly motivating.

Rose: I’ve spoken to her before, in passing at concerts and other events, but this time it was a proper one-to-one, which was nice as you don’t often get that opportunity in everyday school life.

So, what are your plans from here?

Connie: I haven’t decided exactly what I’m going to do career-wise, but I have a keen interest in Sports and Food and Nutrition. I don’t think I would have had the opportunity to get as immersed in those subjects if I hadn’t come to Ashville. I would like to focus on these subjects in the Sixth Form.

Tom: At the moment I’m focusing on getting the best grades I can at GCSE. I’ll see what I come out with and decide from there. I would like to go to university, possibly whilst doing a property related apprenticeship.

Rose: I am not sure yet either, but I’ll probably go down the History route as it’s the subject I’m most interested in. It was especially valuable talking to Mrs Wilkinson as she studied History at Oxford, and her husband also did History. This allowed me to gain an insight into what studying History at university is like in practice.

Thinking about these goals, in what way has Sanhedrin helped you with them?

Connie: It has made think about the future a lot more. It was a positive experience, but it also gives you the sort of wake-up call you need at this stage: your exams are coming up and you need to look at the next steps you want to take. At the meeting, the Head had a book of all the best universities and their requirements, so she could tell you where is best for a particular subject, what A Levels you need to study, and the grades you have to achieve to get in.

Tom: It was helpful for me to talk to the Head because she assured me that I had a good plan and that I can achieve it based on where I am now. I feel a lot more organised now.

Rose: It was incredibly valuable for me to speak to the Head because she studied History, but it was also good just to discuss different ideas and plans and to feel relaxed enough in her company and that environment to do that. Talking out loud about your plans makes things more real and practical.

Will you be staying on for Ashville Sixth Form?

Connie: Yes, definitely. I can’t imagine myself anywhere else. I enjoy the lessons. We have a really nice year group in Year 11 and I get on very well with my teachers. There are so many opportunities too, including additional courses you can take alongside your A Levels and all the trips, of course! I don’t have a reason to leave, and I get the academic support I personally need to go on to the next stage.

Tom: I am also staying. I agree the close relationship with the teachers is truly special. Everyone knows each other’s names and it is just a nice place to be.

Rose: Same here. Ashville has everything you need in terms of Sixth Form and all the teachers are amazing.

What has been your favourite memory of Ashville so far?

Connie: The Year 10 ski trip. It was quite soon after I joined so I was a bit apprehensive about going but I had such a good time and it helped me get to know my year group even better. I will always remember it and the teachers who went really helped make the trip what it was.

Tom: Mine is a trip as well! The Geography group have recently been to Iceland. Visiting the glaciers was incredible, as was walking around Reykjavik. It is so different out there.

Rose: My favourite memory is a trip too! We went to Greece and even though I personally don’t study Classics it was very interesting and I got a lot out of it.

What is your favourite thing about Ashville Senior School?

Connie: I value the connections I have made at Ashville, with everyone in our year and with the teachers. It’s because of the close community that I have enjoyed it here so much.

Tom: The sense of community I’ve gained through my love of sport and being on the Rugby and Hockey teams has been important to me, too.

Rose: The Senior School is special because there are so many opportunities for involvement and leadership, like with House Music and the Senior School Production. Events like that are quite fun because there is less emphasis on teachers telling you what to do and more on the pupils. You really need to work together, across the different year groups, to be successful, which gives you a real sense of ownership and makes you care more about what you’re doing.

Ashville’s Head of Tennis is currently in Spain competing against the best padel players from across the globe.

La Nucia is hosting the International Padel Federation’s Seniors World Championships and Sophie Cousins is among the women’s squad representing Great Britain.

She joins fellow Wetherby Padel Club coach Angela Crossley on the 16-strong team competing in the sport, thought to have originated in Mexico in the late 1960s. And they got off to the perfect start by beating Norway 6-7, 6-2, 6-4.

Across between tennis and squash, padel is played on an enclosed court with playable walls. The balls are softer than those used in tennis and racquets are usually solid rather than stringed.

One big difference to tennis is that the serve must be below waist height – although quite a few renowned tennis players have excelled at padel too.

The sport is now the second most popular in Spain, second only to football. However, its international popularity grew significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic as it’s possible to play indoors and with no physical contact. Today, an estimated 25 million players participate in over 90 countries.

“Obviously, it’s an honour to have been selected and I’m excited to have been invited to have join the squad for the tournament,” said Sophie. “There’s bound to be some tough opposition but, like in any sport, it’s a privilege to be able to test yourself against the best.

“Yorkshire has a tradition for turning out sportsmen and women who’ve excelled on the international stage so, while Angela and I will be doing our best for Team GB, we’ll also try to do the White Rose proud.”

Rhiannon Wilkinson, Head said Sophie’s success has been an inspiration for pupils, who have been cheering her on back in Harrogate.

“Sophie’s selection for Team GB is a great example of what any of us can achieve if we’re open to new experiences and prepared to give our best,” she said. “Like many padel players, tennis might be her first sport but trying something a bit different has given Sophie an opportunity to represent her country.

“That really is something to be proud of, not just for Sophie but for the whole of the Ashville community too.”